Apr 27

Cheesy Taco Pasta

Posted by Crystal // 0 Comments »

If you love super easy 1-pot meals, then this Cheesy Taco Pasta is for you! It’s thick, creamy, meaty, and hearty, and the best part is that it is ready in a jiffy, so you don’t spend your whole evening cooking.

Cheesy Taco Pasta in a round blue baking dish

Y’all, this Cheesy Taco Pasta is so good! I love how creamy it is, and you can use ground chicken or turkey or whatever ground meat you have on hand. It only takes a few ingredients, a bit of cheese, and noodles, and before long, dinner is on the table!

This 1-pot taco pasta has saved dinner more times than I can count. Ever had a super-busy night, the kids are hungry, and you need dinner on the table in a hurry and don’t have time to get to the store? You know what I mean, and this recipe will save your bacon! As long as you’ve got some ground meat on hand, cheese, and a few pantry staples, you’ll be good to go.

If you’re feeding little kids, you may want to skip the jalapenos. By the time this dish is done cooking, most of the spice has cooked out of the chilis, but there is still some heat. See my suggestions below for controlling the heat in this dish.

I also love how quickly this dish cooks. Depending on how fast you can chop an onion and dice a jalapeno, dinner can be ready in about 30 minutes. And the whole meal is in one pot! Serve it with a salad or cut-up veggies, and voila, dinner is served.

Ingredients

Ground meat – I use chicken, but turkey is a great alternative.
Olive oil
Onion – Yellow onion, chopped.
Jalapenos – Seeds removed and finely chopped.
Salt and pepper.
Garlic powder
Taco seasoning – Use your favorite brand.
Chicken broth – I use low-sodium.
Egg noodles
Enchilada sauce – 1 10-oz can.
Monterey Jack cheese – Shredded.
Cheddar cheese – Shredded.
Cilantro – Optional garnish; chopped.
Green onions – Optional garnish; sliced.

How To Make The Best Taco Pasta

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or pot.
Add the ground chicken, chopped onions, diced jalapenos, garlic powder, and taco seasoning. Cook for about 12 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned.
Adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste.
Add the chicken broth, egg noodles, and enchilada sauce to the skillet and stir well.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
Mix the cheeses together and add 2 cups of the cheese into the pasta and turn off the heat; stir well to combine.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions and serve.

Recipe Tips

I like this recipe with ground chicken or turkey, but you can also use ground beef or ground pork. Use what you have!
If you’re starting with frozen ground chicken, thaw it in the microwave first.
If you don’t want so much spice in your Taco Pasta, only use one jalapeno and be sure to remove the inner membrane, too. If you don’t want any spice, substitute ½ cup of diced green bell pepper for the jalapenos.
If you want extra spice, use a serrano chili instead of the jalapenos, and use Pepper Jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack.
You don’t have to have cilantro or green onions to garnish the top, but they add a pop of color and freshness. I’ll even sometimes add a dollop of sour cream to the top of my plate.

Serving Suggestions

Your protein and carbs are all in one pot, but this Cheesy Taco Pasta recipe is light on the veggies. Consider adding a veggie-centric side dish to round out the meal. Chopped veggie sticks with a great dipping sauce are an easy way to add veg to the meal or serve your favorite green beans, corn, or even just a side of coleslaw.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I’ll even make a double batch of this to have yummy leftovers for a second meal or for lunch during the week. It’s great in a thermos and heats up so nicely in the microwave.

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