One Pot Chicken Taco Penne Pasta is the 30 minute meal of your dreams! Cheesy, creamy and full of great flavor, this easy Taco Pasta adds a great variation for Taco Tuesday.
Chicken Taco Penne Pasta
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Check out some of my other one pot pasta recipes:
One of the most popular recipes on this site is my 20 Minute Taco Pasta. And with good reason! It has all the delicious flavor of your favorite Taco Tuesday fare in half the time! So it seem only right to make a chicken pasta variation of that awesome recipe!
Now for this variation, I've used regular pasta as opposed the Barilla Pronto Pasta. So it takes slightly longer than the other recipe, but this comes together right around 30 minutes, so it's still pretty quick and easy. Trust me when I say, this is a great option for those nights when you're craving a tasty pasta but with a fun twist!
Tips for making Taco Chicken Pasta
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, not more than an inch in size and try to keep them all the same size for even cooking.
- In the beginning after the chicken has begun browning, you'll add more ingredients. At this point, the chicken will not be fully cooked or even totally browned. This is ok, it will cook more as it goes and end up nice and tender.
- When you cook the pasta, you'll be doing so at a slightly higher temperature than normal. Don't get nervous, thats exactly how it should be.
- Use a non-stick pan. It helps prevent sticking.
- You'll also want to stir it periodically while it's covered- I usually do it around three times during that time.
Do I have to use penne pasta?
No, you can use any other similar size pasta, just keep an eye on it as it may take a little longer or a little less time to cook depending on the shape.
What is the best cut of meat for Chicken Pasta?
I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe to lighten it up slightly. You can also use 6 small boneless skinless chicken thighs is you'd rather have dark meat.
Can you freeze Taco Penne Pasta?
I'm not a big fan of freezing pasta as I think it adversely affects the texture but if you want to, make sure it's well wrapped and it will last up to 3 months.
How long does Taco Pasta last?
This will last 3-4 days covered in the refrigerator.
How do I reheat Taco Pasta?
If you're reheating a large amount, do it in a non-stick skillet over medium heat on the stove and be sure to stir frequently. For individual portions, I use the microwave.
What are the ingredients for Taco Chicken Penne Pasta?
- Cooking spray
- Chicken breasts
- Dried minced onions
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Canned diced tomato
- Tomato sauce
- Black beans
- Frozen corn
- Canned diced green chiles
- Taco seasoning
- Chicken broth
- Water
- Penne pasta
- Cheddar cheese
- Scallions
- Tortilla chips
How to make Chicken Taco Penne Pasta
- Begin browning the chicken in the pan.
- When it's partially browned but not fully cooked, add additional wet and dry ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Add pasta and cover.
- Stir a few times as it cooks.
- Once the pasta is cooked, stir in some cheddar cheese and put the rest on the top.
- Remove from heat and keep covered for a couple minutes to melt the cheese on top.
- Top with chopped scallions and crumbled tortilla chips and serve.
What do I serve with Cheesy Taco Pasta?
A few great recipes to round out and complete this meal would be:
Helpful tools:
One Pot Chicken Taco Penne Pasta
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
- ¼ cup dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles, undrained (I used mild but you can always use spicy if you want a kick!)
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 ounce can chicken broth
- 1 14.5 ounce can black beans, undrained
- ¼ cup water
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- Scallions, chopped (for garnish)
- Tortilla chips, crumbled (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat and grease with cooking spray.
- Add chicken and saute stirring often until it's beginning to brown, around 2 minutes (it won't be fully browned yet). While it's browning add dried minced onions, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, tomato sauce, chicken broth, taco seasoning, undrained black beans and frozen corn. Mix well and bring to this to a boil, around 5-7 minutes.
- Once it's boiling, add the pasta, cover and reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook for 5 minutes and then remove the cover and stir.
- Cover the pan and cook for another 5 minutes and then remove the cover and stir again.
- Cover the pan and cook for another 5 minutes and then remove the cover and stir in ½ cup of shredded cheddar.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the pasta. Cover and remove from heat.
- Let the cheese melt for a couple minutes then uncover. Sprinkle with scallions and crumbled tortilla chips and serve immediately.
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Corinne Zawadzki says
Jessy Freimann says