Enchilada pasta bake – Cheese, chicken and warming spices come together for the ultimate comfort casserole. Perfect for a weeknight Mexican night out or to add lots of flavor to your next potluck.
Sometimes, when I’m in the mood for effortless Mexican food, I’ll make a Beef Enchilada Casserole or a Chile Relleno Casserole. Do you feel the theme here? However, this enchilada pasta casserole might be the ultimate comfort food. I think it’s the pasta that does it. I mean who doesn’t love carbs?
Plus, this enchilada pasta casserole is on the table in just 35 minutes. I don’t think it can get any better. This recipe makes enough food for 6 heaping servings, or you’ll have leftovers that are super easy to reheat. It’s the perfect meal prep or make-ahead dish for potlucks and gatherings.
Why This Recipe Works!
You really can’t go wrong with chicken, cheese and pasta. Add some Mexican spices to the mix, and you have a recipe that’s a flavor explosion in every bite.
- A casserole means minimal cleanup and eliminates the need for multiple side dishes. Everything you want in a complete meal, in one dish.
- Maximum taste with minimum effort.
- Use pre-packaged, pre-cooked ingredients for a convenient recipe that tastes completely homemade.
what you will need
- Chicken – You can season and prep raw chicken, or save time and start with a pre-made rotisserie.
- Spices – Chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper are all you need to create the spicy Mexican flavor we’re looking for.
- Cream cheese – You can use full fat or the variant with 1/3 less fat. I find the full fat melts better and makes for a smoother sauce, but you can do either.
- Sour cream- You can use plain Greek yogurt if you don’t have sour cream.
- Enchilada sauce – Using canned enchilada sauce will save you a ton of time, but this homemade enchilada sauce is perfect too.
- Cheese – I used shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. Or try Pepper Jack for a touch of spiciness.
- Corn – Reach for frozen corn or canned corn to keep this recipe super convenient.
- Green Chilies – This ingredient usually comes already diced and canned, but you can use fresh chilies or another hot pepper instead.
- pasta – Egg noodles are quick to prepare and not too heavy. A perfect option when paired with a ton of chicken and cheese.
- coriander – This is an optional garnish, but it brings the presentation to life and bright flavor.
How to make an enchilada pasta bake
- Cook pasta – Cook the egg noodles 1-2 minutes less than package directions indicate. While they are cooking you can start cooking your chicken.
- Cook and season chicken – Place diced raw chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle your seasonings on top and mix to evenly coat the chicken. Brown the pieces until fully cooked.
- Add Cream Cheese – Turn the heat to medium-low and mix in the cream cheese. The residual heat will melt the cream cheese to a sauce-like consistency.
- Make casserole filling – In a separate bowl, mix together ½ cup of each cheese and remaining casserole ingredients (except pasta). Pour this mixture over the chicken and mix to incorporate. Let this cook for 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Mix in the noodles – Add the cooked and drained pasta to the mixture and stir to combine.
- Bake – Pour the casserole mixture into a casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes until hot, melted and bubbly.
recipe tips
- Undercook the pasta a minute or two so it’s almost al dente. They finish cooking in the oven and absorb more flavor.
- If you plan to use rotisserie chicken for this recipe, shred and chop the chicken while the pasta cooks. Place in a bowl, season and mix the meat.
- Double the amount and make more to freeze. This is an excellent meal prep option or for storing when you need dinner on the table in a pinch.
- I like to use these disposable aluminum pans to make cleanup a breeze. If you then decide to freeze the casserole, it won’t monopolize any of your good bakeware.
Place any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They should last 3-4 days.
You can easily reheat the casserole in the microwave or an oven at 350º F. Heat until hot and completely melted.
You can fully assemble the casserole and then refrigerate or freeze it until ready to serve. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Or, place the foil-wrapped casserole in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. Then slide it into the oven until heated through, melted and bubbly.
How to serve an enchilada pasta bake
The best combinations for this recipe are ones that you can make on the fly and serve with a bowl of chips. Try these dipping Mexican side dishes that will take your enchilada pasta casserole to the next level.
- Roasted Corn Salsa – A chipotle cheat that’s even better than the original. This would also be delicious mixed into the casserole in place of corn.
- Restaurant Style Salsa – Turn the heat down or up with this restaurant style salsa. Treat like a dip or spoon some over each serving of casserole.
- White Queso Dip – Nothing pairs better with cheese than more cheese.
- Easy Refried Bean Dip – Creamy, cheesy, and endlessly dipable.
Yield: 6
Enchilada pasta bake
Enchilada Pasta Casserole – Cheese, chicken and warming spices combine for the ultimate comfort casserole. Perfect for a weeknight Mexican night out or to add lots of flavor to your next potluck.
preparation time 15 minutes
cooking time 20 minutes
total time 35 minutes
ingredients
- 1 pound chicken, diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 10 ounces enchilada sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- Coriander, optional garnish
instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the egg noodles 1-2 minutes less than package says. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pan, sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes. It doesn’t need to be cooked through, just brown on the outside.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Mix until the chicken is evenly coated with the spices.
- Stir in the cream cheese until melted.
- In a bowl, combine sour cream, enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, corn, green chiles, salt and pepper. Blend until combined.
- Pour mixture over chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Add the drained and cooked pasta and stir to combine.
- Put everything in a large casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with coriander if you like.
Remarks
Recipe from Table for Two
Nutritional Information
yield
6
serving size
1
amount per serving calories 491total fat 29gSaturated Fatty Acids 13gtrans fat 0gunsaturated fat 12gcholesterol 139mgsodium 897mgcarbohydrates 28gdietary fiber 3gsugar 6gprotein 31g
Nutritional Disclaimer: All information on this website is for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should be used as a general guide only.
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Welcome to Dinners, Dishes & Desserts, where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual cook who loves to feed people. This blog has hundreds of quick and easy recipes, mostly made from scratch. I spend my days in the kitchen creating new recipes to share with family and friends.
