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This Mexican inspired Chipotle Chicken Pasta is very flavorful and easy to make all in one pot. Using whole wheat or gluten-free pasta, it is a healthy yet satisfying pasta dish filled with authentic Mexican ingredients. The whole family will love this dinner!
Mexican food is full of healthy ingredients if you look for them. This healthy pasta recipe has onion, garlic, tomatoes, beans, chicken, lime, cilantro, jalapenos, and more. Every ingredient adds delicious flavor, but also adds protein, fiber, and vitamins, and other nutrients needed for a balanced diet. But mostly we love that this Mexican Chipotle Chicken Pasta tastes amazing and is super simple to make.
Don’t have a great grilled chicken recipe to use? Try our yummy Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken or the grilled chicken from our Mexican Chicken Bowls. Both taste great in this recipe.
Why You’ll Love this chipotle chicken pasta
- It’s easy. This pasta recipe is all made in one pot, which means very little cleanup and dishes. You don’t even need to boil the pasta in advance – it cooks in the sauce.
- Uses up ingredients. This is a great recipe if you have cans of beans, jars of salsa, or fresh veggies you need to use up. It’s also a great way to use leftover grilled chicken.
- Easy to adjust. This is an easy recipe to adjust to fit your preferences. You can use gluten-free pasta, whole-wheat pasta, or even another healthier pasta alternative like lentil pasta. You can also remove the chicken and replace the broth with vegetable stock to make it vegetarian or vegan.
Ingredients you’ll need
Extra virgin olive oil
Onion
Garlic cloves
Taco seasoning
Chicken stock
Whole wheat or gluten-free pasta
Can of salsa
Chipotle in adobo sauce
Can of black beans
Grilled chicken
Jalapeno
Lime juice
Cherry tomatoes
Fresh cilantro leaves
how to make this easy chipotle chicken pasta
- Prep the veggies and chicken. Thinly slice the onion and jalapeño, then cut the tomatoes in quarters and finely chop the cilantro leaves. Dice the grilled chicken.
- Sauté the onion and garlic. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and garlic, then sauté for 5 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Cook the pasta. Add chili powder and chicken stock, then bring to a boil. Stir in pasta, salsa, and adobo sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients. Once done, stir in the black beans, grilled chicken, jalapeño, and lime juice. Stir well and cook for about 2-3 minutes more, until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer the pasta to a large serving dish. Add cherry tomatoes and cilantro on top. Enjoy!
faqs and tips
- Onion: Yellow or sweet onions are best.
- Taco seasoning: You can buy this packaged or make a homemade mix of spices.
- Pasta: Use whole wheat, gluten-free, or regular pasta.
- Can of salsa: Choose a salsa that is low in sodium if you can.
- Chipotle in adobo sauce: These usually come canned. You can freeze the extra in a zipper bag for up to 4 months.
- Grilled chicken: Use any Mexican inspired grilled chicken or leftovers from another dinner. You can also use rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Make sure to keep the pasta at a simmer while cooking. Boiling it may lead to burning, but less than a simmer won’t cook the pasta.
Can I make this pasta ahead?
Mexican Chipotle Chicken Pasta can definitely be prepped ahead, but it is best served fresh. You can chop the onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and chicken the day before. Then you just need about 25 minutes to cook it before serving.
What do i do with the extra chipotles in adobo?
If you have extra chipotles, freeze them with the sauce in a zipper bag. Then you can break off chunks to use in future recipes.
How do i store this pasta?
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can reheat on the stove or in the microwave. This pasta cannot be frozen after cooked.
other Delicious mexican recipes
- Mexican Grilled Chicken Bowl
- Black Bean Enchiladas
- Mexican Chicken Soup
- Healthy Mexican Street Corn
- Salmon Tacos with Corn Salsa
- Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
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Mexican Chipotle Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1½ tbsp taco seasoning
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 12 oz whole wheat or gluten-free pasta
- 15 oz salsa, one can
- 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced
- 15 oz black beans, one can
- 1 lb grilled chicken, chopped
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ lb cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus extra to serve
Instructions
- Thinly slice the onion and jalapeño. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and finely chop the cilantro leaves. Dice the grilled chicken.
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 5 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add chili powder and chicken stock, bring to a boil.
- Stir in pasta, salsa, and adobo sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Once done, stir in the black beans, grilled chicken, jalapeño, and lime juice, stir well and cook for about 2-3 minutes more, until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Transfer the pasta to a large serving dish. Add cherry tomatoes and cilantro on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Onion: Yellow or sweet onions are best.
- Taco seasoning: You can buy this packaged or make a homemade mix of spices.
- Pasta: Use whole wheat, gluten-free, or regular pasta.
- Can of salsa: Choose a salsa that is low in sodium if you can.
- Chipotle in adobo sauce: These usually come canned. You can freeze the extra in a zipper bag for up to 4 months.
- Grilled chicken: Use any Mexican inspired grilled chicken or leftovers from another dinner. You can also use rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Make sure to keep the pasta at a simmer while cooking. Boiling it may lead to burning, but less than a simmer won’t cook the pasta.
- Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So flavoursome! Could eat this everyday!
Thanks so much. Glad you loved it.
Hi! I see that this serves 6, but what exactly is the serving size?
Hi there. About 2 cups