A flavorful baked pasta with tender chicken, tomato salsa, and melted cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz penne or rotini pasta (regular or gluten-free)
→ Chicken
02 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced (14 oz)
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Sauce
08 - 2 cups tomato salsa (mild or spicy)
09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
→ Cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
→ Vegetables & Garnish
13 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
14 - 1/2 red onion, diced
15 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned and cooked through.
04 - Add diced red bell pepper and red onion to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened. Remove from heat.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, chicken and vegetables, tomato salsa, sour cream, and chicken broth. Mix thoroughly to evenly coat.
06 - Spread half of the pasta mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses over the pasta. Top with the remaining pasta mixture and then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired before serving hot.
