Creamy Chicken Poblano Pasta
This creamy, Mexican-inspired Chicken Poblano Pasta is loaded with roasted poblanos, shredded chicken, and enchilada sauce, and it's on the table in about 40 minutes.
Servings: 8
Calories: 351kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry Penne pasta (or shape of your choice)
- olive oil for the pan
- 2 medium-large (about ½ pound) poblano peppers or 1 cup canned roasted green chiles
- 1¼ pounds (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or use a rotisserie chicken
- 1½ cups yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1½ cups Ancho Chile Enchilada Sauce OR your favorite bottled variety
- ⅓ cup crema Mexicana or sour cream
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro, washed and dried
- 4 scallions, washed and dried, thinly sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta in a colander. Then put the pasta back into the pot with the reserved liquid and set aside.
- Roast the peppers. Place the poblanos, one at a time, directly on top of a high flame on the stove. Use kitchen tongs to turn them as each side chars. Remove them from the burners, place them in a brown bag, and fold over the top to let them steam for 10 minutes. Take them out of the bag when they’re cool enough to work with. Use your hands to peel off the skin and remove the stems. Use a paring knife to make a slit vertically down each pepper to open it. Remove the seeds and trim away the membranes from the inside. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and set aside. (You should have about 1 cup.) You can also skip this and use canned roasted green chiles to save time.
- Cook the chicken (if not using rotisserie). Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil and place it over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place them in the pan. Sauté just until they're cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove them from the pan and set aside until they're cool enough to touch. Shred them into bite-sized pieces with your hands.
- Sauté onions and garlic and combine ingredients. Add the onion and garlic to a large sauté pan, and cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat until soft and nicely caramelized, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low and then add the roasted poblanos, enchilada sauce, crema Mexicana or sour cream, shredded chicken, and the pasta (along with the liquid it's in) and gently mix everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's how.)
- Garnish with the cilantro and scallions. Serve!
Notes
Shortcuts: Use canned roasted green chiles, your favorite bottled enchilada sauce, and a rotisserie chicken to make it even faster.
Make ahead: Roast the poblanos up to 2 days ahead, and cook and shred the chicken the day before. Keep both refrigerated in airtight containers.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, or in the microwave.
Spicy version: Add crushed red chili flakes, a pinch of cayenne, or a little Cholula to taste.
Other proteins: Ground chicken, pork, or beef work too. Add the raw meat to the pan once the onions are soft, and cook it through before adding the rest.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta.
Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 518mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg