I don’t remember where we found this recipe, but I had a pound of ground chicken and needed inspiration. My husband delivered in the form of this recipe, and helping me cook it! We’ve cooked it so many times that our daughter may have gotten sick of it.
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground chicken
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 cloves of garlic, minced
*Instead of the combination of the seasonings listed below, I typically use either Old El Paso taco seasoning or Lawry’s Carne Asada Seasoning*
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
salt & black pepper to taste
15 ounces tomato sauce (I usually replace this with canned enchilada sauce)
1 1/4 cup chicken stock (I use 2 small cans of chicken broth)
8 ounces of dry pasta (I typically use small or medium shells)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup minced cilantro (I’ve never added this ingredient because my family is so varied on their feelings about it)
1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
a few squirts of bottled lime juice
Instructions:
In a large, high sided skillet, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and set over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the ground chicken, onion, peppers, garlic, and seasonings.
Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables have begun to soften.
Pour in the tomato sauce (or enchilada sauce), chicken broth, and dry pasta. Stir to combine.
Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. If the mixture cooks down too much before the pasta is done, add more broth.
After pasta is fully cooked, the mixture should be creamy but thick. Stir in sour cream (and cilantro if desired).
Top with cheese and let the warmth of the pasta melt the cheese
OPTIONAL - Melt cheese under oven broiler if in an over-safe pan.