Name: Tex Mex Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 300 g pasta; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 20 g unsalted butter; 450 g chicken breast, diced; 1 medium red onion, finely diced; 1 red pointed pepper, sliced; 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon medium chilli powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 250 ml chicken stock; 50 g frozen sweetcorn; 200 ml single cream; 75 g light cheddar, grated; Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped; Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

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This Tex Mex chicken pasta is loaded with flavour and extra cheesy while keeping things light. It’s just the perfect healthy comfort food meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes!

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If you love cheesy pasta dishes with chicken, this Tex Mex chicken pasta is definitely something to try on a busy weeknight.

It’s just the kind of satisfying creamy pasta dish the entire family will love.

Besides being extra tasty, this Mexican-style chicken pasta is made with wholesome ingredients — no condensed chicken soup or Velveeta in sight.

Why you’ll love this Tex Mex chicken pasta

It’s a healthier Mexican-inspired chicken pasta without Velveeta or condensed chicken soup.
It’s super creamy and cheesy even though it’s made with half and half and light cheddar.
You can have it on the table in just 30 minutes, making it just perfect for a fuss-free weeknight dinner.

What goes into this Mexican pasta recipe

Olive oil + butter — Cooking the chicken in a mix of olive oil and butter sets up an excellent creamy base for this Mexican chicken pasta.

Chicken breast — I like to cut the chicken breast into bite-size pieces, but you can cut it into strips if you like.

Red onion — You can substitute red onion with any other type of onion or use shallots instead.

Red pepper — I used red pointed pepper in this recipe, but any other kind of pepper would work.

Garlic — Freshly chopped garlic is best in this recipe, but you can also use frozen garlic if that’s what you have on hand.

Spices and herbs — A mix of chilli powder, ground cumin and dried oregano fills the cheesy Tex Mex chicken penne with deliciously warming flavours.

Tomato paste — I like to keep things creamy by only using tomato paste in this sauce, but you can also add diced tomatoes if you don’t mind the tomato chunks.

Sweetcorn — Use fresh, frozen or canned sweetcorn and feel free to add as much as you like.

Single cream (half and half) — I’m keeping things on the lighter side by using single cream (half and half), but you can use double (heavy) cream instead for an even creamier sauce.

Light cheddar — Use regular cheddar if you’re not worried about the fat content.

How to make cheesy Tex Mex chicken penne

Bring a large pot of pasta to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan and melt the butter in it over medium heat.

Add the chicken breast and cook for 5-6 minutes or until slightly golden.

Stir in the red onion and red pointed pepper and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Stir in the chilli powder, ground cumin and dried oregano and cook for another minute.

tex mex chicken pasta making instructions

Next, add the tomato paste and chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

Stir in the sweetcorn, then add the single cream and allow the sauce to bubble for another minute. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss well.

Stir in the cheddar until it melts, then add the fresh parsley, season to taste and serve immediately.

Leftovers and storage

Creamy pasta dishes are best served immediately. However, if you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the microwave.
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
I don’t recommend freezing this Mexican pasta dish.

Recipe notes and tips

Use ground turkey instead of chicken for a different twist.
I used penne in this Tex Mex pasta, but you can also make it with rigatoni, shells, or another type of short pasta.
If you want to make this pasta dish extra spicy, add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
You can make this into a pasta bake by transferring it to a baking dish, sprinkling with some extra cheddar and baking for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.

If you liked this Tex Mex chicken pasta, you might also like some of my other easy chicken pasta recipes:

Looking for more delicious inspiration? Follow Skinny Spatula on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

Yield: 4