Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Pasta combines tender shredded chicken simmered in rich enchilada sauce with creamy cheeses and spices, served over perfectly cooked cavatappi pasta. It’s an easy, flavorful one-pot meal ideal for busy weeknights, delivering a comforting Tex-Mex taste with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce:
- 3 to 4 chicken breasts
- 1 (10-oz) can enchilada sauce
- 1 (10-oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
- 1 (1-oz) package taco seasoning
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cheese Mixture:
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 oz Velveeta cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- â…“ cup salsa
Pasta:
- 8 oz cavatappi pasta
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker Base: Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the taco seasoning, onion powder, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and enchilada sauce until well combined. Pour this sauce mixture over the chicken, then add the can of undrained diced tomatoes and green chilies. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix in Cheeses and Salsa: To the sauce remaining in the slow cooker, stir in the cream cheese, heavy cream, Velveeta cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and salsa. Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheeses have melted completely and the mixture is creamy.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the cavatappi pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the slow cooker with the chicken and cheese sauce. Stir well to ensure the pasta is evenly coated. Cook on HIGH for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until everything is heated through. Serve warm.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken thighs for breasts if preferred; they tend to stay more moist.
- For a spicier dish, use a hotter variety of Rotel or add extra chili powder.
- If Velveeta is unavailable, a mild melty cheese like Monterey Jack can be used as a substitute.
- Leftover pasta can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently to prevent drying out.
- To lighten the dish, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and use reduced-fat cheeses.
