One-pot Mexican pasta with chicken, vegetables and cheddar
Recipe for a one-pot pasta packed with flavour, - Mexican-spiced chicken, vegetables and cheddar.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken breast
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, finely chopped
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or crushed
- 10 slices pickled jalapeños, finely chopped (use just 5 if you don't want it too spicy)
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 700 ml chicken stock
- 3 tbsp homemade Mexican spice mix or a shop-bought taco seasoning
- 200 g grated cheddar
- 400 g pasta, - with a cooking time of over 8 min. so the starch has time to thicken the dish
- Salt and pepper
- Oil
- Crème fraîche and finely chopped parsley/spring onion, to garnish
Instructions
- Poach the chicken breasts in lightly salted water for about 10 min., depending on size. Drain and let them cool slightly before pulling/shredding the meat.
- Heat a little oil in a pot and sauté the onion, garlic and pepper over medium heat for 2-3 min.
- Add the chicken and fry with the vegetables for a couple of minutes.
- Add the jalapeños and the Mexican spice mix and heat through, - then add the tomato purée and fry for a couple more minutes.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes and half the stock and let the dish simmer gently for 20 min. Add stock as you go so the dish doesn't boil dry, - it should be soft and saucy in consistency, not dry and not too wet either.
- Add the pasta to the pot along with the rest of the stock and cook until the pasta is al dente or done to your liking. It may need a couple of minutes longer than stated on the packet, as the pasta is cooking in a sauce. Stir regularly so the dish doesn't catch on the bottom, and add a little more liquid if needed.
- Stir the cheddar into the dish and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve your one-pot Mexican pasta topped with cold crème fraîche, finely sliced spring onion, parsley and perhaps a sprinkling of chilli flakes.