Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Normal recipes aren’t really my jam. Been there, done that…

…and so have most of you. That’s why I rarely post recipes you might find elsewhere, or basic recipes like roast chicken, chicken fried steak, and roast beef. No, no, and no. My job has always been to try and test out whacky recipes—that way if they’re no good, you won’t have to try them yourself.

Chicken alfredo is boring. Mexican chicken alfredo sounds interesting. Really, it could’ve gone either way: really weird mashup or really delicious concoction. Thankfully, it was the latter. Reading through the recipe list is like sticker shock—two jars of alfredo sauce plus salsa and taco seasoning? Weird.

The alfredo sauce and heavy portion of cheese combine to make this luscious cheddar sauce that reminds me of my grandma’s chicken spaghetti. It’s just oh so good. There’s a light kick from the taco seasoning and salsa (depending on if you get spicy salsa or not!) but that cheese sauce is where it’s at.

Hopefully you can find my favorite pasta, gemelli, while preparing to make this recipe. I adore those long and thin corkscrews, and I think it works perfectly in this dish.

Weird Mexican-Italian-Casserole mashup is officially a success. Who knows what’s next in the endless recipe boxes I own? I’ve definitely got quite a few more weird recipes to make.

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

• Servings: 6-8
• Time: 45 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients

• 1 lb. gemelli pasta
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 TBS. olive oil
• 2 (15 oz) jars alfredo sauce
• 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 tsp. taco seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile,season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken, onion, green pepper in oil until chicken is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
2. Stir in alfredo sauce and bring to a boil. Stir in cheddar cheese, Parmesan, salsa, milk, and taco seasoning.
3. Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture. Pour into a greased 11×7″ baking dish. Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook chicken, onion and green pepper in oil until chicken is no longer pink (about 5-6 minutes).

Stir in alfredo sauce and bring to a boil.

Stir in cheddar cheese, Parmesan, salsa, milk and taco seasoning.

Drain pasta, toss with chicken mixture. Pour into a greased 11×7″ baking dish. Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and cooked through.