Spicy Taco Pasta
Easy one pot spicy taco pasta with ground chicken, onions, jalapeños, cilantro and cheese.
Easy one pot spicy taco pasta with ground chicken, onions, jalapeños, cilantro and cheese.
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 cups salsa
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 1-2 jalapeã±os (diced)
- 1 pound pasta (we used pasta shells)
- 2 tablespoon taco seasoning mix (love trader joe's)
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth or water or half and hal
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese (grated)
- Carbohydrate 6.70940528215636 g
- Cholesterol 64.2020626 mg
- Fat 10.0048974243846 g
- Fiber 1.53457145721729 g
- Protein 14.6728299049522 g
- Saturated Fat 3.47595263340426 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (234g)
- Sodium 528.717203513845 mg
- Sugar 5.17483382493907 g
- Trans Fat 0.670981016565248 g
- Calories 171 calories
Step-by-step
- Turn Instant Pot to saute(more) mode. Once the 'hot' sign displays, add oil. Add onions and jalapeños. Sauté for 2-3 mins.
- Add ground chicken. Break chicken which the spatula. Add taco seasoning and mix everything together.
- Add salsa, 4 cups chicken broth and pasta. Mix well and with the spatula push the pasta under the liquids. Make sure most of the pasta is under liquids for the pasta to cook well.
- Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Manual(Hi) for 3 mins. Note- Cook time for the pasta shells we used was 7 minutes.
- Quick release and open Instant Pot. Stir in the cheeses and garnish with cilantro.
Liquid Ratios and Starch Mechanics
Why must every piece of pasta submerge entirely beneath the broth before pressure cooking begins? Exposed dry pasta remains rigid and chalky because starch gelatinization requires continuous liquid contact at boiling temperatures. When adapting this recipe, changing the four cups of chicken broth to water alters the final sauce viscosity. Broth supplies dissolved proteins and fats that emulsify with the melting cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, whereas plain water yields a thinner sauce that demands a post-pressure simmer to reduce properly. Ground chicken contains lower fat content than ground beef, so brown the meat thoroughly in the initial sauté phase to render sufficient lipids for coating the diced onions and jalapeños.
Storing and Reheating High-Starch Dishes
Refrigerated leftovers continue absorbing residual moisture from the surrounding sauce over the first twenty-four hours. Restore the original texture by whisking two tablespoons of water or chicken broth into the pasta before microwaving at medium power in thirty-second intervals. Stored in a sealed container, this dish remains safe to consume for up to four days.
