Tex Mex Fusion Skillet Pasta
Try this delicious Tex Mex Fusion Skillet Pasta recipe, made with noodles, stock, olive oil, chicken, milk, cheese, and fresh pepper for a flavorful and satisfying meal.
Try this delicious Tex Mex Fusion Skillet Pasta recipe, made with noodles, stock, olive oil, chicken, milk, cheese, and fresh pepper for a flavorful and satisfying meal.
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 package wide egg noodles (i used half of a 360 gram pack)
- 1 tbls olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cooked diced or shredded chicken (i used leftover)
- 1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables fresh or frozen (i used a mix of black beans, brocolli, corn, peas, carrots, red pepper and by mistake edamame - you know what? it was good)
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- fresh pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup jalapeã±o havarti cheese shredded
- 2 tbls flour
- fresh parsley for garnish if desired
- Carbohydrate 27.5260231357427 g
- Cholesterol 11.5625000091298 mg
- Fat 4.98168937865191 g
- Fiber 2.74623750415444 g
- Protein 12.229211882669 g
- Saturated Fat 1.37348937597689 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (453g)
- Sodium 586.983625435687 mg
- Sugar 24.7797856315883 g
- Trans Fat 0.456518750255634 g
- Calories 203 calories
Step-by-step
- Place noodles in a large skillet.
- Add stock and olive oil and stir with noodles.
- If you are using frozen veggies add them now. If they are fresh, steam them first and set aside.
- Cover skillet and bring to a slow boil over medium heat.
- Cook for at least 10 -12 minutes or until noodles are soft.
- Add in your fresh steamed veggies if you are using them instead of frozen ones.
- Add in chicken, milk, cheese, fresh pepper and cayenne.
- Mix the ¼ cup of water with flour until it is smooth and there are no lumps (this is called a slurry)
- Add your slurry to the noodles and chicken mixture SLOWLY, stirring constantly.
- Heat to boiling and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve hot and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Thermal Behavior and Starch Management
Starches released directly into the broth thicken the cooking liquid as the wide egg noodles absorb chicken stock and milk. Maintaining a medium heat prevents the dairy solids from scorching at the bottom of a standard twelve-inch skillet. When thickening sauces with a cold water and flour slurry, whisk the mixture until completely smooth before pouring it into the simmering pan to avoid unwanted lumps. Starches continue to gelatinize as the temperature rises toward boiling, creating a cohesive coating over the chicken and vegetables.
Freezing and Reheating Dynamics
Dairy-heavy pasta dishes require deliberate cooling protocols before storage in airtight containers for up to three months. Reheating this skillet meal from a frozen state demands gentle stove heat and an extra splash of water or stock to reconstitute the sauce without breaking the emulsion. Microwaving individual portions works adequately if power levels stay at fifty percent to prevent the chicken proteins from tightening and turning rubbery.
Flexible Ingredient Adjustments
Swapping the wheat-based egg noodles for gluten-free alternatives requires monitoring the cooking time closely because alternative starches disintegrate faster in boiling stock. Dairy sensitivities can be managed by substituting plant-based milks and melting vegan cheese shreds, though starch slurries remain necessary to achieve proper viscosity without traditional dairy fats.
