Try this Chicken Fajita Pasta recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 envelope (3 tablespoons) taco or fajita seasoning (i use th
- 2 cups diced onion (about 1 whole onion)
- 2 cups diced bell peppers (2-3 bell peppers)
- 1 (10-oz) can ro-tel diced tomatoes and green chiles
- 8 oz (about 3 cups) penne pasta
- Carbohydrate 3.50565333544856 g
- Cholesterol 344.598574703866 mg
- Fat 34.3906320856127 g
- Fiber 0.00883333333333333 g
- Protein 112.485878234554 g
- Saturated Fat 16.1332615055279 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1227g)
- Sodium 1426.39470719553 mg
- Sugar 3.49682000211522 g
- Trans Fat 2.81495148919159 g
- Calories 798 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with half of taco seasoning. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. When the oil is very hot, carefully add the chicken in a single layer and cook without stirring until one side is seared and browned, about 1-2 minutes. Flip the chicken to the other side and cook until browned. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Many cooks treat skillet meals as an excuse to crowd the pan, which traps moisture and turns a proper sear into a gray stew. Searing meat requires high heat and direct contact with the metal surface. When boneless chicken breasts hit a skillet heated with olive oil, the Maillard reaction triggers immediately between amino acids and reducing sugars. This process creates hundreds of new flavor compounds, generating savory depth that boiling liquids alone cannot replicate.
Deglazing the pan with low-sodium chicken broth dissolves those browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet, known chemically as fond. Simmering penne pasta directly in this seasoned broth allows the starch from the wheat to release into the cooking liquid. As the starch gelatinizes, it acts as a natural thickening agent. Heavy cream introduces milk fats that coat the tongue, rounding out the sharp capsaicin notes from the green chiles and spices.
Dice the onions and bell peppers uniformly to ensure even moisture release during sautéing. Garlic burns easily when exposed to direct high heat for more than 60 seconds, turning bitter due to sulfur compound degradation. Add minced garlic only after the vegetables have softened and begun to caramelize. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, reheating gently with a splash of water to reconstitute the emulsified sauce.
