Welcome to the truest love of all.
It all started one evening as I was peacefully meditating in lotus pose on the veranda as the sunset cast its warmth on my body and the breeze blew through my golden locks, so carefree and whimsical.
Ooooor not.
Truth be told, I was actually seated in the sweaty Sally pose on my couch watching Master Chef and completely falling apart by the second because I just do NOT know how they cook all that stuff under such intense pressure. Do you watch that show? It’s my jam. It’s like the NBA finals for me. I scream, jump up and down, do the pee pee dance.
Aaron thinks it’s adorable!
I could never ever ever EVAR be on that show. I’d be the girl who A) ugly cried non-stop. B) uncomfortably stared at Joe Bastianich’s sexiness in his posh suits (Um, you know he lost like, 50 pounds. I know this because I’m old and watch PBS 10 hours a day and am obsessed with his mom Lidia and her show and back in the day he used to be on it helping her and he was a chub-a-rub. And I should probably not say chub-a-rub. Ever again.)
And C) only presented chicken taco pasta at every single challenge because, oh let’s see, it’s CHICKEN TACO PASTA.
They might send me home. But my marbles noggin has a feeling you wouldn’t.
I don’t think you heard me the first time. Chicken. Taco. Pasta.
CHICKEN. TA – - okay.
It’s the only real thing we can know in this life.
Chicken Taco Pasta:
What it took for 4:
* 1 pound organic ground chicken
* 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 Tbs. favorite taco seasoning
* 1 (14.5 oz) can drained and rinsed kidney beans (or black)
* 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
* 1 ear fresh corn
* 1 roma tomato, diced
* 2 cups pasta shells
* 4 oz (half a block) cream cheese
* 2 Tbs. greek yogurt
* 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro
* coarse salt and pepper
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook until browned all over, about 6 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and taco seasoning. Sauté 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the beans, corn and diced green chiles. Toss to combine and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Taste it. Need a little more salt? Maybe?
Add the diced tomato and toss to combine.
In the meantime, cook your pasta shells until al dente. Reserve about 1/3 cup pasta water and drain the rest. Add the shells, cream cheese and yogurt to the skillet. Toss to combine.
Add some of the pasta water to thin out the sauce if it’s a little too thick for your taste. Taste one more time and season accordingly.
Serve with lots of fresh cilantro! Your soul is going to flip.
Oh I just love EVERYTHING about this. Pinning and making the minute I’m not pregnant and can eat chicken again. Or maybe making a veggie version for me and a chicken version for Ben. Yup. Let’s do that.
Curious…why can’t you eat chicken while preggers?
You have done it again, made me fall in love with you all over again. Bahhh I need this and its only 8:00am!
Master Chef…Bev Cooks LIVE…I still vote that you need to be on camera.
These look GOOOOOOD.
You should tryout for Master Chef!
PS – Christine isn’t blind. IT’S A SHAM.
I have gotten many ideas from watching various food-related competitions. I’ve often wanted to recreate those from Top Chef but I always fear they’re probably out of my league or that they require 2 gallons of cream and butter, neither of which I’m willing to pour into my body. Here’s my chicken taco pasta for comparison:
http://www.danielledeskins.blogspot.com/2012/06/weekly-recipe-mexican-chicken-pasta.html
Yes please! It’s lunch somewhere.
Oooh…yummy! I love anything with cream cheese.
Ohhhh my gosh, please drive two hours west and shove this in my face.
you can ugly cry anytime, especially since you made this. HOLY. need.
Dang! I want that for breakfast right now!
I LOVE that show! The Pressure Test the other night, seriously?! I like to bake, and I couldn’t have come up with that cake from scratch without a recipe, and have it be perfect!! So glad to see Ryan go home, I could not stand that guy!
Oh me too, me too! I wanted to slap Ryan like every 2.5 seconds!
That was a poetic and tasty post Bev. I want that pasta in my mouth NOW !
Heck. YES. Youuuuu make my heart (and tummy) happy.
Think I just might make this tonight!!!
YUM!
That show is SO intense! I can’t tear my eyes away.
You always make dinner look like it’s served at 10am. Such perfect lighting, Bev!
This looks so good! And Master Chef is crazy. I love it and I have to watch it but it would be so scary to actually be on that show!
Oh. My. Gawwwwd.
I don’t think I’ve ever had taco pasta, and this is making me feel like I need to call up my momma and yell at her for it. You are an inspiration, my friend.
Yeah, I could never be on that show either. Too intense! I’d much prefer to be on my couch, with a big bowl of this pasta in my hands, watching others go through cooking hell.
Master Chef in the UK isn’t that intense but it’s one of my fave cooking programmes. I’m hoping they’ll bring the US version over here!
Taco salads for the WIN.
(Also, I’m sending you our bill for our TV payment because you are pretty much forcing me to hook our TV back up. NEED to see this show…sounds like it will make my kitchen meltdowns seem less pathetic)
Oh, you’re good as gold because it’s not on cable! It’s regulah TV – Fox I think. You gersta watch it.
This looks really good and really easy! I might be attempting this once my husband lets me off of bed rest for my poor preggo self that has a fractured rib thanks to a cough that would never end! I’m done now. This looks good! Please come over and make this for me since I’m stuck in bed all day with satellite tv that keeps wiggin out on me!
Oh man! Bev, you gotta stop making pasta girl, my jeans and bikini would really appreciate it… hmmm actually scratch that, let’s be serious, I’d rather eat this taco pasta than fit in my clothes.
holy cruuud, this looks flippin delicious!! i’m all for it!
My soul is flipping just by looking at it! I swear, this is why we need smellavision!! Fabulous!
MasterChef – Pass!! Gordon Ramsey would have me ugly crying with one glare – not to mention any profanity laced tirade he goes on. Puddle of Mess Megan, at your service – in a ball in the corner.
This on the other hand – done and done.
fantastic flavor fusion here… so creative!
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.ca/
I seriously love everything about this! Sometimes you just need a taco without the extra tortilla carbs!
So much to say. Masterchef – yes!!! Joe – yes!!! Intense pressure cooking awe – yes!!!
This pasta – hells yes!
Seriously, this looks incredible.
Oh, my. I could use a big spoonful, plateful, belly full right now! And…I am pretty sure that I am going to get reported by Pinterest for pinning too many of your recipes in such a short amount of time. I was a whole week behind…again!
I really love this idea!! Chicken, taco and pasta in one? Amazing. I’ll never come up with this kind of recipe. Your the best!
I really love this idea!! Chicken, taco and pasta in one? Amazing. I’ll never come up with this kind of recipe. Your the best!
First-time reader here. While I won’t be making this (I can’t stand sour cream or yogurt – strange, I know…), I got quite a kick out of your humorous writing. I love Master Chef, too. And I’ll be cruising through the rest of your blog for some non-creamy recipes. Thanks!
I made this for my family for lunch today and it was a huge hit with all of us, thanks so much for sharing!
Delish! I’m always looking for new creamy pasta recipes and one with taco seasoning? Dream come true! Thanks so much.
Would this be ok to freeze individual servings after cooking/cooling?
Absolutely!
Ok, I know this will sound really strange, but I cannot stand cream cheese. I want to make this, but obviously need to modify it. What do you think about either a refried bean/greek yogurt mixture or refried bean/ricotta cheese mixture in place of the cream cheese? Any other suggestions are most welcomed? I have this planned for tonight’s dinner too.
….or maybe leave the refried bean out completely and go with greek yogurt and/or ricotta cheese?
Hi, Alli! Ya know, since there are already beans in it, I’m really diggin’ on your idea of greek yogurt and/or ricotta cheese! I think the ricotta would be divine. Even a mixture. Or all yogurt. OMG. I might just show up….
I think I’ll do a half and half ricotta/yogurt mix. I’ll let you know how it turns out
.
Half ricotta and greek yogurt was perfect. Used “little ears” pasta, added a little fresh lime juice to wake it up at the end. Topped with shredded lettuce & spinach, tomatoes, shredded cheese and a little dollop of yogurt. Served with baked tortilla chips. Will be perfect for a make ahead meal for the long school and softball days. Thanks
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BTW, I love, love, love Master Chef. I would certainly be the one doing the ugly cry non stop face…no doubt.
I really enjoyed reading this post. I congratulate you for the terrific job you’ve made. Great stuff, just simply amazing!
I took the time to read all the comments, but I really liked the article. It proved to be very helpful to me, and I believe all the critics here! Always good when you can not just be told.
Thanks for this wonderful site.!
just made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! my skillet wasn’t large enough to mix in the pasta, so i added in the cream cheese and sour cream (due to a lack of plain yogurt) and then mixed it up with the noodles in a giant bowl. so excited to have so much left over!