Chicken Fajita Pasta

Man this recipe has some kick to it, that's for sure. I think it's probably the Ro-Tel tomatoes. I recently substituted Ro-Tel tomatoes with cilantro and lime for individual ingredients in my Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas recipe (I was being lazy and cleaning out my pantry at the same time) and it definitely upped the spice factor there. I think a very simple solution, for those non-spicy-inclined people, is to just sub in regular diced tomatoes instead of Ro-Tel.

The kids all liked this recipe, but the main complaint was definitely the spiciness. I like this because there is a limited number of dishes you will get dirty and the leftovers reheat very well.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 envelope (3 Tbsp) taco or fajita seasoning
• 2 cups diced onion (about 1 whole onion)
• 2 cups diced bell peppers (2-3 bell peppers)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 8 oz (about 3 cups) penne pasta
• 1/2 tsp salt

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with half of taco seasoning. In a 12 inch skillet, heat 1 Tbsp 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 2 minutes). Flip the chicken to the other side and cook until browned. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to the skillet with the heat still on high. When the oil is very hot again, add the onions, bell peppers, and remaining taco seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are slightly blackened. Turn heat to low, add minced garlic, and stir until fragrant and well combined, about 30 seconds. Remove the veggies to the plate with the chicken.

In the same skillet, add the broth, cream, diced tomatoes, uncooked pasta, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then cover. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add the chicken and veggies back into the skillet and stir to combine until heated through, about 2 minutes.

NOTES: Always remember that when you are cooking with oil in a skillet, it's going to make a mess. You can put down some towels on the floor or around your cook top to ease clean up, but it's always going to be a mess. I wear oven mitts to protect my hands from any popping oil. I may look funny, but no nasty burn spots for me!

Serves 4

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Recipe from www.KevinAndAmanda.com