This southwest chicken alfredo pasta recipe is QUICK and EASY to make! I love dinner recipes that are fast and yet still creamy dreamy delicious and this recipe checks all of those boxes!
Ingredients:
1/2 lb penne pasta
1 lb chicken breast, cut cubes
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Southwest Seasoning:
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
Directions:
To a small bowl, combine the southwest seasoning ingredients. Once combined, add half to the chopped raw chicken and stir until well coated. Save the remaining seasoning for later use.
To a pan over medium heat, add in the olive oil. Once hot, add in the seasoned chicken. Cook for roughly 2 minutes in a single even layer in the pan. Check the underside for browning, then flip and repeat the same process on the other side until the chicken has been cooked through. This might take between 6-8 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
While the chicken is cooking, start cooking the penne pasta as directed on the back of the package.
After the chicken is done cooking, remove it and the juices from the pan. Let sit on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. To the same pan, now over medium high heat, add in the butter. Once mostly melted, add in the chopped onions. Cook until tender and mostly translucent.
Add in the garlic, lower the heat if needed to not burn the garlic, and cook for about a minute while stirring frequently. Add in the can of diced tomatoes and the remaining seasonings. Lower the temp and allow everything to simmer for a minute or two.
Add in the heavy cream and shredded cheese. Once melted, add in the cooked pasta. Mix everything until well combined. Add on cilantro or parsley for garnish. Enjoy!!