You’ll notice we put together lunches (and dinners) that contain lean protein and carbohydrates to keep us fueled for our many workouts. The latest – Chicken Enchilada Pasta – is no exception. I made this a couple of weeks ago for us to take to work for lunch, and we ended up with four lunch portions (two for each of us).
On the second day, I added a leftover half of an avocado to mine to a) change it up a bit, and b) add some color for the lovely picture below!
It’s flavorful, healthy, inexpensive and easy to whip up: all major selling points when it comes to selecting a meal you plan to enjoy for a couple of days.
Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Ingredient
2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 {4 oz.} can diced green chiles
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 {10 oz.} can green chili enchilada sauce
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded cheese (We used a colby and monterrey jack mixture)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
{8 oz} whole wheat penne pasta
Preparation:
1) Cook and shred the chicken breasts, and cook the pasta according to package directions, then set aside.
2) Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add red pepper and garlic. Cook 3-5 minutes until the pepper is softened.
3) Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, and enchilada sauces. Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.
4) Add shredded cheese and stir. Do not, (repeat) do not bring to a boil or sour cream will curdle. Add sour cream and stir.
5) Add the drained pasta to the mixture and stir.
6) Garnish with your favorite toppings! (While I added avocado on Day 2; the dish was delicious with nothing else added.)
Since this makes 4 lunch portions, here is the nutritional breakdown (sans avocado or any additional toppings):
Calories: 496
Fat: 15 g
Protein: 25.4 g
Carbs: 28 g
You could definitely double this recipe and freeze half of it to heat up later.
Happy cooking!
GnC
activeharmony 