- 10
- 25 mins
- 70 mins
Ingredients
- Salt
- 12 ounces linguine or macaroni
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 6-oz. can tomato paste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
- 2 cups four-cheese Mexican blend
- 4 cups diced cooked chicken (from a rotisserie bird)
- Chopped cilantro, optional
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F; mist a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 10 minutes or as package directs. Drain.
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder and 2 tsp. salt; sauté until onion is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes longer.
Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and 1 cup cheese. Cook, whisking, for 1 minute or until cheese melts.
Remove from heat. Stir in chicken and pasta. Scrape into baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Preheat broiler to high and broil casserole for a minute to brown, if desired.) Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired; serve.
I’d add a half teaspoon of garlic powder. The two cloves of fresh garlic didn’t give it enough oomph.