About
Italian cuisine by way of the borderlands? That sounds mighty fine to us! Southwest Chicken Alfredo seasons both the savory, honey-coated chicken and the rich tomato sauce with a zesty, spicy Southwest seasoning that will just bout knock your socks off! The pasta is as tender as ever, the sauce is alfredo creamy, and the cheese is as ooey-gooey as you could hope to eat! Southwest Chicken Alfredo might just have a claim to the title of the best version of chicken alfredo ever made!
Ingredients
- For the Southwest seasoning:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- For the pasta:
- 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 pound penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Directions
Step 1 -In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, the cumin, the oregano, the paprika, the black pepper, the salt, and the cayenne.
Step 2 -Add the chicken to a large bowl.
Step 3 -Drizzle the chicken in the honey and sprinkle it with 1/2 of the Southwest seasoning blend, tossing to combine.
Step 4 -In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta.
Step 5 -Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 6 -Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Step 7 -Transfer the chicken to a plate when cooked.
Step 8 -To the same skillet, add the onion and the butter and sauté over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes.
Step 9 -Add the garlic to the onion mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 10 -Add the diced tomatoes and the remaining seasoning blend to the onion mixture and bring it to a low simmer.
Step 11 -Slowly pour the heavy cream into the tomato mixture while stirring until fully incorporated.
Step 12 -Bring the mixture to a simmer, then return the chicken to the skillet.
Step 13 -Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the sauce mixture and stir to combine.
Step 14 -Add the pasta to the sauce mixture and toss to combine.
Step 15 -Transfer the skillet from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Step 16 -Stir the pasta again and sprinkle with the cilantro.
Step 17 -Serve.
