Chicken and Pasta Fiesta Dinner

Name: Chicken and Pasta Fiesta Dinner
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter; 1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken cut in strips; 2 garlic cloves minced; 1 onion chopped; 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 mL) chili powder; 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin; 1 tsp (5 mL) salt; 1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper; 1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock; 2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour; 4 cups (1 L) Milk; 3 cups fusilli or other short pasta; 1 green bell pepper or red bell pepper diced; 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) corn kernels; 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) shredded Canadian Monterey Jack cheese; Lime or lemon wedges

This recipe is taken from the 2005 Milk Calendar. This is the Chicken and Pasta Fiesta Dinner recipe.

Prep: 15 min
Cooking: 30 min

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken cut in strips
2 garlic cloves minced
1 onion chopped
1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 mL) chili powder
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
4 cups (1 L) Milk
3 cups fusilli or other short pasta
1 green bell pepper or red bell pepper diced
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) corn kernels
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) shredded Canadian Monterey Jack cheese
Lime or lemon wedges

READY FOR REWARDS?

Preparation

In large pot, melt half of butter over medium-high heat; brown chicken on all sides, in 2 batches, adding more butter as necessary. Transfer to bowl.

Add remaining butter to pot; reduce heat to medium. Cook garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, stirring, for 3 min or until softened, adding a little chicken stock to prevent burning if necessary. Stir in remaining chicken stock, scraping up bits stuck to pot. Whisk flour into milk; gradually stir into pot. Stir in pasta and chicken with accumulated juices; bring to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring often.

Cover, reduce heat to low; simmer for 10 min, stirring often, or until pasta is almost tender and chicken is no longer pink inside. Stir in green pepper and corn; cook, uncovered, for about 5 min, stirring often or until pasta is tender and sauce is thickened.

Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup (250 mL) of the cheese. Season to taste with salt. Serve sprinkled with remaining cheese and lime wedges to squeeze over top.

Tips

Cooking Tip:Stove-top burners vary in heat so make sure when simmering the pasta in step 2, the liquid has small bubbles breaking the surface. Increase the heat as necessary or switch to a lower powered burner to ensure pasta cooks properly.