Chilpotle Chicken Pasta Bake

By Diane Prosser

NOTE: This recipe has not been checked or tested by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen.

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This recipe makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 20
Cook time : 25
Total time : PT45M

Was in the mood to be creative last night. LOL This what I came up with and my family LOVED it. It is quite hot for me anyway LOL I served it with a Pepper cornbread.You can switch up the cheeses to suit your taste. I added the juice from the chipoltes a teaspoon at a time until I got the heat I wanted , ended up using it all LOL

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts , boneless skinless and cubed into bite size pieces2 2chicken breastchicken breasts, boneless skinless and cubed into bite size pieces
4 sun dried tomatoes 4 4sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup hot water 1/2 1/2cup cuphot water
2-1/2 cups elbow macaroni 2-1/2 2-1/2cups cupselbow macaroni
2 tbsp olive oil 2 2tbsp tbspolive oil
3 garlic cloves , chopped3 3garlic clovegarlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup celery , chopped1/2 1/2cup cupcelery, chopped
1 can (4 oz) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce , drained and chopped reserve the liquid1 1can (4 oz) can (4 oz)chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, drained and chopped reserve the liquid
2/3 cup chopped onion 2/3 2/3cup cupchopped onion
1 can (12 oz) corn kernels 1 1can (12 oz) can (12 oz)corn kernels
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 2 2cups cupsshredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 1cup cupshredded mozzarella cheese
4 tbsp butter 4 4tbsp tbspbutter
4 tbsp flour 4 4tbsp tbspflour
1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 1/2tsp tspcumin
3/4 cup crushed tortilla chips 3/4 3/4cup cupcrushed tortilla chiptortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 1/2cup cupshredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups milk 2 2cups cupsmilk

Preparation

In the 1/2 cup hot water soak the sundried tomatoes until soft, discard water and chop the tomatoes. Chop all other ingredients and shred the cheese. Cook elbow pasta , drain and set aside.While pasta is cooking heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a LARGE skillet and brown chicken until no longer pink and it has a golden colour, remove from pan add extra oil if needed and saute the celery, garlic and onion. Once these are softened remove from pan . Melt butter in same pan , scraping up any brown bits, wisk in flour and cumin and cook until it bubbles and gets a bit foamy , slowly wisk in the milk, cook until it thickens add the cheeses EXCEPT the 1/2 cup listed at the bottom of the recipe. Stir until melted over a low heat add the sundried tomatoes and chilpotles cook for a couple minutes for the flavours to meld. Add the liquid from the canned chilpotles a couple teaspoons at a time to suit your taste. Add pasta, chicken, corn and cooked veggies. Mix well .Pour into a large casserole . I used a 2 quart oval casserole. Top with the crushed nachos and cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Source : Diane Prosser