Smoky Chipotle Chicken Penne with Cotija Cheese

Ingredients

• 12 ounces penne pasta
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

1. 1

   Bring a 6-quart saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to package directions until al dente.

   10:00 · Boil pasta
2. 2

   Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and set both aside.

3. 3

   Season the chicken pieces with cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

4. 4

   Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.

   7:00 · Sear chicken
5. 5

   Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion to the same skillet, cooking until softened, about 3 minutes.

   3:00 · Soften onion
6. 6

   Stir in the minced garlic and chipotle peppers in adobo, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.

   1:00 · Cook garlic and chipotle
7. 7

   Pour in the chicken broth and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, for 3 minutes.

   3:00 · Simmer broth
8. 8

   Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

   5:00 · Simmer sauce
9. 9

   Return the chicken to the skillet along with the cooked penne. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.

10. 10

    Remove from heat and sprinkle with crumbled cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.

11. 11

    Serve hot with lime wedges on the side.