Chicken Enchilada Pasta Bake

Well, it's Tuesday. And lucky for you, I tried a new recipe this evening. And since it is, after all, Tasty Tuesday, that means I can share my fabulous creation with all of you.

This recipe began as one I found in Better Homes & Gardens (October 2010 issue, in case you wanna know). It was basically a recipe that involved stuffing pasta shells with a bunch of enchilada-saucy filling, and I simply don't have the patience for that. So I changed the recipe so that there would be no stinking pasta shell-stuffing for me! I also didn't like several of the ingredients, so I omitted and/or revised them to suit  my all too picky liking. What you see here is the  glorious carb-crazed result, and the recipe follows.

Ingredients

1 16 oz Pkg Small Shells pasta (you'll use about 3/4 of the box)
2 Lg Green Peppers, chopped
1 Cup Chopped Red Onion
1/4 TSP Kosher Salt
2 TBSP Vegetable or Canola Oil
2 Cups Chopped Cooked Chicken (I used turkey)
1-16 Oz can Refried Beans (though I only used about 2/3 of the can)
1 Envelope or 3 TBSP Taco Seasoning Mix
2-10 Oz cans of Enchilada Sauce
1 Cup Sour Cream
1-8 Oz Pkg Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees. Cook the Pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside for later.

In a skillet, heat the Oil and cook Peppers and Onions with the Salt for 5-10 minutes, until they are tender.

Stir in Chicken, Beans, Seasoning Mix, Enchilada Sauce and Sour Cream. Then stir in the shredded cheese. Mix well.

Pour into a 3-Qt rectangular baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, until heated through. You can also remove the foil, sprinkle on some extra shredded cheese and then bake for another 5 minutes. I didn't do this, since I put all the cheese in my mixture.

This was very yummy. Even the Hubs liked it, and Mexican-style food is really not his favorite thing. For me personally though, I seldom meet a pasta dish that I don't like.