Southwestern Pasta Bake

Yum-O! Another great recipe from Rachael Ray. This is like a fancied up version of my family's favorite Mac & Cheese, and it is so delicious. I never made a "Southwestern" pasta before, even though I have seen a few recipes for things like Mexican Lasagna & such. Tonight I was brave & put this Mexican flare to my Mac & Cheese and it certainly is a winner! What I loved about this dinner was that it tasted like my original Mac & Cheese but spicier, it had chicken in it which made it more like a main dish mac & cheese than a side dish, and it cooked up fast & easy which is a plus for me since I don't have lots of quiet, free time in the evening to cook up supper: any mom knows the hours leading up to dinner & bedtime are the crankiest! My taste tester Patrick gave it two enthusiastic thumbs up so this recipe is on track to becoming a Hymas "go to" recipe.

Note: The Cheddar sauce can also be made by following the microwave directions on my Mac & Cheese recipe.

Coarse salt
1 pound penne rigate (ridged penne) or cavatappi (ridged corkscrew) pasta
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (twice around the pan)
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 tablespoon chili powder
Coarse black pepper
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups of milk
3/4 pound sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Preheat broiler to high and position the rack 8 inches from the heat.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta until slightly undercooked - a little chewy at the center.

While the water in coming to a boil, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Season the chicken with cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add the seasoned chicken to the hot skillet and cook until lightly brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapenos and continue to cook for 5 minutes. While the chicken is cooking with the onions, make the Cheddar sauce.

Ina medium sauce pot, melt the butter and add the flour to it. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat, then whisk in the milk. When the milk comes to a bubble, stir in the cheese, cilantro, and parsley with a wooden spoon. Season with a little salt & pepper and remove the cheese sauce from the heat.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it back into the large pot, add the contents of the chicken skillet and all of the Cheddar sauce, and stir to combine. Transfer to a baking dish and place under the broiler until lightly browned.

Kristin