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Southwestern Chicken Pasta – This easy pasta dinner is loaded with tender chicken, black beans, corn, and a creamy taco-seasoned sauce. Fresh toppings like avocado, tomato, and cheddar cheese make it a flavorful, satisfying meal that’s ready in just 25 minutes.
If you love a good pasta dinner that feels a little different from the usual red sauce routine, this Southwestern Chicken Pasta is the way to go. It’s packed with tender chicken, sweet corn, black beans, a creamy taco-seasoned sauce, and all the fresh toppings you could want. It’s hearty, a little zesty, and exactly the kind of meal that keeps everyone coming back for seconds.
I’m always looking for ways to add a little southwestern flavor to the table, and if you’re like me, you might already love things like my Crunchy Southwestern Chicken Wrap. This pasta brings those same bold, satisfying flavors, but with the cozy comfort of a big bowl of noodles. It’s a quick and easy dinner that feels special without taking a lot of time or effort.
Why You’ll Love Southwest Chicken Pasta
- Bold, crowd-pleasing flavors – The mix of taco seasoning, lime juice, and fresh toppings makes every bite exciting.
- Creamy without feeling heavy – The sour cream and Greek yogurt combo keeps the sauce rich but still light enough for an easy weeknight meal.
- One skillet plus pasta pot – Minimal dishes mean cleanup is quick and painless.
- Perfect for leftovers – It reheats beautifully, making tomorrow’s lunch just as good (if not better).
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Penne Pasta – you really can use any pasta shape that you like
- Chicken – take a shortcut and you can use rotisserie or already cooked chicken
- Onion
- Garlic
- Frozen Corn
- Black Beans
- Sour Cream
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Taco Seasoning
- Lime
- Tomatoes
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Cheddar Cheese
How To Make Southwest Chicken Pasta
- Cook the pasta – Boil the penne according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.
- Sauté the chicken and veggies – Brown the diced chicken in a large skillet, then add onion and garlic, cooking until softened.
- Stir in the corn and beans – Add the frozen corn and black beans to the skillet and heat through.
- Mix the sauce – In a separate bowl, stir together the sour cream, Greek yogurt, lime juice, and taco seasoning until smooth.
- Combine everything – Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, remove from heat, and stir in the creamy sauce mixture.
- Add fresh toppings – Gently fold in diced tomatoes and avocado for a fresh finish.
- Serve and garnish – Plate the pasta and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use rotisserie chicken for speed – Skip cooking raw chicken and stir in shredded rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Swap the pasta shape – Penne works great, but rotini, bowties, or even spaghetti can easily step in.
- Add extra veggies – Bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach make great additions if you want to pack in more color and crunch.
- Go spicier if you want – Add a dash of hot sauce or diced jalapeños for a bigger kick.
- Prep toppings ahead – Dice the tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro while the pasta cooks to save a few minutes at the end.
- Serve it as a pasta salad – Let the pasta cool slightly after cooking, then chill and serve it cold for a great southwestern pasta salad twist.
Feel free to add sliced jalapeños, crushed tortilla chips, diced bell peppers, or extra shredded cheese for even more flavor and texture.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
Southwestern Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound Penne Pasta
- 12 oz chicken, diced
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz frozen corn
- 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 lime
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- Cilantro
- Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package directions.1 pound Penne Pasta
- Meanwhile in a large skillet brown chicken. Add onion and garlic, and cook until soft. Stir in corn and black beans. Heat until the chicken is fully cooked, and everything is hot.12 oz chicken, 1/2 cup onion, 2 cloves garlic, 12 oz frozen corn, 15 oz black beans
- In a bowl combine sour cream, yogurt, juice of 1 lime, and taco seasoning.1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 lime
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to chicken mixture. Remove pan from heat, and mix in the sour cream mixture. Once full combined stir in diced tomatoes and avocado.1 cup tomatoes, 1 avocado
- Serve topped with cheddar cheese and cilantro.Cilantro, Cheddar Cheese
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Yum!! This looks so hearty and flavorful. Would pair wonderful with so many Mexican appetizers. Thanks for sharing!
This looks so super duper tasty!
What a wonderful pasta dish! And I’m totally intrigued by this pasta—more protein is exactly what I need!
I love all your pasta dishes and have made several already so I’m always thrilled to add another to the pile of ones I want to try. I’m even more excited about the opportunity to win the pasta you use to make the yummy food! Thanks!!!
Oh yeah, pretty sure I could eat my weight in this beautiful dish! I mean, southwestern + chicken + pasta = SO ME!
Yum! This looks like the perfect pasta dish for summer!
Great flavor combo, I just LOVE pasta dishes and this one is a keeper!
This looks like a great combination of flavors and perfect for post-vacation brain. I mean, let’s face it, most of the time we need a vacation from vacation right? It’s always exhausting coming home.
I love this recipe idea Erin!