Creamy Hatch Chile Chicken Penne
A family-friendly baked penne with tender seasoned chicken in a rich, creamy sauce of sweet cream-style corn, mild Hatch green chiles, well-drained Rotel, cream of chicken, half-and-half, and Monterey Jack. A smoky chipotle-lime sour cream and fresh cilantro are served on the side so each person can add as much heat and freshness as they like.
Method
- Get organized and heat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cut the fully thawed chicken into 1-inch pieces, measure the sauce ingredients, drain the full can of Rotel very well, shred the cheeses, and set out a 9 x 13-inch baking dish before you begin cooking.
- Cook the penne slightly firm: Add the 14.5 ounces of penne to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions, stopping while the center is still distinctly firm because the pasta will finish cooking in the hot sauce and oven. Drain the penne without rinsing it and set aside.
- Brown and cook the chicken: Pat the chicken dry. Toss it with the 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and the thickest pieces reach 165°F (74°C). Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Build the creamy Hatch chile sauce: With the cooked chicken still in the skillet, add the condensed cream of chicken soup, cream-style corn, full can of mild Hatch green chiles, full well-drained can of Rotel, and 1 cup half-and-half. Stir thoroughly, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, until the chicken is evenly coated. Bring the sauce just to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until hot, smooth, and cohesive. Do not let it boil aggressively.
- Melt in half the Monterey Jack: Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the Monterey Jack until melted into the sauce. Taste before adding any extra salt because the condensed soup, Rotel, and cheese already contribute seasoning.
- Combine the pasta: Fold the drained penne into the chicken and sauce until every piece is well coated. With 14.5 ounces of pasta, the mixture should remain generously sauced without adding pasta water or sour cream. Transfer it to the 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly without packing it down.
- Top and bake briefly: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack evenly over the casserole, then add 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar according to taste. Bake uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is fully melted. Avoid a long bake; the chicken and pasta are already cooked, and extended baking can dry the casserole.
- Make the chipotle-lime sour cream: While the casserole bakes, stir together 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup chipotle sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, and a small pinch of salt until completely smooth. No water or milk is needed. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. This topping is intentionally much smokier and spicier than the casserole, so keep it on the side for individual portions.
- Rest and serve: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven so the sauce settles while remaining creamy. Serve hot with the chipotle-lime sour cream for drizzling and chopped cilantro on the side so everyone can finish their own portion to taste.
Notes
This is the kitchen-tested Flavor Collective version. The finished casserole used 14.5 ounces of penne, the full 10-ounce can of Rotel drained well, 1 cup half-and-half, and no sour cream or pasta water in the casserole itself. The slightly smaller amount of pasta leaves enough sauce to keep the finished dish creamy after its short bake. Half of the Monterey Jack is melted into the sauce and the rest goes on top, with 1/2 to 1 cup cheddar added as a second topping cheese. The chipotle component stays completely separate from the kid-friendly casserole: the tested table sauce uses 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup chipotle sauce, about 1 tablespoon lime juice, and a small pinch of salt with no added water or milk. Hatch green chiles vary in heat, so use a can labeled mild when cooking for children; if the can is medium or hot, begin with less. If the chicken begins frozen, thaw it safely before cutting and cooking; thawing time is not included in the recipe timing.
Tips
- Use mild Hatch green chiles for a family meal. If the can is labeled medium or hot, start with less because Hatch chile heat can vary widely.
- Drain the Rotel very well. The full can gives the casserole more tomato and green-chile flavor without making the sauce watery.
- Do not rinse the penne after draining; the surface starch helps the creamy sauce cling to the pasta.
- Pull the pasta while it is still distinctly firm. It will continue cooking in the hot sauce and during the short oven finish.
- Use an instant-read thermometer and cook the chicken to 165°F (74°C), then avoid prolonged cooking so the breast meat stays juicy.
- Keep the oven time short. Ten to twelve minutes is enough to melt the cheese and bring the casserole together without drying out the sauce.
- The chipotle-lime sour cream is intentionally assertive at roughly four parts sour cream to one part chipotle sauce. Serve it on the side rather than mixing it into the casserole.
- Serve chopped cilantro separately so diners who enjoy the fresh herbal flavor can add it generously without forcing it into every portion.
Substitutions
- Whole milk can replace the half-and-half for a lighter sauce, although the finished casserole will be slightly less rich.
- A mild Mexican-style shredded cheese blend can replace some or all of the Monterey Jack. Avoid pepper Jack when serving heat-sensitive children.
- Use anywhere from 1/2 to 1 cup cheddar on top depending on how cheesy you want the finished casserole.
- If fresh cilantro is not available or someone dislikes it, simply leave it off; it is a finishing garnish, not required for the sauce.
- Plain sour cream can be served alongside the chipotle sauce for anyone who wants a completely mild topping.
The story, after the food.
This creamy chicken penne started as a pantry-driven dinner built around sweet cream-style corn, Hatch green chiles, condensed cream of chicken, Rotel, and good penne. The kitchen-tested version settled into a particularly simple formula: 14.5 ounces of pasta, one cup of half-and-half, the full well-drained can of Rotel, and no added sour cream or pasta water in the casserole. Monterey Jack melts into the sauce and forms the first layer of the cheesy top, while cheddar adds a little extra savory depth. The spicy element is deliberately kept at the table in a bold chipotle-lime sour cream, giving adults plenty of smoky heat while leaving the baked pasta approachable for children.
