Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Hey, it’s Arash 👋

Summer’s starting to wrap up and we’re headed into back-to-school season.

I always get a buzz this time of year. I don’t have kids so I’m not shopping for school supplies or packing lunch boxes but there’s something about September that makes me want to refocus my energy.

So I’m doing August’s monthly bonus a little differently.

Instead of a full meal plan with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I put together 5 easy weeknight dinners.

Most of them are kid-approved and all of them are easy to make.

As a sneak peek, I’m sharing my Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Pasta today.

It takes 15 minutes of active prep and the slow cooker does the rest. And it has 56g of protein per serving.

So whether you’re feeding your family or just want something to make once and enjoy all week, this one’s for you.

Check it out 👇

A roundup of 5 easy dinners you can make when you don’t feel like cooking but want something healthy and delicious.

• 5 weeknight dinners (most of them kid-approved)

• Full macros for every recipe (calories, protein, carbs, etc.)

• A combined shopping list

• A printable PDF (with everything combined in one place)

It will be in your inbox next Sunday. Included for paid subscribers.

If you decide to join, you’ll get this meal plan plus everything in the archive. That’s 8 meal plans and e-books worth over $100.

A creamy enchilada chicken and pasta bake made in the slow cooker. Under 500 calories and 56 grams of protein per serving.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4-5 hours on low or 3 hours on high
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 5

For the Chicken Enchilada Filling

• 3 chicken breasts

• 8 oz enchilada sauce

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• ½ large onion, diced

• 2-3 garlic cloves (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

• ½ block cream cheese (4 oz)

• 1-1.5 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar)

Spices

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp oregano

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Optional: pinch cayenne or chipotle powder

For the Pasta

• 1 (8 oz) box Kaizen high protein low carb pasta (or any pasta you like), cooked for half the time on packaging

Optional Toppings

• Juice of ½ lime

• 2-3 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt

• Cilantro, scallions, and/or jalapeño

• Hot sauce

1. Add the raw chicken, enchilada sauce, tomato paste, chicken broth, diced bell pepper, onion, garlic, and all spices to a slow cooker, then mix gently to combine.

2. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for about 3 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and easy to shred.

3. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks until it’s fully pulled apart.

4. Add the half block of cream cheese and stir until completely melted and incorporated into the sauce.

5. Stir in the shredded cheese and let it melt.

6. Boil the Kaizen pasta (I used Lumache) for half the time on the package, then gently fold it into the slow cooker mixture, adding a splash of broth if needed to loosen the sauce. (The heat from the slow cooker will continue to cook the pasta through.)

7. Plate it up, add your optional toppings, and enjoy.

The plan with all 5 weeknight dinners is coming next Sunday, available for paid subscribers.

Sign up now to get access to this month’s plan plus everything in the archive, including every past meal plan, e-book, and Substack exclusive recipe.