When I lived in Korea, one of my Canadian friends there would always make me Salsa Chicken, and I loved it. This Salsa Chicken Lentil Pasta is inspired by her, with the delightful addition of lentil pasta! You could of course use chickpea pasta instead. Black bean pasta also works really well with this, but sadly I can’t seem to find it very easily these days.
Anyway! Time for Salsa Chicken Lentil Pasta.
Salsa Chicken Lentil Pasta
Course: Meals, PastaDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes484
kcalSalsa Chicken Lentil Pasta is packed with protein and flavor. Plus, it comes together quickly and makes for a great weeknight meal.
Ingredients
8.8-oz. package of lentil pasta (your favorite shape)
1 medium onion
2 large green bell peppers
1 large tomato (~1 and 1/2 cups chopped)
2 garlic cloves, or to taste
1 Tbs neutral oil, like vegetable or canola
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
16 oz. chicken thigh meat (can use chicken breast if you prefer, but it won’t be as moist) – note: you can leave this out for a vegetarian/vegan option, and this is still a delicious pasta!
2 cups salsa
1 and 1/2 cups fire-roasted corn (frozen, canned and drained, or fresh), to taste
Optional toppings: cilantro, fresh lime, feta or cotija cheese
Directions
- Put a pot of water on to boil the lentil spaghetti according to package instructions, in salted water. Work on other steps while cooking pasta.
- Chop the onion and bell pepper into your desired size for pasta. Roughly chop the tomato – it will essentially dissolve into the sauce, so don’t worry about precise chopping. Mince the garlic.
- In a large skillet, sauté the onion, bell pepper, tomato, and garlic in the oil with the salt and chili powder. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.
- While waiting, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. If using canned fire-roasted corn, drain.
- When the onion is translucent, add the chicken, salsa, and corn. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked (minimum internal temperature of 165°F).
- When the chicken is fully cooked and the lentil spaghetti is slightly al dente, add the pasta to the salsa chicken mixture. Stir to coat the spaghetti. Place the lid on to allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce and leave over low heat for a couple minutes.
- Add optional toppings if using. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Depending on the salsa you use, you may need to add salt, pepper, or other seasonings to suit your taste. Serve hot
Notes
- Corn and salsa can both be sweet ingredients, depending on the type/brand you use. For a more savory dish, be sure to choose a savory salsa.
- If you cannot find an 8.8-oz package, just approximate that amount of pasta to the best of your ability – this is a relatively flexible recipe.
Salsa Chicken Lentil Pasta Nutrition Facts
I created these nutrition facts in Nutritionist Pro. Please understand that they can slightly vary with different brands, ingredients, etc. For example, the sodium level of different salsa can widely differ.
How About Some Other Pasta Dishes?
Here are a couple other ideas for delicious pulse pastas! (What are pulses? Here’s a short explanation.) If you prefer lentil or bean pasta over the suggestion of chickpea pasta in these recipes, that is an easy swap to make – go for it!
