Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This is Y-U-M-M-Y! When I was cooking it, Chris kept walking in saying, "It smells yummy, but it doesn't look yummy!" I kept saying, "Alright, alright, it will be great!" Well, Chris and I both agree that it not only smells yummy, it tastes yummy as well. And, once the sauce is mixed with the penne it looks yummy too! This is really good. Lexi ate it and her little friend, David, loved it as well, they are 2 and 3 years old people, so that is great that they would eat it. It is a unique twist on pasta. We love mexican food, especially chicken enchiladas, and we love pasta so for us the combination was a match made in heaven. Give it a try if you are sick of the same old pasta dishes. It is worth it. Oh, I need to add, that it is really easy to make as well. It was not a lot of prep and did not call for fancy smancy ingredients, so it is a great weeknight meal.

Serves 6 to 8
*Plan Ahead: the recipe calls for cooked chicken so use leftovers or plan enough time to cook the chicken beforehand.

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded ( I used two and next time I will use 3, we felt it needed a little more chicken, I also cubed mine)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) can green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips ( we garnished with sour cream and cheese and it was just fine).

Note: I used a 14.5 oz box of penne, so we had leftover sauce. I am freezing the sauce so that I can use it later. So, it freezes well, just so you know.
souce:Kitchen Cafe