Chicken Fajita Pasta
Smoky paprika, cumin, oregano, and a pinch of chili coat the chicken before it hits the pan. Within 15 minutes, those same spices melt into a creamy tomato sauce with whole wheat penne, sautéed bell pepper strips, and a handful of melted cheddar on top.
No extra pot for the sauce. It builds around the chicken and vegetables in the same pan while the pasta boils separately. Cream cheese and diced tomatoes simmer together into something richer than you would expect from a quarter-hour cook.
42g of protein from the chicken and whole wheat penne, with 10g of fiber keeping the energy steady across the afternoon or evening.
Ingredients
- penne, whole wheat 84 g
- chicken breast 84 g
- olive oil 15 ml
- paprika, ground 2 g
- oregano, dried 1 g
- ground cumin 1 g
- chili powder 1 g
- bell pepper 1
- onion 0.25
- tomatoes 2
- jalapeño pepper 0.5
- vegetable bouillon cube 0.5 cube
- cream cheese, reduced fat 30 ml
- water 45 ml
- cheddar cheese, shredded 28 g
Method
-
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
-
Cut the chicken into strips and mix them in a bowl with the oil, paprika, oregano, cumin and chili powder. Let it marinate for a while.
-
Meanwhile, slice the bell pepper into thin strips and the onion into half rings. Dice the tomatoes and finely chop the jalapeño pepper.
-
Heat a pan and cook the chicken strips for 4 minutes. Then add the bell pepper, onion and jalapeño and cook for another 4 minutes. Crumble the bouillon cube over the pan and add the tomatoes, along with the cream cheese and water. Stir everything well. Let it simmer on low heat for about 4 minutes until the sauce becomes creamy and the bell pepper softens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
-
Stir the pasta into the sauce.
-
Serve the pasta on a deep plate and sprinkle with cheese.
Let the diced tomatoes cook in the leftover oil from the chicken for the full 4 minutes in Step 4. Heating tomatoes in fat increases how much lycopene your body can absorb. One study measured an 82% jump in plasma trans-lycopene from a short simmer in olive oil compared to tomatoes without fat.
Why This Works
Behind this recipe
Can I use regular penne instead of whole wheat?
Yes. The macros will shift slightly: regular penne has less fiber (about 2g per 84g serving instead of 5g) and marginally less protein. The cooking time and method stay the same. Whole wheat adds a nuttier flavor that pairs well with the smoky fajita spices, but the recipe works with either.
How spicy is this with the jalapeño?
Mild to moderate. Half a jalapeño plus a pinch of chili powder gives warmth without overwhelming the cream cheese sauce. Removing the seeds and white membrane from the jalapeño cuts the heat further. If you want more kick, use the full jalapeño or add an extra pinch of chili powder.
Does my body actually use all 42g of protein from one meal?
The old idea that the body caps out at 30g of protein per meal came from studies that stopped measuring too early. More recent research found that muscle protein synthesis continues to respond to higher doses, just on a longer timeline. 42g in a single sitting is well within what your body can process for muscle repair and satiety.
Read the full evidence review
