Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Yeah, I know--this doesn't fit with the meat pie/Sweeney Todd theme at all. But I saw a recipe on How Sweet It Is and I knew I had to make it...or at least a version of it. ;^}

My changes:
I used gemelli instead of spaghetti. I omitted the bell peppers and cilantro. I slow-cooked the chicken breasts in the enchilada sauce (for 4 hours on the high setting). I used packaged shredded Mexican-style cheese.

The prep for this dish is a no-brainer. If you've never cooked anything in your life, you could make this successfully. It tasted just a little bland to me at first, but after I squeezed a some lemon juice on it, it was great. I also think a heavier pinch of cayenne would've helped (as would the bell peppers, of course, but the palates in this house don't always dig 'em).

Here's the original recipe:
Chicken Enchilada Spaghetti

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 pound of dry whole wheat spaghetti
1 10-ounce can of red enchilada sauce
3/4 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
cilantro for topping

Boil water for pasta and prepare pasta according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions, peppers, salt and pepper and let cook until vegetables are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then stir in chicken, cumin, cayenne, paprika and chili powder, along with the can of enchilada sauce. Turn the heat down to low, drain the cooked pasta, then add pasta to the skillet too. Fold in cheese and mix thoroughly to combine. Toss with a set of kitchen tongs until everything is mixed, then serve with a bunch of fresh cilantro.