Creamy Taco Mac

Pic courtesy of Annie's Eats

Move over Hamburger Helper! (Just kidding- I really just wanted to say that.) Anyway, I made this last week and it was a big hit with the kiddos and I totally found myself craving more after dinner was over. The combo of garlic, onion, and taco seasoning really made this a memorable dish. For next time, I actually would make this with chicken. The ground turkey was good, but I just think chicken would be even better. You could also make this a yummy vegetarian dish by substituting some black beans. Also, I just noticed in the pic that it looks like she added cilantro before serving and I was actually thinking that it would be a nice finishing touch, though I didn't have any on hand that night.

Creamy Taco Mac
adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

1¼ lbs. ground turkey or diced chicken
8 oz. dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp. taco seasoning
3 oz. cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey or diced chicken over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the chicken/turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the chicken/turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese and/or cilantro, if desired.