Cheesy Baked Chicken Tinga Pasta

• 2 lb chicken tenderloins
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 8 oz from 1 box Carbe Diem!™ Elbows
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Mexican chorizo sausage link, casing removed
• 1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped
• 1 Roma tomato, roughly chopped
• 2 small tomatillos, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons adobo sauce (from can of chipotle chiles)
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups chicken stock (from Instant Pot™ or packaged)
• 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. In an Instant Pot™, combine chicken, water, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally or manually. Shred the chicken once cooked and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbows and cook until al dente, about 13 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and onion, sautê about 4 minutes. Add the tomato and tomatillos. Cover and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, and chicken stock. Let the mixture simmer and reduce for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. In a 13x9-inch casserole dish, combine the pasta, chicken mixture, and 2 cups of the Monterey Jack cheese. Mix until well combined. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

5. Bake uncovered about 35 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Top with freshly chopped cilantro.

Method Note: Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in a
large pan, then shred.