Sonoran Chicken Pasta

I fell in love with a cookbook that I found at my son's school book fair and of course, I just had to purchase it.  Beside it was for a good cause - right?!  This new cookbook contains copy-cat repices from popular restaraunt chains.  My mouth literally watered as I reviewed the recipes.  I had all the ingredients for this one, so I gave it a try.  I was really pleased with the result.  This recipe was fun to try because as a pasta lover I knew I'd probably like this, but this recipe has a Tex-Mex twist which is a new way to prepare pasta for the family.

Sonoran Cheese Sauce:
6 T butter or margarine
½ c finely chopped onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ - ⅓ c all-purpose flour
1 c hot water
1 T chicken bouillon powder
1 ¼ c fat-free half-and-half
½ t salt
½ t sugar
1 t lemon juice
⅛ t cayenne pepper
¾ c grated Parmesan cheese
¾ c reduced-fat Velveeta, cubed
¾ c salsa
½ c fat-free sour cream


10 oz. cooked penne pasta
6 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts grilled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1-15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ c diced tomato
1 T chopped green onion


To make the Sonoran cheese sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.


Mix together the hot water, chicken bouillon, and half-and-half. Add the mixture slowly to the roux, stirring constantly. Allow the sauce to cook for about 5 minutes (it should have the consistency of honey).


Add the salt, sugar, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Stir to blend. Do not allow to boil. Add the Velveeta and stir until melted. Add the salsa and sour cream and stir to blend.


To assemble the pasta, place the cooked penne, chicken, and black beans in a medium bowl. Add the cheese sauce and toss to coat evenly. Garnish with diced tomato and chopped green onion.