Description
This Cheesy Velveeta Chicken Twisted Pasta is a rich, creamy, and comforting pasta dish made with chicken, Velveeta cheese, and a garlic mozzarella sauce. It’s a crowd-pleasing meal that’s surprisingly quick to prepare, ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless chicken breasts, diced
- 8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 12 oz twisted pasta (rotini or fusilli)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains.
- Add butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika to the skillet with the chicken. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the cubed Velveeta cheese and heavy cream to the skillet. Stir gently and constantly until the Velveeta is fully melted and the sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in most of the shredded mozzarella cheese until melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Gently fold everything together until the pasta is fully coated. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Allow the Cheesy Velveeta Chicken Twisted Pasta to heat through on low heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining mozzarella cheese and optional fresh parsley or red pepper flakes.
Notes
- For best results, shred your own mozzarella cheese from a block, as pre-shredded varieties can contain anti-caking agents that affect texture.
- Velveeta is essential for achieving the signature creamy sauce; substitutions are not recommended.
- If heavy cream is unavailable, half-and-half can be used for a slightly less rich sauce. Whole milk may require longer simmering to thicken.
- Using pasta shapes with nooks and crannies, like rotini or fusilli, helps trap the cheesy sauce.
- Undercooking the pasta by one minute before draining will allow it to finish cooking in the sauce, preventing mushiness.
- Reserve pasta water to help adjust the sauce consistency if it becomes too thick.
- Seasoning in layers during cooking enhances the overall flavor of the Velveeta chicken pasta.
- Allowing the dish to rest for 2 minutes before serving helps the sauce adhere better to the pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
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