Quick and Creamy Chicken Rotel Pasta Bake
This easy pasta recipe combines tender chicken, creamy sauce, and spicy Ro*Tel tomatoes for a satisfying, cheesy weeknight comfort food.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dry pasta (penne or rotini)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10 ounce) can Ro*Tel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, undrained
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Add the chopped onion to the same skillet and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in the Ro*Tel tomatoes (with liquid), cream of chicken soup, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the cubed cream cheese, chili powder, and cumin. Stir constantly until the cream cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and incorporated into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the drained, cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir gently to coat everything evenly.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, use the hot variety of Ro*Tel instead of original.
- You can substitute cooked sausage or ground beef for the chicken in this recipe.
- If you prefer a stovetop meal, skip steps 6 through 8 and simply stir the pasta into the sauce in the skillet and serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 32
- Cholesterol: 95