King Ranch Chicken Pasta
Servings 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package of cavatappi pasta (corkscrews)
- 2 large chicken breast (or about 2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon each salt and garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 diced green bell pepper
- 1 diced yellow onion
- 1 can of Ro-tel tomatoes and green chilies (10 ounces) (mild or hot...your preference!)
- 1 small package of Velveeta cheese (8 ounces)
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Topping
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 slices of sandwich bread (or any leftover bread)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Prep: Pre-heat your oven to 375 and start cooking your pasta according to the directions on the box. (I always cook mine for the least amount of time given so it doesn't get mushy)
- Cut your chicken into bite-sized 1" pieces and season with the salt and garlic powder.
- Heat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the chicken until cooked through. (About 7-10 minutes)
- Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate or bowl.
- Lower the heat on the stove to medium and add in another tablespoon of olive oil.
- Sauté the diced onions and peppers until they soften and turn translucent. (About 5 minutes)
- Add in the Rotel, cream of chicken, Velveeta, milk, chili poweder, and cumin and stir together until the cheese is completely melted.
- Add the cooked chicken and the cooked pasta to the skillet and gently stir until all of the noodles are coated in the sauce.
Topping:
- Sprinkle the top of the skillet with the shredded cheese.
- Cut your bread slices into about ¼ inch pieces and toss in the melted butter.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the shredded cheese.
- Bake everything in the oven for 25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.