Creamy Chicken Rotini with Velveeta and Rotel (Print version)

Tender chicken, rotini, Rotel tomatoes, and Velveeta melt into a creamy one-skillet pasta dinner with a little kick.

# Ingredients:

For the chicken and pasta

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 can (10 oz or 283 g) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
10 - 12 oz (340 g) rotini pasta

For the creamy cheese sauce

11 - 1 can (10.5 oz or 298 g) condensed cream of chicken soup
12 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, plus more as needed
13 - 8 oz (225 g) Velveeta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
14 - 2 tablespoons sliced green onions or chopped parsley, optional

# Instructions:

01 - Pat the chicken dry. Toss it with 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the pieces are cooked through and lightly golden.
03 - Add onion and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, then stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
04 - Add chicken broth, undrained Rotel, and rotini. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is just tender.
05 - Lower the heat. Stir in cream of chicken soup and milk until smooth and hot. Add a splash more milk if the skillet looks too thick.
06 - Add Velveeta cubes and stir over low heat for 2-4 minutes until fully melted and glossy. Rest for 3 minutes, then garnish with green onions or parsley if using.

# Good to know:

01 - Use a large deep skillet so the rotini has room to simmer evenly.
02 - Add milk by the splash when reheating to bring back the creamy sauce.
03 - For more heat, use hot Rotel or add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.

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