Description
A comforting and creamy pasta dish with tender chicken and a luscious three-cheese garlic sauce, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thick strips
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until tender with a slight bite, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving a little heat in the noodles.
- While the pasta cooks, season your chicken strips evenly with the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Make sure each piece is well coated.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil together with 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, searing it until beautifully golden on the outside and fully cooked inside. Transfer the chicken out once it’s developed lightly crisp edges.
- Turn the heat down to medium and introduce the remaining butter to the skillet. Once it’s melted, stir in the minced garlic, cooking just until fragrant and slightly softened.
- Pour in the chicken broth followed by the heavy cream, gently stirring to lift all the flavorful browned bits from the pan, thus building a rich base for your sauce.
- Lower the heat further and add the Velveeta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and cream cheese. Stir slowly as the cheeses melt, forming a smooth, thick sauce with a glossy finish.
- Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and let the sauce gently bubble until it slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2-3 minutes.
- Fold in the cooked rigatoni so each piece fills up with that rich, cheesy mixture.
- Finally, return the cooked chicken to the pan, allowing it to warm through as the flavors meld together.
- Serve immediately, garnishing with chopped parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan for a bold, savory finish.
Notes
Customize with different proteins or vegetables like spinach or bell peppers for added nutrition.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Keywords: chicken, rigatoni, pasta, cheesy, garlic sauce, weeknight dinner, comfort food