Description
Creamy Velveeta Chicken Rotini Pasta with Mozzarella Garlic Cheese Sauce is a quick, family-friendly weeknight dinner loaded with tender chicken, spiral rotini, and a velvety two-cheese garlic sauce. This creamy chicken pasta recipe blends Velveeta and mozzarella for extra smooth melt and stretchy pull, making it the perfect comfort food for busy nights. Keywords: Velveeta chicken rotini, mozzarella garlic cheese sauce, creamy chicken pasta, easy weeknight dinner, cheesy pasta.
Ingredients
12 oz rotini pasta
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
12 oz Velveeta cheese cubed
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1.5 cups whole milk
1 tsp kosher salt divided
0.5 tsp black pepper divided
2 tbsp chopped parsley optional for garnish
0.5 cup reserved pasta water as needed
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rotini until al dente; reserve 0.5 cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
2. Pat chicken dry and season with half the salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium with 1 tbsp butter; cook chicken 5 to 7 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp butter to the skillet; saute minced garlic 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low; pour in milk and warm gently.
6. Stir in Velveeta cubes, a handful at a time, until completely melted and smooth.
7. Add mozzarella; stir until melted and the sauce is silky. Season with remaining salt and pepper.
8. Return chicken to the pan, add rotini, and toss to coat; loosen with splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce clings beautifully.
9. Garnish with parsley if using; serve hot.
Notes
Use thighs for extra juiciness if you prefer dark meat.
Warm the milk before adding cheese to help it melt faster and stay smooth.
If reheating, stir in a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to creamy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg