Description
This Spicy Cajun Chicken Rigatoni with Velveeta Garlic Cream Sauce is a creamy, bold pasta dish that combines Cajun-spiced chicken, rigatoni, and a velvety Velveeta garlic sauce. Perfect for quick dinners, comfort food cravings, or crowd-pleasing weeknight meals.
Ingredients
12 oz rigatoni pasta
2 large chicken breasts
1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside, saving ½ cup pasta water.
2. Cut chicken into bite-sized chunks and season with Cajun seasoning.
3. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan.
4. Lower heat and add remaining butter. Sauté garlic until fragrant.
5. Pour in heavy cream, stirring to combine and loosen browned bits. Simmer for 1 minute.
6. Add cubed Velveeta and stir until completely melted and sauce is smooth.
7. Return chicken to the pan, then add cooked rigatoni. Toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water if needed.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Use bronze-cut rigatoni for better sauce grip.
Adjust Cajun seasoning based on your spice tolerance.
Add a splash of cream when reheating leftovers to keep them creamy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg