Description
Creamy Velveeta Chicken Rigatoni with Mozzarella Garlic Sauce is the ultimate comfort food dinner. Juicy seared chicken thighs paired with rigatoni pasta tossed in a rich, garlicky cheese sauce made from Velveeta and mozzarella—this dish is creamy, savory, and made to impress with minimal effort.
Ingredients
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
12 oz rigatoni pasta
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup heavy cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet and sear chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
4. In a non-stick saucepan, melt butter and sauté garlic until fragrant.
5. Stir in heavy cream, then add Velveeta cubes and stir until smooth.
6. Add mozzarella cheese and stir until fully melted and combined.
7. Add rigatoni to the cheese sauce and toss to coat. Add pasta water if needed to thin sauce.
8. Slice the rested chicken and serve with the cheesy pasta.
9. Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy hot.
Notes
Don’t skip resting the chicken—it helps retain juiciness before slicing.
Use freshly grated mozzarella for best melt and texture.
Add a splash of pasta water to the sauce if it feels too thick.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 670
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 165mg
Keywords: chicken rigatoni, creamy pasta, garlic cheese sauce