Cheesy Chicken Fiesta Pasta

⏱ 85 mins 🍽 1 large casserole, 6-8 serving(s) 🌶 italian 🏷 Chicken

This hearty pasta bake combines spiced rotisserie chicken with a creamy Velveeta and Ro-tel cheese sauce. It's tossed with sauteed vegetables, corn, and black beans before being baked under a topping of crushed corn chips. The result is a rich, comforting casserole finished with fresh cilantro. It's a complete meal that serves a crowd.

Cheesy Chicken Fiesta Pasta

Ingredients

  • 1 rotisserie-cooked chicken, breast, leg and thigh meat removed and chopped (approx. 2 cups)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 lime, juice of
  • 16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
  • 1 (8 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies, original style
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 3/4 cup canned corn, drained
  • 3/4 cup canned black beans, drained
  • 1 (16 ounce) bag fusilli or 1 (16 ounce) bag rotini pasta
  • 3/4 cup Fritos corn chips, crumbled
  • cilantro, rough chopped

Method

  1. Heat your oven to 350°F.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  3. Take the meat from the chicken, discard the skin, and chop the meat roughly into a bowl.
  4. Coat the chicken by tossing it with the cumin, chili powder, and lime juice, then set it aside.
  5. As the water heats, warm the vegetable oil in a large skillet.
  6. Cook the diced garlic in the oil for about a minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
  7. Stir in the sliced onion and chopped green pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft for approximately 6 - 8 minutes.
  8. Once the water is boiling, cook the fusilli pasta for about 10 minutes, then drain it, saving 1/2 - 1 cup of the cooking water.
  9. In a separate saucepan, gently warm the cubed Velveeta with the Ro-tel tomatoes for 5 - 7 minutes, stirring until smooth and bubbly, then keep it warm.
  10. Add the drained corn and black beans to the skillet with the vegetables and heat through for about 2 minutes.
  11. Lightly grease an 11x13 casserole dish with oil or non-stick spray.
  12. Combine the pasta with half of the chicken, half of the vegetable mix, and a third of the cheese sauce, tossing to blend. Add the remaining chicken, vegetables, and another third of the cheese, mixing thoroughly.
  13. Transfer the combined mixture to the prepared dish, spreading it out evenly.
  14. Pour the last third of the cheese sauce over the top and sprinkle with the crumbled corn chips, then cover the dish loosely with foil.
  15. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for an additional 5 - 7 minutes.
  16. Take the casserole from the oven and serve it straight away, garnished with the chopped cilantro.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium1478100 mg

Recipe details

CategoryChicken
Cuisineitalian
Authorchef 1030738