Description
A creamy, cheesy pasta dinner with perfectly seared chicken thighs, tossed in a luscious Velveeta and Parmesan garlic butter sauce. This comforting one-skillet meal is weeknight-friendly and full of bold flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
12 oz penne pasta
1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups Velveeta cheese, cubed
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup reserved pasta water (as needed)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 5–6 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Stir in cubed Velveeta and grated Parmesan. Let melt slowly, stirring constantly. Add reserved pasta water gradually to adjust the sauce consistency.
6. Toss cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, coating well.
7. Slice the cooked chicken and serve over the pasta. Drizzle any remaining sauce on top and garnish as desired.
Notes
Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre-shredded for the smoothest sauce.
Velveeta melts best when added in small cubes—don’t rush it on high heat.
Leftovers can be revived with a splash of milk when reheating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 670
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 790mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 41g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
Keywords: creamy chicken pasta, Velveeta pasta, garlic parmesan pasta