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Cheesy Chicken Rigatoni

This Cheesy Chicken Rigatoni casserole dish is similar to Chicken Spaghetti, but it takes new substitutions to make the perfect family dinner for holidays, weeknights, or to take to a friend.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: casserole, chicken, meal to take, pasta, rigatoni, weeknight dinner

Ingredients

  • 4-5 chicken breasts fresh or frozen
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 lb block 2% Velveeta
  • 1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • ½ onion or 1 cup frozen seasoning blend
  • ½ cup chicken broth from cooking meat
  • 1 lb dry Rigatoni noodles
  • 1 cup grated cheddar or blended cheese

Instructions

  • Place chicken in a crockpot.
  • Add water and salt and pepper for flavoring.
  • Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on high.

To make sauce and and assemble casserole

  • Take chicken breasts out of the crockpot to cool for cutting.
  • Save the chicken broth to use later.
  • Finely dice and saute onions until translucent, in a dutch oven.
  • Cut up Velveeta into cubes and add to onions once cooked.
  • Stir in tomatoes, and soup.
  • Stir all together, watching cheese sauce so it doesn't burn.
  • Meanwhile, boil the rigatoni noodles in salted water or chicken broth.
  • Cut up chicken into cubes or shred.
  • Add chicken and 1/2 - 1 cup chicken broth to the sauce.
  • Stir together.
  • Drain noodles and add to the cheese sauce.
  • Gently stir everything together.
  • Pour into casserole dish.
  • Sprinkle cheese across top.
  • Cover with foil.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, at 350, then remove foil and cook for 10 more minutes. - or - Store in refrigerator or freezer.
  • If cooking from cold, cook for 30 minutes with foil on, and then remove the foil and cook for 15 minutes.