Time is rushing on toward summer. It seems like we were complaining so much that winter wouldn’t leave and now there are only two weeks left until summer vacation starts! With time spinning crazily out of control, I turn to simple dinner recipes. I found a cookbook on clearance called Southern Living Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (brought to you by Winn Dixie) a while ago. It is full of convenient recipes like this King’s Ranch Pasta and Cheese.
Originally, it called for macaroni, but oddly enough, I cannot always find gluten free macaroni. The most common forms of gf pasta in my area are rotini, penne and spaghetti. So, this is pasta and cheese. You are not forced to use any one shape of noodle. Enjoy the freedom!
I was a little sneaky with this recipe. My dear daughter hates tomatoes, or at least she thinks she does. Honestly, it’s a mystery how picky palates work. I have recently convinced her that red peppers are good and she believes me as long as the recipe is mild in flavor. This recipe, the way I made it, was mild. It called for green bell peppers and a can of Rotel tomatoes and chiles (I used the mild version). I wondered how I’d get those tomatoes past Princess Pat, but she gave me the out. She asked if there were peppers in the casserole and I said yes. I did not say, there are green peppers and red tomatoes, I just let her believe that the red things were the peppers. Because she ate up her portion with such gusto, I am now suspicious about that tomato aversion.
This recipe is full of convenience foods. I did not use rotisserie chicken because most are not labeled gluten free and therefore cannot be trusted. I did not use the prescribed can of cream of chicken soup. Instead, I used a jar of my old stand-by, Classico lite Asiago sauce. Velveeta is accepted as gluten free; that’s in there, too.
1. Info for King’s Ranch Pasta and Cheese
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Servings: 4
- Calories: 520kcal
2. Ingredients for King’s Ranch Pasta and Cheese
- 16 oz package gluten free pasta
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 10oz can Rotel (tomatoes with green chiles)
- 16 oz Velveeta
- 3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
- 1 15oz Classico light white sauce (Alfredo or Asiago)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3. Directions:
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- At the same time, heat the oil in a large skillet and soften the onion and pepper over medium heat.
- When they are tender, add the undrained tomatoes and Velveeta, stirring until the cheese is smooth.
- Stir in the chicken, cream sauce, sour cream, chili powder and cumin.
- Combine the sauce with the hot, drained pasta and pour the mixture into a greased 9X13 pan.
- Top with the shredded cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the Cheddar melts.
4. Tips and advices:
- For regular gluten eaters, use regular pasta and feel free to use cream of chicken soup in place of the Asiago sauce.
