King Ranch Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

  

After my Southern Living recipe challenge in 2009, in which I cooked 100 of their recipes in a year, I didn't think I would ever make another SL recipe again...but then I saw the January cover, and I was sucked in.

King Ranch Chicken is a popular Southern dish, but this is a twist, using macaroni in place of the traditional tortillas. I made some changes to the original, omitting the onion and bell pepper for personal preference. 

How can a recipe that starts with a base of Rotel dip be anything but delicious? It was looking fantastic as I was preparing it, but once I added in the chili powder and cumin, it transformed it into not just a rich, creamy, cheesy dish, but a fragrant one, as well.Whatever you do, don't leave the spices out.

This is comfort food at its finest!

Printable recipe

8 ounces macaroni
1 can Rotel
8 ounces Velveeta, cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook macaroni and set aside. Combine cubed Velveeta and Rotel and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until cheese is melted. Stir in soup, sour cream, and spices to cheese mixture. Add chicken and cooked pasta. Pour into 9x13 casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.