This one pot pastalaya recipe is full of flavor. It has a creamy base, lots of pasta, the holy trinity, chicken, and sausage. The combination is an easy to make delicious dinner.
My brother, K.C., created this recipe several years ago. He shared it with us at a family dinner and we were instantly hooked.
He has made it for us several times since then. Luckily, he left the recipe out when he made it last time.
So, I quickly snapped a picture so I could make it, too. Of course, I had to share it with you as well.
If you like jambalaya, you are going to love pastalaya. It has a lot of the same flavors, but with pasta instead of rice.
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This version includes a little cheese in the sauce that makes it creamy and extra fabulous. It also balances out the heat from the Cajun seasoning.
The whole dish is made in one pot. So, the cleanup is minimal.
Honestly, the most time consuming part is just cutting everything up and it doesn’t even take that long. So, go ahead and get this recipe on your meal plan for the week!
Adjust The Spice To Your Liking
You can easily make this recipe as spicy or mild as you would like.
For a low spice version, use mild rotel and reduce the Cajun seasoning a bit.
For a spicier version, use andouille sausage instead of kielbasa and add a few dashes of hot sauce.
One Pot Pastalaya
Ingredients
- 2 pounds kielbasa sliced
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 bell peppers diced
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1½ pounds penne pasta
- 32 ounces reduced sodium chicken stock
- 2 10 oz cans Rotel
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1½ Tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 Tablespoons parsley flakes
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ pound Velveeta cubed
Instructions
- Heat a 6-quart or larger pot over medium-high heat. Add the 2 pounds kielbasa and cook until it has browned and rendered some of its grease. Remove the sausage, leaving grease in the pan.
- Add the 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs to the pot. Cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan.
- If needed, add a little bit of oil to the pan. Otherwise, just use the remaining grease from the chicken and sausage. Add the 2 bell peppers, 1 large onion, and 4 stalks celery. Cook, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent and everything has softened.
- Add the 2 Tablespoons minced garlic and cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently.
- Put the sausage and chicken back in the pan. Then, add the 1½ pounds penne pasta, 32 ounces reduced sodium chicken stock, 2 10 oz cans Rotel, 1 Tablespoon onion powder, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, 1½ Tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 Tablespoons parsley flakes, and 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Bring everything to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. The pasta should be getting close to al dente.
- Stir in the ½ pound Velveeta and continue to cook until the cheese is melted, the noodles are tender, and the sauce has thickened (about 5 minutes.)
- Garnish with parsley or hot sauce if desired.
Video
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On the recipe for One Pot Pastalaya, Direction #5, do I assume that is when the sausage and chicken are added back to the mix? It says “Bring everything to a boil” but ??? No mention of the meat.
I added it when I added the cheese and seemed to work fine. The family likes it!
I am glad you liked it! I am sorry the directions weren’t more clear. Yes, you add the meat back to the pot and let it cook with the pasta. I will try to clarify the instructions. Thank you for letting me know that there was a gap. Of course, it makes sense to me when I write it!