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Super cheesy and flavorful, this One Pot Cheesy Chicken Pasta is going to be your new family favorite. Simple to make with just a few ingredients and one pan for easy clean up.

Cheesy Chicken Pasta on a fork.
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Ingredients

My One Pot Cheesy Chicken Pasta Recipe is super simple, with just a few ingredients:

  • Chicken
  • Onion & garlic
  • Manwich
  • Pasta
  • Chicken broth
  • Cheese
A pot of cheesy chicken pasta.

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY CHICKEN PASTA WITH MANWICH

One pot meals are the best for busy weeknights. My kids absolutely loved this meal and not only asked for seconds, but asked for it to be put in their lunches the next day, and that’s how I really gauge a winning recipe!

When I first created this recipe five years ago, I used pre-cooked, shredded chicken. It’s a super easy way to speed up the recipe. However, if you prefer to cook the chicken within the recipe, just start with cubed, raw chicken breasts (about 2 that are medium in size or about a pound total). When you start to cook the onions, add the chicken to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Stir the chicken a few times, making sure to get it browned (or at least cooked) on all sides. The chicken does not need to be cooked all the way through because it will continue to cook with the pasta.

Boil the chicken and pasta in the manwich and broth for 15-20 minutes and BAM! A complete chicken pasta meal in just 20 minutes!

A spoonful of cheesy chicken pasta.

HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN PASTA SAUCE?

The beauty of One Pot Chicken Pasta recipes is that the sauce makes itself! The starch in the pasta is released during the cooking process, thickening whatever liquid you’ve include; in this case Manwich sauce and chicken broth. The final step is to add the cheese, which melts into the liquid, thus creating a luscious, creamy sauce!

How to make cheesy chicken pasta sauce.

WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH CHEESY CHICKEN PASTA

We love this chicken pasta recipe with a simple green salad on the side. However, you could serve just about any veggie with it, or even add some to the pot when you’re cooking, like carrots, broccoli or peas.

A plate of cheesy chicken pasta.

For more Chicken Pasta recipes, try these:


Recipe
A pan of Cheesy Chicken Pasta

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Pasta

4.60 from 25 votes
One Pot Cheesy Chicken Pasta is creamy and simple to make with just a few ingredients and one pan for easy clean up. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • Olive oil
  • 2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken breast or raw, cooked with the onions
  • 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 10- ounce can Manwich Bold + 1 can water
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 pound of small dry pasta I used penne; about 2 cups
  • 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons green onion sliced (optional, for garnish)
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Instructions
 

  • Heat a small amount of oil in a large pot. Add onion and garlic and saute for one minute, then add cooked chicken (I keep THIS on hand) and saute for a couple of minutes. You could also start with raw chicken and cook it with the onion and garlic. (See notes).
  • Stir in chicken broth, Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe Sauce, water and pasta to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring once after about 15 minutes. Check for doneness at 20 minutes and continue to simmer with the lid off if there is still a lot of liquid or if the pasta isn’t quite al dente.
  • Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar until well incorporated, reserving a handful to sprinkle on the top. Cover the pot for a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt, and stir.
  • Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.

Notes

*If you prefer to start with raw chicken, cook the chicken about halfway through while you cook the onions. It should be brown on all sides, but doesn’t have to be cooked through. Continue with the remaining steps.
Keyword cheesy chicken pasta, chicken pasta, one pot pasta

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 42gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 799mgPotassium: 696mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 932IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 448mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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4.60 from 25 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Ethel says:

    Not a bad meal. Just wasn’t what I wanted. I was a little bit skeptical when I seen the manwich, but tried it any way. It was quick and easy, which I love and the clean up was minimal. I just did not care for the manwich flavor. I also used the bold manwich. It had a bit of BBQ taste. I’m not the biggest fan on BBQ. Not sure I would make it again. But if you like Manwich flavor and/or BBQ, it is at least a good meal to try.

    1. Kristin says:

      Awesome feedback Ethel! Thank you so much for taking the time to share..

  2. Nancy Myers says:

    I’m sorry but I did not like this recipe. The Manwich Bold gave it a very vinegar taste that to me was not a good taste.

  3. Cheryl says:

    I would have never thought of using chicken or pasta with the Manwich sauce. Can’t wait to try this!

  4. Laurie O says:

    I came across this recipe today and I followed it exactly…the only ingredient I did not have on hand was the Manwich Bold, which I found at the Dollar General. I often have shredded chicken in the freezer, already divided into bags of 2 cups each. PERFECT for this.
    It was delicious! My husband called it a WIN, let’s make it again. Thank you for sharing this recipe for a yummy, yet super simple, meal!

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Laurie! Thanks for the awesome feedback.

  5. Kathy says:

    Hi Kristin! I am a new follower and am counting my calories. Is there any way to include nutrition values to your recipes? There are actually some I can make but not sure of the portion sizes to fit my calorie counts. Thanks for the help!

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Hi Kathy, Yes, we are working on adding the nutritional information to all of the recipes. It’s a tedious process, and takes some time. If there’s something you’re looking for specifically you can use an online tracker like myfitnesspal.com

  6. Larrisa Rickett says:

    Where do you find manwich sauce?

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      If you’re in the US, it’s with the tomato sauce usually, or wherever meal starters are found. It’s also available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ejjRai

  7. Rebecca Payne says:

    Looks good! I can’t wait to try it.

  8. Meg says:

    So good! Made this for dinner this week and was a winner!

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Meg.

  9. Gabi says:

    Easy to make and yummy! Although I think the manwich bold was a bit overpowering. May try making this again, just with less manwich or try to substitute it?

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      You could use a different flavor if you want. Tomato sauce would also be a suitable substitute if you’re looking for a more mild flavor.

  10. Kristen says:

    This recipe is awesome! Ignore the haters because you are so generous to even respond to people this much with how busy you must be!! Thanks for the help with cooking. ❤️ Keep up the awesome work kind lady!

  11. Amanda Zamara says:

    Just wondering how much onion to cook with the chicken? The ingredient list only mentions green onions, the garnish. Thanks so much for clearing that up! Can’t wait to try it!

    1. Kristin says:

      Looks like that was accidentally deleted when we updated the recipe last year. So sorry about that! You need about 1/2 cup diced onion.

  12. Dolsada Nolan says:

    What can I used to substitute the naneich bold

    1. Kristin says:

      You could use a different flavor of Manwich, or maybe try tomato sauce and add some extra spices.

  13. Angelica says:

    Can I cook this then freeze it and rewarm it up ?

    1. Kristin says:

      I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but I think if you freeze it in a baking dish, then reheat in the oven it could work. Try 350 for 20 minutes. You just want to be careful not to let the meal dry out.

  14. Matt D. says:

    Super cheesy Chicken pasta. I like how that sounds. And it looks even better. Yum!

    1. Kristin says:

      Thank you Matt.

  15. Jack Noris says:

    That looks quite yummy Kristin! Can I add shredded beef with this recipe too?

    1. Kristin says:

      Absolutely! I think ground beef would work well, too.

  16. Kim says:

    Should onion be on the print version of the recipe? The first line says to add onion and garlic and saute for one minute then add chicken. I do not see it in the ingredients list.

    thanks

  17. Jasmin says:

    I came from Yummly and the app doesn’t have all the ingredients on it, so I came home and realized that I didn’t have the manwich. Had to go back to the store, kind of frustrating. If you could make sure that manwich is on the Yummly list of ingredients that’d be awesome

    1. Kristin says:

      Hi Jasmin, I’m not associated with Yummly. It’s just an app that people like you can add recipe pages and sites like mine too. All of the ingredients are listed correctly in the recipe on the site, so I’d recommend going straight to the website rather than trusting Yummly to be correct.

      1. Samantha says:

        You are seriously such a bitch. Every time I see you respond to your followers its all about how you’re right and they’re wrong- and you’re always so rude. I’m done following you- it’s your followers who made you, so you shouldn’t treat them so badly.

        1. Kristin says:

          Hey Samantha, Merry Christmas! I am not a bitch, and I am not always so rude. It’s not my followers who made me, although I am super grateful for each and every kind person who follows along and enjoys the recipes that I freely share. I respond to as many questions and comments as I can, often trying to help them figure out if something went wrong in a recipe and why. I am quite shocked that you would take the time to be so incredibly nasty. The comment you are responding to was an explanation of what went wrong. I built this site from scratch and have been sharing my content for 10 years, and make quite a handsome income doing so. I do get the occasional exceptionally ugly and nasty troll, and sometimes I give it right back, like today. Sometimes I kill them with kindness. And sometimes I don’t respond at all. Today seems to be an ugly internet troll day, so bye Felicia.

          1. Jasmine says:

            Trying your recipe this weekend. I love how u respond to haters. Someone always have something negative to say.

        2. Ginnie says:

          If you actually took the time to really read her comment it was not rude at all, it was a simple explanation. Sounds to me like you are the Witch here.

        3. Kristen Jarrett says:

          Omg wow. I’ve been making this recipe for at least 2 years (maybe longer?), have made it countless times, and I just noticed “Samantha’s” comment… wow. How utterly rude and out of left field… uncalled for. Kristin, I love this and other recipes on your site and appreciate you very much! Keep up the good work! We make a double batch of this because the leftovers are just as yummy. ??

          1. Kristin says:

            You are very sweet for leaving a comment. Thank you! So glad you enjoy the recipes!

        4. Diane says:

          she wasn’t or isn’t a bitch. follow the recipe. she is just saying she doesn’t know about yummly. I am making this tonight and it smells good. I used bigger pasta so I put in another can of manwich and a little more broth. Just tasting this is delicious.

          1. Kristin says:

            Hope you enjoyed it Diane!

          2. diane says:

            It was delicious.

  18. Nikki says:

    Has this recipe been taken down? I only see the pictures of it but no actual recipe is showing up.

    1. Kristin says:

      Hi Nikki, it’s back up now. We were having some technical issues – sorry about that!

  19. GF says:

    I’m making this for the SECOND time tonight. 🙂 Love it!!

  20. jennifer says:

    I have made this a few times. I have used regular and Thick manwich. I also have used ground beef instead of chicken. All comes out yummy!

    Thank you!

  21. Missmila says:

    i just made this recipe… I left out the meat, put in a bit more cheese and used white onion instead of green. Also used a whole box of pasta. The cook time should be less. Mine was done in about 17 minutes. But smelled amazing and my family loved it!!

    1. Kristin says:

      Thanks for the tip – cooking time will vary from kitchen to kitchen, especially if you change the ingredients. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  22. Kristen says:

    We love this manwich pasta! I’m making it now for the third time since finding the recipe, my husband loves it and it’s one of the few things he will actually ask for. I use a rotisserie chicken which makes it even better and easier…and for some reason I can no longer find manwich bold so I use the regular for now. I’ve also doubled it before and it does really well reheated!

  23. liz says:

    Thank you so much. I have two very, very picky eaters who are 2 and 3 and they loved it. Thank you again.

  24. Holly says:

    My family LOVES this recipe! I make it nearly once a week now. I do double the pasta though. Thanks!!

    1. robin says:

      do you double anything else to it holly? or just the pasta

  25. Meaghan says:

    Gonna have to try this. I’m a semi-vegetarian due to an allergy to red meats (Which actually includes, beef, pork, venison, rabbit, etc) and leaves only poultry and fish for meat proteins. I’m always looking for new ways to jazz up fish and poultry. Thanks for the idea. 🙂

  26. KarLee says:

    Do you think this would work in a crockpot?

  27. gale says:

    This sounds good-I’d love to know if anyone has a copycat recipe for the can of Manwich. Due to food allergies we avoid almost all Con Agra brands.

    1. Kristin says:

      I think you should be able to use tomato sauce. Not sure if that helps though…

  28. Peter @Feed Your Soul Too says:

    You made something so basic look so good!!!

  29. Liz says:

    Is the onion supposed to be green onion? Looks like that in the pic, except the recipe doesn’t specify. Thanks! Looks delish!

    1. Kristin says:

      Yes it’s green onion.

  30. Cherise Morris says:

    I made the one pot Cheesy Chicken Pasta tonight and I’m sorry to say my family did not like. Mine turned out much “soupier” than the one pictured here. They said it tasted more like chicken in tomato soup. Followed directions, so don’t know why mine looked so different.

    1. Kristin says:

      So sorry to hear that! If you do give it another try, I would think you might need to allow the final mixture to sit for a bit longer. It definitely looks soupy before you add the cheese in, but the liquid with the cheese should create a nice sauce. Good luck!

  31. Eric Parker says:

    You have given perceptive information to cook chicken pasta recipes. I will try to cook it.

  32. Unknown says:

    Tried doubling this recipe to have leftovers, I had way too done pasta with excess water still 🙁 Going to try again and tweak some of the liquids!

  33. Ashley LaRocque says:

    i made this the other night, but used ground beef and beef broth. OMG YUM!

  34. Tonya says:

    OK, I tried this, with a couple changes. We used regular Manwich (don’t think the kiddos are ready for Bold yet) and I added about 4 oz sour cream. Yum! At first, I thought I read the amount of cheese wrong – it looked like SO MUCH when I put it in there, but it turned out great! Also, I used raw chicken, diced, and just sauteed it with the onion and garlic. Worked just fine. Thanks so much! Everyone here LOVED it! P.S. Who won the giveaway?!?

  35. Made From Pinterest says:

    Wow! This looks deee-licious! We’d love to have you share your recipe at our weekly Saturday Link Party ! Deb @ madefrompinterest.net

  36. sling1 says:

    Saucy Chicken Wings! Who would’ve ever thought to use Manwich on wings?!?!? All my life it has been for ground beef…glad to see a new spin!

  37. Linda had a little Lamb says:

    Thanks for the recipe. This looks yummy. I love chicken and cheese.

  38. Kristin Kocher says:

    My family would love the Unsloppy Janes!!!

  39. Whitney says:

    I’d definitely try the saucy chicken wings. LOVE wings!

  40. Jasmine B says:

    How clever is that to use Manwich to make the saucy chicken wings? I think I’ll give those a try!

  41. Anonymous says:

    The sloppy joe cornbread bake!

  42. Laura says:

    The Saucy Baked Chicken looks different and interesting!

  43. Bakin' Mama says:

    Looks delish! You can never have too much cheese!

  44. Tabathia says:

    I like the stress free picadillo

  45. The Thriftiness Miss says:

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  46. Vera Khule says:

    I would make the No Alarm Chili.

  47. Mary Beth Hines says:

    The Supersized Sloppy Joe Dip!

  48. Rachel says:

    Stress-Free Turkey Picadillo–I like anything Stress Free.

  49. Vunda Vall says:

    sloppy joe slider pull aparts!! yum

  50. Anonymous says:

    Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it out.

  51. JackieKC says:

    I really want to try your recipe first and then maybe the sloppy joy corn bread bake.

  52. Jessy Carlisle says:

    I would make the sloppy joe cornbread bake (with turkey). Sounds Tasty!!!

  53. Mrs. J says:

    It never occurred to me to try and do more with Manwhich, I’ll have to pin this!

  54. AnnaZed says:

    I would make the Sloppy Joe Slider Pull Aparts

    ******************

    {in the contest I am Margot Core on the Rafflecopter}

  55. Susan Needham says:

    I can hardly wait to ty the Manwich Cheesy Chicken Pasta.It looks so good!

  56. kate says:

    I would like to try the Savory Chicken and Pasta Skillet recipe.

  57. ♡♥♬ Carolsue ♡♥♬ says:

    The Savory Chicken and Pasta Skillet sounds good!
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

  58. AubreyLaine says:

    The meatballs sound great.

  59. AubreyLaine says:

    The meatballs sound great.

  60. Rhonda says:

    I’m all over the meatballs after I try your recipe!

  61. Lee Ray says:

    the macaroni skillet

  62. Tammigirl says:

    Sloppy joe slider pull aparts would make my family very happy.

    Am I the only one who only ever used this sauce one way? With ground beef? I’m so boring. And so embarrassed.

  63. Crystal Pamplona says:

    The No Alarm chili would make my kids happy I think!

  64. Crystal Pamplona says:

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  65. Anonymous says:

    I would love to try the Sloppy Joe Macaroni Skillet! Lorin L.

  66. Rachel F says:

    I think I would like to try the Sloppy Joe Biscuit casserole. My family is addicted to all things caserole.

  67. SusieC says:

    I would like to try the saucy meatloaf – sure beats ketchup!

  68. Tami Madsen says:

    I would LOVE to try your one pot recipe, but since that wasn’t on the other site…the Saucy Meatloaf. I’m always looking for good meatloaf recipes! Never thought about doing it with Manwhich sauce! yum

  69. Crystal says:

    No Alarm Chili looks great! I am always looking for different ideas for chili. Your recipe above looks awesome too!

  70. Anonymous says:

    I think my husband would like the Meatball Hoagie.

  71. Krista Cantrell says:

    The cornbread bake looks yummy!!

  72. Krista Cantrell says:

    The cornbread bake looks yummy!!

  73. Ashley Bouwer says:

    The sloppy joe dip looks delicious!

  74. Anonymous says:

    I forgot to say that I want to try the Sloppy Joe Cornbread Bake… but your recipe looks delicious!

    ~Bonnie (again) 🙂

  75. Anonymous says:

    Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try!

    ~Bonnie Shown

  76. Cortney says:

    The creamy sloppy joe bites look so GREAT!!!
    daria477 at hotmail.com

  77. Terri B says:

    I’d like to try the Saucy Meatloaf!

  78. Anonymous says:

    Shredded beef sandwiches 🙂

    Heather W.

  79. Susan C says:

    Sloppy Joe Stuffed Baked Potatoes

  80. Barbara Bradford says:

    Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches looks so good, I could use one right now…. I always get the munchies just before bed..

  81. Heather B says:

    I like the Unsloppy Janes

  82. Jessica To says:

    My son loves tacos so I would have to try the Sloppy Joe Taco recipe!
    reklaw422 at hotmail dot com

  83. JC says:

    I would like to try Sloppy Joe Slider Pull Aparts

  84. Sue Schuster says:

    I would try the sloppy joe cornbread bake. Looks delicious.

  85. Jen says:

    The recipe you made looks delicious, but if I had to choose one from the website, I’d choose the Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches. We love pulled pork but have been using more chicken lately and haven’t tried it this way.

  86. Anonymous says:

    I think the sloppy joe biscuit casserole looks like it might be a winner, but honestly I like the looks of your recipe!
    Kay
    ginger1058@yahoo.com

  87. Terri ( Meterr) says:

    I seriously want to try out YOUR recipe!! I’m trying to use chicken in most of our meat meals, and this look so good, and less mess!

  88. Mami2jcn says:

    I’d like to try the saucy meatloaf.

    Name on rafflecopter; Mary Happymommy

  89. Jo says:

    I think I’d like the slow-cooker pulled chicken. Probably could eat a ton of it. Jo @ Let’s Face the Music

  90. Anonymous says:

    My family would love the Party Sausage Dip!
    bjn1957{at}gmail{dot}com

  91. Pauline says:

    Sloppy Joe Tacos look good to me!

  92. Lisa C says:

    I would give the Manwich cornbread bake a whirl!

  93. Lisa Fickling says:

    Would love to try the Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches. Love anything I can make in the Slow Cooker. Yum!
    Thanks for the giveaway!

  94. Lisa Brown says:

    i would try the Tangy Sweet Pork Chops recipe

  95. mellysue418 says:

    I have tried for over 20 minutes to get the widget to load….. hope it counts if I post it here.this looks super yummy!I am torn between supersize sloppy joe dip and chuck wagon beef and bean skillet

  96. Harmony Burmeister says:

    I would make the No Alarm Chili

  97. Angie says:

    sloppy joe cornbread bake

  98. Jenn "Rook No. 17" says:

    The recipe you tried is definitely calling my name, but the Chuckwagon Turkey & Bean Skillet sounds pretty darn good too!

    Jenn

  99. Elena says:

    Sloppy Joe Macaroni Skillet

  100. Amber says:

    Ooh that looks so yummy. The Sloppy Joe Sliders recipe looks awesome too!

  101. Carissa Bonham says:

    Sloppy Joe tacos sounds tasty

  102. AnnBoShow says:

    I’d try the saucy meatloaf, but I’d like to jazz it up and make it a bacon wrapped Manwich meatloaf. Yum!

  103. Anonymous says:

    how many servings does this make?

  104. SandyN says:

    I’d like to try the Sloppy Joe Cornbread Bake! Yum!!

  105. Tonya says:

    I never thought to use Manwich with chicken! I would try any of the chicken recipes on the Manwich site AFTER I tried yours. Yum!

  106. Salena Lee says:

    Everything looks so good but the tacos, omg we love tacos! 🙂

  107. heatherp626 says:

    My family would love the Sloppy Joe Slider Pull Aparts.

    heatherp626@msn.com

  108. kylee hylton says:

    Slpppy Joe’s tacos yum yum

  109. Rachel Cooks says:

    I did this campaign too — WOW yours looks good! I’m totally making it with my can of Bold.

  110. Katie says:

    YUm! This looks so good. I’ve ever tried Manwich… I know I guess I’ve been living under a rock. I would try the Sloppy Joe Macaroni Skillet–looks great!

  111. Sandy H says:

    The sloppy Joes sliders pull aparts

  112. Angelina- JoJo & Eloise says:

    This sounds and looks Amazing!!! Loving the Spoon and Bib so CUTE!!!! Pinning 🙂
    xoxo

  113. Carol TheAnswerIsChocolate says:

    I would love to try this chicken recipe. I am always looking for new chicken recipes

  114. Neiddy Ruiz says:

    The Sloppy Joe’s tacos are perfect for taco night
    Leidy R Rafflecopter

  115. rebecca says:

    Looks delicious….just pinned! 🙂

  116. Terri nana of 2 says:

    For sure the sloppy joe cornbread bake! Thanks Terri C

  117. Susan D says:

    I had no idea they had recipes for Manwich! I would definitely try to make the sloppy joe cornbread bake!

  118. Tracy says:

    I think the sloppy joe cornbread bake looks great!