Brown the Chicken: Grab a large skillet (a Dutch oven works wonderfully too!) and heat your tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add your cubed chicken and cook until it's nicely browned on all sides. Don’t worry about cooking it all the way through just yet. Once it's looking good, scoop it out onto a plate and set it aside for a moment.

Sauté the Aromatics: Into that same skillet, toss your chopped onion. Cook it down until it starts to soften and look a little translucent, usually about 5 minutes. Now, add your minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, dried cilantro, salt, and pepper. Stir it all around and let it cook for just about a minute until you can smell that incredible aroma. It’s like a mini fiesta in your pan!

Build the Sauce Base: Pour in your chicken broth, that undrained can of Rotel (don't drain it, you want all those juicy bits!), and the tomato sauce. Give it a good stir and bring it all to a gentle simmer.

Cook the Pasta: Time for the macaroni! Add the dry elbow macaroni to the simmering liquid. Give everything a good stir to make sure the pasta is submerged and evenly distributed. Cover the skillet and let it simmer away for 10-12 minutes. Remember to stir it every now and then to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. You want the macaroni to be tender but still have a slight bite – that’s what we call "al dente"!

Bring it All Together: Once the pasta is cooked, add that browned chicken back into the skillet. Pour in the milk and sprinkle in all that glorious shredded Colby Jack cheese. Stir, stir, stir! Keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce has transformed into a wonderfully creamy, cheesy coating for everything in the pan.

Garnish and Serve: A final sprinkle of fresh cilantro is the perfect finishing touch. Serve it hot, straight from the skillet, and prepare for happy sighs!