Chicken Spaghetti is a dish that’s easy to love. It’s a simple, comforting meal that combinestender chicken, pasta, and a creamy,cheesy sauce. It’s perfect for family dinners, and even picky eaters usually enjoy it. Myeasy chicken spaghetti recipeis simply delicious and you’re definitelygonna want seconds!
What is Chicken Spaghetti?
Cheesy chicken spaghettiis apasta dishthat typically includescooked chicken,spaghetti noodles, and acreamy cheese sauce. It’s often baked as a casserole, resulting in a warm, comforting dish that’s perfect for family meals. The combination oftender chicken,al dentespaghetti, and a creamy,cheesy saucemakes it afamily favorite.
How to make Chicken Spaghetti
You’ll be utilizing asimple ingredientlist to make mycheesy casserole. Notice there is notype of cream soupin this recipe (i.e.cream of mushroom souporcream of chicken soup). No shade oncanned soup, I use them often, but this is a tasty recipe that you can make using more wholesome ingredients in acreative way. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand.
Ingredients for Chicken Spaghetti
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced small
- 1 red bell pepper, diced small
- 1 small onion, diced small
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cupschicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- ¾ cupsparmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1rotisserie chicken(about 3 cups), shredded and cut into small pieces
- ½ a (16-ounce) package spaghetti
- 1 cupsharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Extra parsley for garnish, optional
- Salt andblack pepperto taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One:Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. This is important for cooking the casserole evenly.
Step Two:Cook spaghettiaccording to thepackage instructionsin alarge pot. This usually involves boiling water, adding the spaghetti, and cooking until it’sal dente. Once done, drain the spaghetti and add a littleolive oilor butter. This prevents the spaghetti from sticking together. Set it aside for now.
Step Three:In alarge skilletovermedium heat, melt the butter. Add the diced yellow and redbell peppers, onion, and minced garlic. Cook everything for 3 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remember to stir occasionally so that the vegetables cook evenly and don’t burn.
Step Four:Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. This step is crucial as it helps to thicken the sauce later. Then, add thechicken brothand bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. This step ensures that the flour is well incorporated without clumping.
Step Five:Once boiling, whisk in the half and half. Bring the mixture to a boil again, and then stir in the gratedparmesan cheeseand chopped parsley. Make sure the sauce is smooth and well combined, then remove from the heat.
Step Six:Stir in the shreddedrotisserie chickenand the cooked spaghetti into the sauce. Mix well to ensure that the spaghetti is fully coated with thecreamy sauce.
Step Seven:Transfer everything into acasserole dish. This will be used for baking the dish.
Step Eight:Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and the dish to heat through.
Step Nine:Sprinkle thetop of the casserolewithsharp cheddar cheese. Then return it to the oven and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. This step adds a delicious cheesy crust to thetop of the casserole.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken: Instead ofrotisserie chicken, you can useboneless skinless chicken breastsor leftover chicken. Thegreat thingaboutrotisserie chickenis how easy it makes thisspaghetti bake.
- Pasta:Thin spaghettior even other pasta shapes can be used.
- Cheese: Experiment with different cheeses likeMonterey Jackor additionalparmesan cheese.
- Vegetables: Add mushrooms, greenbell peppers, orred peppersfor a different flavor.
- Seasoning: Enhance the dish withItalian seasoning,garlic powder,onion powder, or even a bit ofchili powder.
Best Tips
- Cheese: For thebest results, use freshly grated cheese as it melts better.
- Al DentePasta:Cook pastatoal denteas it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Consistency: If theconsistency of the sauceseems too thick, add a little morechicken broth.
How to StoreCheesy Chicken Spaghetti
Leftover chicken spaghettican be stored in anairtight containerin the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply warm it in the oven or microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make chicken spaghetti ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble the recipe ahead of time. Just put it in a 9×13greased baking dishrefrigerate it. Bake it when you are ready to eat for a deliciouschicken spaghetti casserole. I lovegreat recipesthat can be made thenext day.
Is chicken spaghetti healthy?
While chicken spaghetti is acomfort food, it can be made healthier by using whole wheat pasta, low-fat cheese, and adding more vegetables.
Can I useraw chicken breastsinstead ofrotisserie chicken?
Yes, just cook the chicken thoroughly before adding it to the recipe. To add more flavor, you can season the chicken breast with your favorite chicken seasoning blend.Italian seasoningis a great choice.
How can I make my chicken spaghetti more flavorful?
Consider adding more seasoning likeItalian seasoning,garlic powder, or even a bit ofchili powderfor a kick. You can also top withfresh basilfor some added flavor.
What can I serve with chicken spaghetti?
A simple salad and somegarlic breadmake great sides for chicken spaghetti.
Can I Freeze Chicken Spaghetti?
You can freezehomemade chicken spaghetti, but since it is made with a dairy-based sauce, there are some things to keep in mind.When freezing dishes with cream sauces, you need to be careful because these sauces can change when frozen and thawed. Before freezing, let the dish cool down completely. Then, freeze it in a container that’s good for the freezer. If you have a lot of it, you might want to freeze it in smaller parts so it’s easier to use later.
When you’re ready to eat it mycreamy chicken spaghetti recipe, thaw the dish in the fridge, not on the counter. This slower way helps keep the sauce nice. When you reheat it, do it slowly and stir it well. If the sauce looks a bit weird or separated, adding some fresh cream or milk while reheating can make it smooth again. Dishes with cream sauces that also have flour or cornstarch usually freeze and reheat better. But even with these tips, the sauce might not be exactly the same as it was before freezing.
Enjoy!
Chicken spaghetti is a great recipe forbusy weeknights, special occasions, or when you just want a comforting meal. It’s apasta dishthat thewhole familycan enjoy, and it’s a great way to use up leftover chicken. Thecreamy sauce,tender chicken, and cheesy goodness make it thebest chicken spaghetti recipe!
More Delicious Dinner Ideas
- Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup
- Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
- Old Fashioned Goulash
- How Much Protein is in Chicken Breast?
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
This easy, creamy chicken spaghetti is a fabulous dinner idea for those hectic weeknights.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced small
- 1 red bell pepper, diced small
- 1 small onion, diced small
- 3 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- ¾ cups parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 rotisserie chicken (about 3 cups), shredded and cut into small pieces
- ½ a (16-ounce) package spaghetti
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- extra parsley for garnish, optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Drain and add a little oil or butter to prevent it sticking together, set aside.
- In a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Add the peppers, onion, and the garlic. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth and allow it to come to a boil while continuing to stir. Whisk in the half and half stirring continuously to prevent sticking. Allow it to come to a boil then stir in the grated parmesan cheese and the parsley, remove from the heat.
- Stir in the chicken and the pasta. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Top with the sharp cheddar cheese. Bake 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Optionally, garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 471Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 1027mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 30g
