Chicken Spaghetti
Source: Found on Pinterest
This is one of Mark's many favorites.
A creamy 3-cheese blend and Rotel tomatoes pair perfectly
with this creamy cheese sauce that's made from scratch!
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 t. Italian seasoning (Penseys)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbls. olive oil
- 10 oz. diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained (Rotel)
- 8 oz. thin spaghetti (see Note)
- 1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley or a little dried works
3-Cheese Sauce
- 4 Tbls. butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 Tbls. unbleached all-purpose white flour
- 1 ½ c. chicken broth (I use from a 14 oz. can, save leftover to thin sauce)
- ¾ c. milk
- 4 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened (from block)
- 1 c. cheddar or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Pat dry and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste and Italian seasoning.
In a deep non-stick fry pan or sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the chicken on each side for 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, dice or shred into bite-sized pieces.
Start boiling the water for the pasta when it comes to a boil, turn off the heat to sit until you are ready to cook pasta (saves time by preheating the water).
SAUCE: Reduce heat to medium low. Melt the butter in the same pan and use a silicone spatula to clean the chicken bits from the bottom. This gives the sauce a nice flavor.
Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Sprinkle flour over the onions and toss to coat. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth in splashes to maintain the thickness of the roux. Stir in between each splash. Add the milk next, a little bit at a time. Whisk until combined and smooth.
Turn the heat back up for the pasta water and bring to a boil (won’t take long). Cook according to package instructions and drain once finished.
Meanwhile, let the sauce simmer and reduce temperature to low while the pasta water heats up. Add the softened cream cheese and stir continuously until melted and smooth (this is more difficult if the cream cheese is cold).
Reduce heat to low or take off burner and let the base cool a bit. Sprinkle in the shredded cheddar and stir to combine.
If you’d like to thin the sauce out, add a little bit more chicken broth from the can, otherwise drain the juice from the tomatoes and add them along with the chicken. Stir to combine.
ASSEMBLE: When the sauce is done, stir in the cooked spaghetti. If you’re not using an oven-safe pan, transfer to a lightly greased 9x13 casserole dish.
Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at 400 degrees uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Garnish with red pepper flakes and parsley.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serves 6
NOTE: You can also use 2 cups of leftover cooked chicken in this recipe, however, the benefit of cooking fresh chicken in the pot is that it transfers more flavor into the sauce.
Shred your own cheese from a block, it will melt better and give you much creamier results. Bagged shredded cheese contains cellulose which prevents it from melting as well in soups and sauces.
You can use regular, angel hair or other types of pasta as well.
Make-Ahead Method: Assemble the casserole as outlined and place it in a casserole dish. Let it cool first, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10-15 more minutes. Broil at 475 degrees for a few minutes at the end if desired.