Description
This creamy and flavorful Chicken Spaghetti is a comforting casserole dish featuring tender seared chicken, a rich cheesy sauce with cream cheese and cheddar, diced tomatoes with green chilies for a mild kick, and thin spaghetti. Baked to perfection with a golden mozzarella topping, this recipe blends textures and tastes for a crowd-pleasing dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup milk
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 10 oz. diced tomatoes & green chilies, juice separated
Pasta and Topping
- ½ lb. thin spaghetti
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Red pepper flakes, for garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook the chicken: Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise for thinner pieces. Pat dry and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then sear chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove, let cool slightly, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the sauce base: Reduce heat to medium-low and melt butter in the same pan used for chicken to capture the flavorful browned bits (fond). Cook diced onions in butter until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Thicken the sauce: Sprinkle flour over onion and garlic mixture, stir to coat evenly, and cook for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
- Add liquids: Gradually add chicken broth in splashes, stirring continuously to maintain roux thickness. Slowly pour in milk while whisking until smooth and combined.
- Boil pasta: While sauce simmers and thickens, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente, then drain.
- Create creamy cheese sauce: Lower heat to medium-low. Add softened cream cheese to the sauce, stirring continuously until melted and smooth. Then add shredded cheddar cheese and mix until fully combined and melted.
- Add tomatoes and chicken: Drain excess juice from diced tomatoes (reserve some juice if you want a thinner sauce). Stir diced tomatoes and cooked chicken pieces into the sauce, mixing thoroughly.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Stir cooked spaghetti into the sauce until fully coated. If your pan is not oven-safe, transfer the mixture into a lightly greased 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Bake: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly on top of the casserole. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Broil for topping: To achieve a slightly browned, golden top, broil the casserole at 475°F (246°C) for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot, ideally with a side of garlic bread with cheese for a complete meal.
Notes
- You can use pre-cooked or leftover chicken to save time; just stir it in with the sauce at the end.
- Softening the cream cheese beforehand makes it easier to melt in the sauce, preventing lumps.
- Reserving some tomato juice allows you to adjust the sauce consistency to your liking.
- Use thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta for best texture and integration with the sauce.
- Keep a close eye while broiling to avoid burning the cheese topping quickly.
