Description
Classic chicken spaghetti delivers comfort on a plate with creamy sauce and tender pasta. Southern kitchens embrace this hearty casserole that satisfies hunger and warms souls.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie works great)
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup chicken broth (or water)
- 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel), undrained
- ½ cup onion, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika (optional)
- Chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent adherence.
- Pasta Preparation: Boil pasta in heavily salted water until al dente, drain thoroughly, and set aside to cool and dry slightly.
- Flavor Foundation: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onions and bell peppers until translucent, then quickly introduce minced garlic for an aromatic burst.
- Sauce Creation: Whisk together cream of chicken soup, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chicken broth, and half of the shredded cheese until smooth and consistent in texture.
- Protein and Pasta Integration: Fold shredded chicken and cooked pasta into the creamy sauce, ensuring complete and even coating of all ingredients.
- Baking Assembly: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle remaining cheese across the surface to create a tempting golden crust.
- Thermal Transformation: Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until edges bubble and cheese melts into a gorgeous bronzed layer. Allow 5-10 minutes of resting time after removing from oven.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley on top and serve hot, delivering a comforting and flavorful meal.
Notes
- Optimize Pasta Tenderness: Cook spaghetti just until al dente to prevent mushiness during baking, ensuring perfect texture throughout the dish.
- Prevent Sauce Separation: Whisk cheese and condensed soup thoroughly to create a smooth, creamy consistency that won’t break or become grainy during cooking.
- Customize Spice Levels: Adjust chili content or swap with milder pepper variants for family-friendly versions or personalized heat preferences.
- Enhance Protein Flexibility: Substitute chicken with turkey, rotisserie chicken, or plant-based protein alternatives for diverse dietary needs and flavor variations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg