Chicken Spaghetti is a simple recipe that can be made in advance! It’s also a great recipe to have on hand for large groups!
I’ve been making this chicken spaghetti recipe for years and every time, it turned out differently; that’s why I decided to finally write it down and measure the ingredients! The result is a tasty chicken pasta with accents of red and green bell peppers, all mixed in a light cheesy cream sauce! It’s perfect for serving a large group and pairs well with a crisp, green salad!
What Types of Chicken Meat Should I Use?
You can use dark, white or dark and white meat. I prefer a combination because the dark meat seems to deepen the flavor of the dish.
How Do I Cook the Chicken?
There’s two ways to prepare the chicken: Boiling or Baking.
I prefer baking the chicken in a lightly oiled dish, covered with foil. However, you can boil the chicken, too. Either way, just make sure it’s to a minimum of 165°F.
Can I Use a Rotisserie Chicken from the Deli for Chicken Spaghetti?
Yes. Be aware that sometimes the deli chickens are small and do not yield enough meat. Just take the skin off the chicken and shred the meat.
Can I Make This Recipe Without Using Condensed Soups?
Yes. If you prefer not to use condensed soups, you’ll want to make a roux and season it with chicken broth and celery salt.
The beauty of this dish is that it’s economical, can be served as a stand-alone entree, or paired with a crisp green salad, steamed broccoli or sugar snap peas! You can adjust the amount of cheese to your liking, too!! Ironically, it’s usually better the second day, so make up a batch, invite a group of friends over and enjoy!
Cheesy chicken spaghetti with red and green bell peppers, shredded chicken in a creamy sauce!
- 1 lb. pasta (spaghetti)
- 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs OR
- 2 lbs. chicken breast and/or thigh
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup green and/or red bell pepper chopped
- 1 can cream of chicken soup condensed
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 5-8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- 5-8 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons cumin ground
- 1 tablespoon paprika smokey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
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Preheat oven to 350ºF
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Place chicken thighs (or breasts) in a large pot and cover with water; bring to boil; allow chicken to come to 165ºF; remove chicken and set aside - OR-place chicken on lightly greased baking dish, season with salt and pepper, cover with foil and bake
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While chicken is cooking, chop onions, celery and bell peppers
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Once chicken has cooled, remove skin and pull meat from the bone. Use two forks to shred the meat.
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Add oil to skillet, place onions, celery and bell peppers in oil; cook about 15 minutes on medium - medium/high heat
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Once onion mixture is done, add condensed soup, sour cream, broth, cumin and paprika; allow to cook for about 5 minutes
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In another big cooking pot, cook pasta as indicated on packaging (usually about 9 minutes) Drain pasta
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While pasta is cooking, remove the skin from the chicken and add it to the mixture of onions, etc. Combine well
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Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish; add pasta and onion mixture to baking dish; combine well
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Add 1/2 of the cheese to the pasta and onion mixture; combine well
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Top with remaining cheese; cover with foil and bake about 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and casserole is bubbly.
- The beauty of this dish, other than being delicious, is that it serves a crowd without breaking the bank.
- I make this dish with dark meat because I think it's more flavorful, however, if you prefer white meat, then get two pounds of chicken breast. Cook them as indicated in the recipe
- Try adding chopped black olives
- Pair with a green salad or sugar snap peas
- If you buy skin-on chicken, I've found it's easier to remove the skin prior to cooking the chicken.
