Description
This Chicken Spaghetti recipe is a comforting and cheesy baked pasta dish featuring tender cooked chicken, a flavorful tomato and mushroom soup sauce, and a crispy breadcrumb topping. Perfect for family dinners, this recipe combines sautéed onions and garlic with chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup, fresh basil, and melted cheese, baked to bubbly perfection in the oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Topping
- 2 cups breadcrumbs (or crushed crackers)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted, ¼ stick)
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican, Gruyere, or a blend)
Main Dish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 32 ounces chicken broth or stock (1 carton)
- 1¾ cups water
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 16 ounces dry spaghetti (broken into thirds; white, whole wheat or gluten free)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (plus more for garnish)
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes and green chilies (1 can)
- 10 ounces cream of mushroom soup (1 can)
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie is fine)
- 1¼ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican, Gruyere, or a blend)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray to prepare it for baking.
- Sauté Onions: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil and diced onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 3-5 minutes.
- Cook Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the onions and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring frequently to prevent burning and to release the garlic aroma.
- Deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth and use a spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, adding depth of flavor to the dish.
- Add Seasonings and Water: Stir in the water, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook Spaghetti: Add the broken spaghetti to the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the pasta is al dente according to package instructions, usually about 8-10 minutes.
- Mix Remaining Ingredients: Stir in chopped fresh basil, diced tomatoes with green chilies, cream of mushroom soup, shredded cooked chicken, and 1¼ cups of shredded cheese. Mix well to combine.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture just to a low boil then remove the pot from the heat to avoid overcooking.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the chicken spaghetti mixture into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly.
- Add Topping and Bake: In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, melted butter, dried basil, kosher salt, and ¾ cup shredded cheese. Sprinkle this topping evenly over the pasta. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes, or until hot throughout and the cheese topping is melted and golden. If the cheese browns too quickly, cover the pan loosely with sprayed aluminum foil.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove the baked chicken spaghetti from the oven and let it rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes to set. Garnish with additional fresh chopped basil before serving for a fresh, fragrant finish.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken works great for quick preparation but you can use any cooked shredded chicken.
- Breaking the spaghetti into thirds helps it cook evenly in the sauce without needing a separate boiling pot.
- Use gluten-free spaghetti if you need a gluten-free version.
- For a spicier dish, add more diced green chilies or a pinch of crushed red pepper.
- Make sure to stir often while cooking the pasta in broth to prevent sticking.
- The breadcrumb topping can be substituted with crushed crackers or omit for a softer top.
