Southern Chicken Spaghetti
By David YuPublished on October 29, 2024
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti 1½ teaspoons table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta8 ounces deli American cheese, shredded (2 cups)4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided12 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped1 onion, chopped 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 cups chicken broth 2 cups half-and-half ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Before You Begin
Breaking the spaghetti in half helps it cook more evenly and makes for easier eating.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Loosely wrap half of pasta in dish towel, then press bundle against corner of counter to break pasta in half; repeat with remaining pasta. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold running water; set aside. Clean and dry pot.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine American and cheddar cheeses in bowl; set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion and cook until softened and liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to second bowl; set aside.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in again-empty pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth, half-and-half, pepper, cayenne, and salt, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Bring to simmer and cook until sauce is thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Off heat, whisk 2 cups cheese mixture into sauce until smooth. Stir in pasta, vegetables, and chicken until well combined.
- Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread into even layer, and cover tightly with greased aluminum foil. Bake until sauce is bubbling around edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese mixture over top, and bake, un-covered, until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 8Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti
1½ teaspoons table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
8 ounces deli American cheese, shredded (2 cups)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
12 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti
1½ teaspoons table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
8 ounces deli American cheese, shredded (2 cups)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
12 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti
1½ teaspoons table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
8 ounces deli American cheese, shredded (2 cups)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
12 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Why This Recipe Works
Chicken spaghetti is a comforting casserole of creamy baked spaghetti typically bolstered with shredded chicken, cheese, and some mix of mushrooms, peppers, onions, and tomatoes (canned Ro-Tel tomatoes are often used). We kept this chicken spaghetti easy by starting with a rotisserie chicken. We broke the spaghetti in half before cooking to make the dish easier to serve and eat. And we used a creamy sauce made with butter, flour, chicken broth, and half-and-half to provide the creamy base of the casserole. We opted to add a combination of American and cheddar cheeses so the pasta bake had an ultracreamy consistency and plenty of cheese flavor.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Breaking the spaghetti in half helps it cook more evenly and makes for easier eating.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Loosely wrap half of pasta in dish towel, then press bundle against corner of counter to break pasta in half; repeat with remaining pasta. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold running water; set aside. Clean and dry pot.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine American and cheddar cheeses in bowl; set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion and cook until softened and liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to second bowl; set aside.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in again-empty pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth, half-and-half, pepper, cayenne, and salt, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Bring to simmer and cook until sauce is thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Off heat, whisk 2 cups cheese mixture into sauce until smooth. Stir in pasta, vegetables, and chicken until well combined.
- Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread into even layer, and cover tightly with greased aluminum foil. Bake until sauce is bubbling around edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese mixture over top, and bake, un-covered, until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
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