Spicy Chicken Spaghetti
INGREDIENTS
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 5-6 cups rotisserie chicken)
- 4 cups chicken broth (highly preferred or 4 cups of water)
- 8 ounces of spaghetti, uncooked and broken into two-inch pieces
- 3 Tablespoons of butter
- 1 small diced onion
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon EACH: salt, onion powder, and Lowry's Seasoned Salt
- 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 can (10.75 ounces.) cream of chicken (or cream of mushroom) soup
- 1 can (10 ounces) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 4 ounces (1/2 bar) of cream cheese, softened and brought to room temperature
- 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 1 cup Habanero cheese or Pepper Jack cheese, shredded and divided
- 2 cups reserved chicken broth from pasta
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10" oven-safe or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts seasoned and season with 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook for 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan.
- Add onion. Saute for 3-4 minutes to soften. Add garlic, Lowry's, red pepper flakes, and the remaining black pepper; combine well. Next stir in cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of each cheese, Rotel, cream cheese, and sprinkle with more red pepper if desired
- Bring a large pot of chicken broth (plus 2-3 cups of water) and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add chicken and simmer for 15 minutes. Try not to let the chicken boil because it will get too tough. Remove the chicken and let cool. Shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the spaghetti in the same chicken broth until al dente (about 9 minutes). Do not overcook. Remove 2 cups of the liquid, drain pasta, and set aside.
- Stir in 1 cup of the reserved chicken cooking broth, adding an additional cup if needed. You do not want it to be too dry; the moisture will evaporate in the oven..
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. At this time, add the remaining cheese and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover it with foil. Remove skillet from oven and top with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
