When Ree Drummond needs to make a meal that hits a home run with her family, she makes her famous Chicken Spaghetti Casserole. Almost like two meals in one, cooking the spaghetti with light and dark meat chicken, mushroom sauce and bell peppers gives the pasta a deep, rich flavor. Melt some cheddar cheese on top and you’ve got a thick, delicious casserole perfect for chilly winter nights to come!
Ingredients
- 1 whole raw chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
- 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Two 10 3/4-ounce cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken pieces to the boiling water and boil for a few minutes, and then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, 30 to 45 minutes.
Remove the chicken and 2 cups of the chicken cooking broth from the pot. When the chicken is cool, remove the skin and pick out the meat (a mix of dark and white) to make 2 generous cups. Discard the bones and skin.
Cook the spaghetti in the chicken cooking broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When the spaghetti is cooked, combine with the chicken, 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, the green peppers, red peppers, seasoned salt, cayenne, soup and onions, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved chicken cooking broth, adding an additional cup if needed.
Place the mixture in a 9- by 13-inch casserole pan and top with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake immediately until bubbly, about 45 minutes. (If the cheese on top starts to get too dark, cover with foil.)
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