Chicken Spaghetti
Submitted by jvd619
This Tex-Mex chicken spaghetti bake layers pasta in a smoky chili-spiced tomato sauce with melted cheddar, olives, and tender shredded chicken. A crowd-pleasing casserole ready in 2 hours.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsThink of this as the casserole that owns the potluck table. Spaghetti gets tossed in butter, then layered with a rich tomato sauce built on bacon drippings, garlic, chili powder, and a splash of beer.
Mushrooms, bell pepper, and celery add depth, while half and half brings a creamy finish that rounds out the heat.
Pimento-stuffed olives and a generous blanket of cheddar on top? That’s the Tex-Mex swagger right there.
Make it a day ahead and pull it from the fridge 30 minutes before baking for an even easier dinner.
Kitchen Tips
- Use leftover rotisserie chicken to save prep time
- Substitute stock if you’d rather skip the beer; either works well
- Let the sauce simmer the full 30 minutes so it thickens and the flavors meld
- Assemble the night before and refrigerate for a quick weeknight bake
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Grease a large baking dish .
In a bowl, toss the spaghetti with the butter, and set it aside.
Warm the bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat.
Cook the onion, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder together until the vegetables are well softened, about 15 minutes; cover the skillet if the mixture appears to be getting dry.
Sprinkle in the flour, stirring to incorporate it, and add the beer or stock, the tomatoes, and the chili sauce.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the sauce for 30 minutes, until it has thickened slightly and reduced a bit.
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the half and half and parsley.
Pour the sauce over the spaghetti and toss well.
Layer half the spaghetti and sauce mixture in the baking dish.
Top with half each of the chicken, olives, and cheese.
Add the other half of the spaghetti, and top with the remaining chicken, olives, and cheese.
Remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking it.
Bake the casserole 25 minutes or until the cheese melts and the sauce bubbles heartily around the edges.
Serve the casserole hot.
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