Try this Chicken Spaghetti Casserole recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 cups cooked shredded chicken (i just cook a whole chick
- 1 8- ounce package thin spaghetti broken into 2-inch pieces and cooked al dente
- 2 cups grated cheese divided (you can use cheddar, monterey jack, or a combination)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1 4- ounce jar pimentos drained
- 2 cans cream of celery or mushroom soup
- 1/8 easpoon cayenne pepper
- Carbohydrate 62.4277167102731 g
- Cholesterol 209.600000177185 mg
- Fat 68.803333391178 g
- Fiber 2.27316671053569 g
- Protein 67.1809500556038 g
- Saturated Fat 36.8978333643951 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1271g)
- Sodium 4236.6633369106 mg
- Sugar 60.1545499997374 g
- Trans Fat 5.30115333776531 g
- Calories 1138 calories
Step-by-step
- Place all ingredients except one cup grated cheese in large mixing bowl and stir gently until well mixed.
- Spoon into lightly greased 9x13 baking dish or 3 or 4 smaller dishes.
- Cover with foil.
- Store in refrigerator for up to two days.
- Freeze for up to three months.
- If baking immediately, place covered casserole in preheated 350 oven and bake 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and casserole is bubbly around the edges.
- To thaw casserole, place in refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Once thawed, place covered casserole in preheated 350 oven and bake 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and casserole is bubbly around the edges.
- If baking straight from the freezer, place covered casserole in 300 oven for 30 minutes.
- Raise temperature to 350 and bake additional 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and casserole is bubbly around the edges.
How do you keep baked pasta from turning into a dry brick in the oven? Managing moisture and starch absorption makes the difference between a greasy block and a cohesive bake. When combining cooked thin spaghetti with canned soup bases and chicken stock, ensuring the pasta is undercooked to a firm al dente prevents it from turning mushy as it absorbs liquids during the initial thirty-minute covered bake at 350 degrees.
The Starch Factor
Pasta releases surface starches that naturally thicken the surrounding sauce when distributed properly. Folding the grated cheese, drained pimentos, and finely chopped vegetables gently into the mixing bowl protects the integrity of the shredded chicken fibers while distributing the Italian seasoning evenly. Over-mixing breaks down the short spaghetti pieces, resulting in a dense, uniform paste instead of distinct strands coated in a rich, savory binder.Moisture Management
Excess liquid ruins casseroles by preventing the dairy proteins from setting correctly. Covering the 9x13 baking dish with foil traps steam initially, which cooks the onions and green bell peppers through before the final fifteen-minute uncovered phase crisps the top layer of melted cheese until bubbly around the edges. Removing the foil at the correct moment allows surplus moisture to evaporate cleanly.
