Creamy Spaghetti Chicken

5 from 4 votes

This spaghetti chicken recipe is a hearty dish featuring al dente cooked pasta and tender chicken seared in herbs, covered in a smooth and creamy sauce, and topped with melted cheese. It's the ultimate comfort food that will easily become a family favorite.

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Servings: servings

Author: Molly

INGREDIENTS

1 lb chicken breast pounded to even thickness and/or sliced in half lengthwise into cutlets (Note 1)
2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
3 Tablespoons flour gluten-free if needed (Note 2)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 (15-ounce) can Rotel or diced tomatoes
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 cup heavy cream works too)
12 ounces thin spaghetti noodles gluten-free if needed (Note 3)
1 1/2 cups low moisture shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water for later then drain the pasta, without rinsing.
Meanwhile, toss the chicken with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Drizzle the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive in the bottom of a large, oven-safe skillet, like a cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat.
Once it’s hot and shimmering, pan fry the chicken for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on the outside and the internal temperature reaches just below 165°F. The chicken will continue to cook when it’s baked so it doesn’t need to be fully cooked (I pulled mine off the heat at 145°F). Add a splash of water as needed to the pan if it’s becoming too brown before the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board to rest.
In the same pan, add 1 Tablespoon of butter and stir to melt over medium heat, scraping some of the brown bits from the chicken as you go. Add the shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the remaining 3 Tablespoons of butter and stir to melt. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir to coat, creating a thick paste (a roux).
With the heat on medium, whisk in the chicken broth, milk, cream cheese, and rotel. Turn the heat up to medium-high and continue to whisk until the mixture smooths and starts to bubble and thicken. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat to low and simmer to reduce for 6-8 minutes.
While it’s simmering, dice the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and stir to completely coat. If it’s too thick, add up to 1 cup of reserved pasta water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
Add the chicken and toss to coat then sprinkle the top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges, and starting to turn golden brown in a few places on the top.

Recipe Equipment

Large, oven-safe skillet like a cast iron skillet

Large pot for boiling pasta

Notes

Note 1. Chicken Breast. A lot of times chicken breasts are very large and thick. If they’re larger than 5 ounces each. Slice them in half lengthwise to create chicken cutlets. Thinner chicken breasts that are an even size will cook more evenly. This also ensures you have enough time to cook the inside of the chicken before the outside is overdone.

Note 2. Gluten-Free Flour. We tested this with Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour and it worked perfectly.

Note 3. Gluten-Free Pasta. My favorite Gluten-Free pasta is Jovial gluten-free pasta.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_mollymade or tag #WhatMollyMade so I can see it and feature you!