Homestyle Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
About
Everything about Homestyle Chicken Spaghetti Bake should make you feel right at home. Chicken braised to savory goodness in a broth of its own making? You know it! Spaghetti cooked in that same homemade chicken broth? Oh yes! That's good home-cooking right there. And a creamy mushroom sauce, seared tender veggies, and plenty of melty cheese? Absolutely! Homestyle Chicken Spaghetti Bake checks all the boxes and brings comfort, first-class!
Ingredients
- 1 (4-pound) whole chicken
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 ounces spaghetti, uncooked
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 medium green pepper, coarsely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- hot sauce, to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup medium cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 -Place the chicken, 4 tablespoons of the salt, and the bay leaf in a large Dutch oven.
Step 2 -Cover the chicken with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 3 -Cover the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Step 4 -Simmer until the chicken is tender, about 1 hour.
Step 5 -Transfer the chicken from the Dutch oven, reserving the broth in the pot.
Step 6 -Let the chicken cool completely, about 20 minutes.
Step 7 -Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Step 8 -Skin and de-bone the chicken.
Step 9 -Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
Step 10 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 11 -Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 12 -Reserve 1/4 cup of the chicken broth.
Step 13 -Bring the remaining broth in the Dutch oven to a boil over high heat.
Step 14 -Break the spaghetti into thirds and add it to the boiling broth, cooking until tender, about 12-15 minutes.
Step 15 -Drain the spaghetti, discarding the broth.
Step 16 -Return the spaghetti to the Dutch oven.
Step 17 -In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
Step 18 -Add the onion, the green pepper, the celery, and the garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 19 -Add the veggie mixture to the spaghetti.
Step 20 -Stir together the cream of mushroom soup and the reserved broth.
Step 21 -Stir the soup mixture into the spaghetti mixture.
Step 22 -Stir in the chicken, the diced tomatoes, the Worcestershire sauce, the hot sauce, and the black pepper.
Step 23 -Taste for seasoning and adjust with more of the salt if needed.
Step 24 -Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 25 -Top with the shredded cheese.
Step 26 -Bake until the cheese melts, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 27 -Serve.
