Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti!

I love one dish kinda meals that make a whole lot and are budget friendly.  This one qualifies on all accounts.  It makes a ton of food and is good to take to potlucks or serve at big family gatherings.  Once I doubled this recipe and took it to a work potluck. It made two of those big aluminum roasting pans full and probably fed 40-50 people with other side dishes.

 One recipe makes two 9"x13" dishes and with a salad and bread will feed  15-18 people easily.  If you don't feed an army for dinner, you can freeze one for a another night or take one to a friend or family member.  I made the second pan for my son and his friends to have.

I have seen so many different recipes for chicken spaghetti.  They all have little differences, but this one is my own take on it.

Here is what you will need:

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts

1 lb. Velveeta cheese

1 lb. spaghetti

2 cups mozzarella cheese

2 cups cheddar cheese

2 cups sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cups pasta water with chicken bouillon

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tsp. Nature's Seasoning or salt and black pepper

1 tsp. Lawry's chicken and poultry rub (can substitute seasoned salt or Montreal seasoning for chicken)

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. Tony Chachere's Spices and Herbs

1/2 cup green or red pepper

1 cup onion

3/4 stick butter

2lb boneless chicken breasts or 4 or 5, sour cream, Velveeta cheese, cheddar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of mushroom soup,  1 lb. spaghetti, butter, chicken bullion cubes, onion, green or red pepper, garlic salt, Nature's Seasoning, Tony Chachere's Spices and Herbs, and Lawry's chicken and poultry rub.

Most all of the recipes for chicken casseroles call for boiling the chicken, but unless you need a lot of rich broth, I prefer to roast my chicken.  I just think it has a better flavor and you can season it better.  So I sprinkle these breasts with the Nature's Seasoning (you can use salt and pepper) and the Lawry's chicken and poultry rub and the dot with butter. 

 These were very thick chicken breasts so I only had to use three, but a normal size chicken breast would require 5-6.  I cooked these at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, then turned them and cooked them for 20 more minutes.  A thinner breast would take less time.

When they are done, set them aside to cool so you can chop them into small pieces.

Melt 1/2 stick butter in a skillet and saute 1/2 cup red or green pepper diced in small pieces ( I used both) and 1 cup onion diced.  Sprinkle with Nature's Seasoning or salt and pepper.  You can add a cup of sliced mushrooms to this if your family like them.  Mine doesn't, but I do so I saute some separately and add them to my own small casserole.

I really like mushrooms so these are for me!

I get my pasta pot out for this, because it's big and it makes the mixing easier.  I put two bullion cubes and a couple teaspoons of salt into the water and bring it to a boil, then add a pound of spaghetti.  Boil it until it is al dente (still a little chewy)...about 9 minutes.  Pull the pasta strainer out and drain well. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and discard the rest.

In the pasta pan over low heat mix the two cans of soup, sour cream, 2 cups pasta water and 1 lb. cubed Velveeta cheese.  Mix until it is all incorporated and stir in the sauteed onions and peppers.  Add 1/2 tsp. Nature's Seasoning or 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper and 1/4  garlic salt.

Chop the chicken into bite size pieces and add it back into the pot with the spaghetti, mix it all together well.

Spray 2  9"x13" pans with cooking spray, divide mixture between two and sprinkle each with 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup cheddar.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until slightly brown on top and bubbly around the edges.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti! 

 
Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts

1 lb. Velveeta cheese

1 lb. spaghetti

2 cups mozzarella cheese

2 cups cheddar cheese

2 cups sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cups pasta water with chicken bouillon

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tsp. Nature's Seasoning or salt and black pepper

1 tsp. Lawry's chicken and poultry rub

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. Tony Chachere's Spices and Herbs

1/2 cup green or red pepper

1 cup onion

3/4 stick butter