Hen Spaghetti – WellPlated.com

Whether or not you recognize it as Hen Spaghetti or chickenetti, this consolation meals casserole is a creamy, tacky crowd-pleaser! Excellent for potlucks and household dinner (it serves 10!), my model skips the canned soup and layers in some Tex-Mex flavors to make it further delicious.

A traditional Midwestern casserole with some Effectively Plated twists.

Hen spaghetti is an Amish casserole made to feed a crowd on a finances.

And, because it goes with most Midwestern casserole recipes, the unique model is made with numerous canned soup and cheese.

I’m not going to skip the cheese (concern not!), however I’m going to show you to swap in a do-it-yourself cream sauce that’s nonetheless simple, however not as excessive in sodium.

After which we get a bit bit sassy and switch it right into a real-deal meal…

• We are including veggies with onion and purple bell pepper, together with a hefty 3 garlic cloves to infuse the rooster spaghetti casserole with extra taste (and a pop of coloration too).
• Diced tomatoes with inexperienced chiles, pimentos, cumin, and paprika add unbelievable taste to the sauce and provides this old style casserole a bit Tex-Mex spin.
• Complete wheat spaghetti offers the casserole some further heartiness and a delicate taste enhance.

Key Elements

This isn’t the complete checklist of elements! You’ll discover that within the printable recipe card on the backside of the web page. However right here you’ll discover a fast abstract of the important thing gamers and a few notes to remember.

• Spaghetti. As talked about above, I like to make use of complete wheat spaghetti, however common spaghetti is simply superb too.
• Greens. I take advantage of yellow onion and purple bell pepper, together with garlic. You should use a yellow or orange bell pepper as a substitute of purple for the same candy taste, or attempt inexperienced bell pepper for a bit extra chew.
• Low-Sodium Hen Broth. The bottom of our cream sauce. I like to make use of low-sodium as a result of it offers me extra management over the salt degree.
• Complete Milk. I like to recommend sticking with complete milk and never swapping in a decrease fats selection. This helps make the sauce wealthy and creamy.
• Cream Cheese. You should use full-fat or reduced-fat. Let it come to room temperature so it melts extra rapidly into the sauce.
• Diced Tomatoes With Inexperienced Chiles. HELLO FLAVOR! This easy addition provides so many layers of taste, beginning with the brilliant acidity of the tomatoes, which may be very welcome in such a wealthy casserole.
• Peppers. Tender, tangy, and candy. Not a fan? Chopped roasted purple peppers would work too.
• Cheese. I take advantage of a mixture of cheddar (for taste) and mozzarella (for a superior soften).
• Spices. Floor paprika and cumin; I take advantage of common (candy) paprika, however you should use smoked paprika for a bit smoky oomph.
• Hen. Maintain it simple and decide up a rotisserie rooster for this recipe, or use cooked rooster. It may be cooked and cubed (attempt my Baked Hen Breast or Air Fryer Hen Breast), or use Crockpot Shredded Hen.

My Ideas for the Greatest Hen Spaghetti

• Cook dinner the Pasta to Al Dente. That is vital! If you happen to don’t need your pasta bloated and ughit’s essential undercook it barely. It’s going to end cooking within the oven.
• Shred Your Personal Cheese for the Greatest Soften. The traditional model of rooster spaghetti makes use of Velveeta and irrespective of your ideas on this controversial topic, Velveeta melts BEAUTIFULLY. Retailer-bought shreds? Not a lot—it’s coated with an anti-caking agent that impacts its capability to soften easily. So if you would like that ultra-smooth, velvety soften, shred the cheese from a block.
• Work It Into Your Meal Plan. After I’m making a rooster casserole like rooster spaghetti, I prefer to make rooster for dinner the night time earlier than and plan for leftovers. I put aside what I would like for the casserole the subsequent day and we eat the remainder for dinner.

Recipe Variations

There are MANY methods to make rooster spaghetti. Right here’s some inspo.

• Make It Italian Fashion. Use diced tomatoes with Italian herbs and swap the pimento with sun-dried tomatoes. Use 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan. As a substitute of paprika and cumin, use Italian seasoning.
• Add Mushrooms. Swap out the purple bell pepper for Sautéed Mushrooms.
• Wilt in Some Spinach. Stir a package deal of child spinach into the sauce for some further veggie goodness.
• Add Some Crispy-Crunch. Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle this combination over the rooster spaghetti earlier than baking.