Baked Chicken Spaghetti

Everybody loves chicken with pasta. Here is a great tasting recipe that is weeknight simple but tasty enough for company. Make it ahead and pop it in the oven when you need it.

I have tried baked spaghetti before but the recipes always had to much pasta that was mushy. They were just wrong. I started with my chicken marinara then added some tomato paste to deepen the taste. I then undercooked 8 oz of spaghetti by 2 minutes. Mixed in some grated Parmesan. I then mixed the sauce a little into the pasta and topped with some mozzarella and more grated parmesan until browned. About 25 minutes.



Rating

 A very strong 4 with the potential of being somebodies favorite recipe.

Notes: My garlic marinara has some crushed red pepper and my wife though it should have been left out. It was just a little heat at the wrong time for her and I understand. I have made it optional in the recipe. I used 2 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes instead of a 28 oz can of crushed just because I happened to have them.

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection.

 Rinse, pat dry and dice 2 medium chicken breast. About 1-1 1/2 pounds.

 Start with 2 tsp of oil over medium high heat. Add 2-4 cloves of garlic minced. 

 After a minute or two add the chicken.

Chop a medium onion and add to the chicken. Cook until chicken is done and cuts easily with wooden spoon. About 8 to 9 minutes. Break apart any large pieces of chicken.

Add two 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes, one 6 oz can tomato paste, 2 t dry basal (or 2 T fresh basal), 1 t kosher salt, 1/2 t pepper, 1/2 t crushed red pepper (optional), 1/2 t oregano. Simmer over low heat while you cook the pasta.

Cook 8 oz of pasta according to instructions on box but decrease time by 2 minutes. I'm a traditionalist so here is standard spaghetti.

 Add the spaghetti to a large baking dish. Add 1/2 cup shredded Parisian to the sauce and mix well.

 Add the sauce on top of the pasta.

 Mix the sauce into the pasta just a little.

 Top with 1/2 cup each of mozzarella and grated Parisian. You may cover and refrigerate at this point.

 Bake until sauce is bubbling and top brown. About 25 minutes for me. Longer if you had refrigerated the dish.

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

by DrDan at 101 Cooking for Two September-29-2012

Everybody loves chicken with pasta. Here is a great tasting recipe that is weeknight simple but tasty enough for company. Make it ahead and pop it in the oven when you need it.

Ingredients

• 2 medium skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
• 8 oz spaghetti
• 2 t oil
• 2-4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 6 oz tomato paste
• 1/2 t oregano
• 2 t dry basil
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1/2 t crushed pepper (optional)

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection. Rinse, pat dry and dice 2 medium chicken breast. About 1-1 1/2 pounds. 2) Start with 2 tsp of oil over medium high heat. Add 2-4 cloves of garlic minced. After a minute or two add the chicken.3) Chop a medium onion and add to the chicken. Cook until chicken is done and cuts easily with wooden spoon. About 8 to 9 minutes. Break apart any large pieces of chicken.4) Add two 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes, one 6 oz can tomato paste, 2 t dry basal (or 2 T fresh basal), 1 t kosher salt, 1/2 t pepper, 1/2 t crushed red pepper (optional), 1/2 t oregano. Simmer over low heat while you cook the pasta.5) Cook 8 oz of pasta according to instructions on box but decrease time by 2 minutes. I'm a traditionalist so I used standard spaghetti.6) Add the spaghetti to a large baking dish. Add 1/2 cup shredded Parisian to the sauce and mix well.7) Add the sauce on top of the pasta. Mix the sauce into the pasta just a little.8) Top with 1/2 cup each of mozzarella and grated Parisian. You may cover and refrigerate at this point.9) Bake until sauce is bubbling and top brown. About 25 minutes for me. Longer if you had refrigerated the dish.

Details

Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 50 mins Yield: 8 serving

Updated

September 29 2012

DrDan