Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
If you're looking for a hearty pasta dish that screams comfort food, we have the perfect recipe for you! This creamy chicken spaghetti comes complete with a big pile of spaghetti, a creamy sauce filled with different cheeses, tomatoes, and of course, chicken as your source of protein. If you're a vegetarian, you can always omit the chicken from this dish and add more fresh veggies instead. From start to finish, this recipe will only set you back 30 minutes — not too bad for a restaurant-quality meal. This pasta would be great for a sit-down family dinner, or if you have some special guests coming into town, it would be a hit at a dinner party.
Recipe developer Ting Dalton of Cook Simply came up with this top-notch recipe that's a must-try. "This is such a wonderfully rich and creamy pasta that is perfect for the whole family. I love the cheesy sauce and the sweetness of the baby tomatoes," Dalton raves. She also shares a little insight on what inspired her to make this dish. "My kids love spaghetti, and instead of a tomato based sauce, they wanted something cheesy and creamy instead — and this is a really tasty meal that's combines their favorite ingredients." We love that!
Gather the ingredients for creamy chicken spaghetti
For this recipe, you'll need chicken breasts, olive oil, yellow onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper, all-purpose flour, butter, chicken broth, milk, baby tomatoes, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, spaghetti, and chopped fresh parsley.
Cook the chicken
Grab a large skillet and place it on your stove. Add the olive oil and turn the heat up to medium. Once the skillet gets nice and hot, toss in the chicken and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook. Once the chicken is no longer pink, transfer it to a dish and set it to the side.
Sauté the onions and garlic
Using the same skillet that you cooked the chicken in, toss in the butter. Lower the heat and let the butter melt. Then, scrape off any chicken bits from the bottom of the pan. At this point, you can add the onions and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes. Then, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Continue stirring the mixture for about a minute to combine.
Add the flour, milk, and cheese
The next ingredient that you will need to add is flour. Once you toss it in, stir to combine. Then, gradually whisk in the chicken stock so that the mixture forms into a sauce. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth. "The method of making a roux is a special method here, by adding the flour to the onion and then adding the stock to make a veloute — a stock-based sauce, is a great base for this pasta sauce," Dalton shares.
Then, add the milk. If you think the sauce may be a little too runny, don't worry, it will thicken with the cheese. Speaking of cheese, it's time to toss that in — add both the cream cheese and shredded cheddar to the pan, stirring to ensure that they melt in.
Add the chicken and tomatoes
Toss in the tomatoes and the chicken and stir to combine. "If you want to add other vegetables, including spinach or mushrooms, throw them in too," Dalton notes.
Keep the sauce on a low simmer for the time being, which will allow the flavors to really meld together. "Creamy, rich and flavorful from the broth, garlic and onions," Dalton describes the sauce.
Cook and drain the pasta
While the sauce simmers, add the spaghetti to salted, boiling water and cook for about 8 minutes, until al dente. Drain the pasta into a colander and add then add it to the spaghetti sauce. Carefully combine and make sure to coat all of the spaghetti with sauce.
Top the pasta off with parsley
Once you add the pasta to a bowl of your choice, sprinkle with a little freshly chopped parsley, and serve. "If you would like you can sprinkle some Parmesan on top before serving," Dalton notes. She also says that this would be "great with garlic bread," or with a green salad.
If you have anything left, be sure to keep it. "This pasta will keep in a suitable container for up to three days, or you can freeze it for up to three months," Dalton shares.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
- 1 cup baby tomatoes, chopped
- 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on a medium heat. Once hot add the chicken pieces and sauté for around 3 to 4 minutes so the chicken begins to cook. Once the chicken is no longer pink, transfer it to a dish and set aside.
- In the same skillet on a lower heat, melt the butter, scrapping any chicken bits off the bottom of the pan. Then add the onions. Sauté for around 1 to 2 minutes, then add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Stir for another minute.
- Add the flour, and combine well with the other ingredients. Gradually, whisk in the chicken stock, so it becomes a sauce. Keep whisking well, as the sauce thickens and becomes smooth. Then add the milk. Don't worry if the sauce is too runny, as it will thicken with the cheese.
- Add the cream cheese and the cheddar cheese and give it all a good stir so the cheese melts into the sauce. Throw in the tomatoes and the chicken and stir to combine. Then keep on a low simmer for about 10 minutes
- While the sauce is simmering, cook your spaghetti in salted boiling water for around 8 minutes, until al dente.
- When your spaghetti is done, drain it in a colander. Add the spaghetti into the sauce and carefully combine, ensuring all the spaghetti is coated.
- Serve the pasta and sprinkle on some freshly chopped parsley for garnish.
| Calories per Serving | 748 |
| Total Fat | 48.8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 24.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.9 g |
| Cholesterol | 156.2 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 42.3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 6.8 g |
| Sodium | 538.2 mg |
| Protein | 34.7 g |
