Recipe Background
Chicken Spaghetti Bake: a cozy, crowd-pleasing dish perfect for family gatherings.
The first time I made this chicken spaghetti bake, it was during a whirlwind weekend of introducing my partner to my big, bustling family. It was the kind where everyone shows up unannounced, and seating arrangements are figured out post hoc. I needed something easy, something that I could whip up while juggling conversations, and most importantly, something that made a plentiful dish for everyone. With a box of spaghetti always lurking in my pantry and a couple of cans of cream of chicken soup tucked away, the solution was practically begging to be made.
Amidst laughter and playful teasing in our crowded kitchen, I melted butter in the skillet, adding the chopped onions. My nana claimed onions cooked just right could make or break a dish, so I took my time with them. Next, in went the broccoli and the cheddar - you can’t go wrong with cheese to bring comfort to a dish. As I tossed everything together, my younger cousin helped, managing the crispy fried onions for the topping, which added that delightful crunch everyone loves. Ensuring the chicken was diced into bite-sized pieces meant it spread through every corner of the bake.
The oven did its job while we plotted seating and mealtime stories. A sprinkle of the crispy fried onions, a quick bake for golden toasty perfection, and we were set. This recipe did not just fill our bellies; it was part of meeting the parents' cozier style, family chaos and all.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 (12-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli thawed
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups chicken cooked and diced
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (2.8-ounce) can crispy fried onions
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large pot, bring water and the garlic salt to a boil.
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook, while stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes.
- Drain the spaghetti and transfer it to a large bowl.
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the onions and cook, while stirring, until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the cooked onions to the spaghetti, tossing lightly to combine.
- Add the cream of chicken soup, the broccoli, the cheddar, the chicken, the milk, the salt, and the pepper to the spaghetti-onion mixture and toss to combine.
- Transfer the spaghetti mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the crispy fried onions on top of the bake and bake until golden and toasty, about 5 minutes.
- Serve hot.
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