A comforting family meal that serves 4 people
Key takeaways:
- Perfect weeknight dinner using tender chicken and al dente spaghetti
- Rich, creamy sauce made with fresh ingredients
- Make-ahead friendly and great for leftovers
- Ready in just 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Need a quick dinner that your whole family will love? This chicken spaghetti recipe is your answer. It combines tender chicken with perfectly cooked pasta in a rich, creamy sauce that will have everyone asking for seconds.
Time Needed
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Kitchen Equipment Needed
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Colander
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
For the Pasta and Chicken:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Sauce:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Extra grated parmesan
- Red pepper flakes
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparation Phase (10 minutes)
- Start by gathering all your ingredients and equipment on your counter. This helps ensure you won’t need to search for things while cooking.
- Prepare your chicken:
- Place chicken breasts on a clean cutting board
- Pat them dry with paper towels
- Cut into 1-inch cubes (about the size of a dice)
- Place cubed chicken in a clean bowl
- Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw chicken
- Prepare your vegetables:
- Peel the onion and cut in half
- Place each half flat-side down and dice into small pieces (about 1/4 inch)
- Peel garlic cloves
- Either finely mince garlic with knife or use garlic press
- Keep prepared vegetables separate from raw chicken
- Measure out all ingredients:
- Use separate measuring cups for dry and wet ingredients
- Place measured ingredients in small bowls
- Have everything ready before you start cooking
- Start heating your water:
- Fill large pot 2/3 full with water
- Place on stove over high heat
- Put lid on pot to help water boil faster
- You’ll know it’s ready when you see large bubbles consistently breaking the surface
Cooking the Pasta (10-12 minutes)
- Once water is boiling:
- Add 1 tablespoon salt (the water should taste like sea water)
- Carefully add spaghetti by holding it over pot and slowly lowering it in
- Use tongs or spoon to push pasta into water as it softens
- Stir immediately to prevent sticking
- During cooking:
- Set timer according to package directions (usually 8-10 minutes)
- Stir pasta every 2-3 minutes
- Test pasta 1 minute before timer ends by taking a piece out and biting it
- Pasta should be firm but not hard (al dente)
- Before draining:
- Place measuring cup or heat-safe container in sink
- Carefully scoop out 1 cup of pasta water
- Set aside for later
- Draining pasta:
- Place colander in sink
- Carefully pour pasta and water into colander
- Shake gently to remove excess water
- Don’t rinse the pasta – the starch helps sauce stick
Cooking the Chicken (7-8 minutes)
- Prepare your pan:
- Place large skillet on stove
- Turn heat to medium-high
- Add olive oil
- Wait 1-2 minutes for oil to heat (it should look shimmery)
- Season chicken:
- Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over cubed chicken
- Stir to coat all pieces
- Cook chicken:
- Carefully add seasoned chicken to hot pan
- Spread pieces so they don’t touch
- Let cook for 3-4 minutes without stirring
- Check bottom of one piece – it should be golden brown
- Flip each piece and cook 2-3 minutes more
- Cut largest piece in half to check doneness – should be white throughout
- Remove chicken:
- Turn off heat
- Transfer chicken to clean plate using tongs
- Leave any oil and browned bits in pan – this adds flavor!
Making the Sauce (8-10 minutes)
- Start with same pan:
- Return pan to stove
- Set heat to medium
- Pan should still have some oil and browned bits
- Cook aromatics:
- Add diced onion to pan
- Stir occasionally for 3-4 minutes until onions look translucent
- Add minced garlic
- Stir constantly for 30 seconds (garlic burns easily!)
- Build the sauce:
- Pour in chicken broth
- Use wooden spoon to scrape brown bits from bottom of pan
- Add heavy cream
- Stir to combine
- Wait for gentle bubbles to form around edges
- Add cheese:
- Reduce heat to low
- Add cheddar cheese handful by handful, stirring between each
- Add parmesan cheese
- Stir continuously until all cheese is melted
- Sauce should be smooth with no lumps
- Season sauce:
- Add Italian seasoning
- Taste sauce
- Add salt and pepper as needed
- Sauce should coat back of spoon
Final Assembly (5 minutes)
- Combine components:
- Return cooked chicken to pan
- Stir to coat with sauce
- Add cooked pasta
- Use tongs to gently toss everything together
- Adjust consistency:
- If sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time
- Keep stirring and adding until desired consistency
- Sauce should cling to pasta but not be too thick
- Final touches:
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed
- Turn off heat
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley if using
- Add extra grated cheese if desired
- Serving:
- Let rest 2-3 minutes before serving
- Use tongs or pasta server to portion onto plates
- Serve immediately while hot
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Sauce too thick: Add reserved pasta water gradually
- Sauce too thin: Simmer for a few extra minutes
- Cheese clumping: Remove from heat and stir constantly
- Pasta sticking: Toss with a bit of olive oil after draining
Variations & Substitutions
- Pasta options: Use penne, fettuccine, or rotini
- Protein options: Rotisserie chicken or turkey
- Lighter version: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream
- Veggie add-ins: Mushrooms, peas, or broccoli
Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days
- Freezing: Can be frozen for up to 2 months
- Reheating: Add splash of milk or cream when reheating
- Microwave: Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between
Safety Tips
- Ensure chicken reaches 165°F (74°C)
- Don’t leave cream sauce at room temperature over 2 hours
- Always use clean utensils when serving
- Cool completely before refrigerating
Pro Tips for Success
- Cook pasta just until al dente – it will continue cooking in sauce
- Let cream come to room temperature before adding
- Grate cheese fresh for best melting
- Season each component as you cook
- Don’t wash pasta after cooking – the starch helps sauce stick
This recipe serves 4 people generously and can be doubled for larger groups or leftovers.
