Description
This creamy Monterey Chicken Spaghetti recipe features tender chicken, a medley of bell peppers, and a luscious cheese sauce baked to bubbly perfection. It’s a comforting American classic perfect for family dinners, combining the flavors of diced tomatoes with green chilies, sour cream, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese over perfectly cooked spaghetti.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces spaghetti pasta
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
Sauce Components
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Cheese & Garnish
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Make the sauce: Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chicken broth, and half of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese to the skillet. Stir well until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Season the sauce: Stir in the chili powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cumin. Mix thoroughly to combine all flavors.
- Combine chicken and spaghetti: Add the cooked chicken and the drained spaghetti into the sauce. Toss gently to coat everything evenly with the sauce.
- Transfer to baking dish: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and transfer the spaghetti mixture into it. Sprinkle the remaining shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the dish for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving warm.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream.
- Use rotisserie chicken to save preparation time.
- Add extra heat by including chopped jalapeños or cayenne pepper.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 910 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
