CHICKEN & SAUSAGE SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE

By Rose Mary Mogan
@cookinginillinois

I wanted to make Chicken and Spaghetti, but only had 3 medium chicken breasts. So I decided to add Italian sausage with it, for my MEAT LOVING husband, so that there would enough meat in the recipe. I even left 2 of the sausages whole, and only cut up 4 to go in the casserole.

I decided to add just a small amount of Pepper jack cheese to blend with the cheddar, to add just a bit of kick to the recipe, & the roasted jar of red peppers that I always have available in the pantry for color and added flavor. I must say my husband was very pleased with this dinner. When he is happy, so am I.

Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆ 0 votes

Comments:

4 Comments

Serves:

8 or more unless it is my family (smile)

Prep:

25 Min

Cook:

2 Hr 10 Min

Method:

Bake

Ingredients

1 lb: angel air pasta, vermecilli, or rotini
8 oz: roasted red peppers drained & chopped
8 oz: canned sliced mushrooms, drained
2 medium: onions,chopped
1 medium: green bell pepper, chopped
2-3 Tbsp: olive oil or butter
2 c: cream of mushroom soup
1 can(s): cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 c: finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 c: shredded pepper jack cheese, or chese of your choice
1 1/2 tsp: steak seasoning
3 medium: chicken breasts bone in (for added extra flavor)
6: mild itaian sausage links(about 1 1/2 pounds)

Step-By-Step

1These are the main ingredients for this recipe. NOTE: I DID NOT SEASON THE CHICKEN BREAST BECAUSE I COOKED IT WITH THE ITALIAN SAUSAGE, THAT IS ALREADY SEASONED..

2Add chicken & sausages to a large pot, Cover the chicken & sausage with water & boil until the chicken breast Is tender. Skim off any fat that accumulates in the pot from the sausages.

3Remove both the sausage and chicken and allow the chicken breast to cool until chicken is cool enough to handle. Add more water if needed to the pot, enough to cook the spaghetti and bring water back to boil & cook the spaghetti until al dente, according to directions on box.

4Debone the chicken, and cut or break into smaller portions, then cut each of the sausages into about 4-5 pieces each.

5Reserve 2 cups of broth from pot after the spaghetti has cooked to add to spaghetti mixture later, because it has a lot of flavor from the sausages, or use canned chicken broth. Then drain spaghetti in a colander and set aside till needed.

6Chop the onion, garlic, peppers, and roasted red peppers.

7Melt butter in pot from cooked chicken & sausages or a skillet add in the chopped vegetables and sauté until transparent, at least 7 or 8 minutes.

8Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl or use pot after it has cooled down, and add about half of the spaghetti, drained mushrooms, 1 cup of the shredded cheddar and stir, add in about half of the reserved stock, and stir until mixture is blended together. Then add in the seasoning and the canned soups, pepper jack cheese, remaining spaghetti, & stock if needed and stir, add in the chicken and cut sausages , stirring till it is all blended into the casserole.

9Spray a 9X13 size casserole dish with cooking spray, add the spaghetti casserole to the dish and place in a preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes until heated through, then top with remaining half cup cheddar cheese and return to oven until cheese melts about 10 to 15 minutes.

10Remove and serve while still hot. There is nothing more enjoyable than a one dish meal. You could add a salad and dinner rolls or garlic bread to make your meal complete.

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