Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

We had this one for the first time tonight and it went over really well. The kids liked it better than the chicken tetrazzini I make because it does not have mushrooms (mushrooms are a great horror to my children). One note is that this makes a lot, in fact we will be having this again for dinner tomorrow because there are just so many leftovers. In the future I'm going to make the full recipe, but break it into 2 8x8 pans, cook one for dinner and freeze the other one.

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

3 cup dry spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
2 cups cooked cubed chicken (I use the good meat from a Costco rotissery chicken)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
3 cups grated sharp cheddar, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 oz jar of diced pimentos, drained
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste


Fill a pot with water and add bouillon to it. Bring to a boil and once boiling add spaghetti and cook till al dente (about 11 minutes). Drain and set aside.

While spaghetti is cooking, in a large bowl combine cubed chicken, soups, 2 cups of grated cheese, green pepper, onion, pimentos, 2 cups of chicken broth, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add spaghetti to the bowl and mix well. Pour mixture into a 9x13 casserole and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of grated cheese on top and bake another 2 or 3 minutes until cheese melts. Take out of oven and let rest about 10 minutes before serving.

Freezer Meal directions:

Assembly: Prepare recipe as directed up until the baking part. Pour noodle mixture into 1 - 9x13 foil pan, or 2 - 8x8 foil pans. Cover with plastic wrap then 2 layers and foil and label with heating directions. Place remaining 1 cup of grated cheese into a freezer bag and place on top of casserole. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Heating directions: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove foil and plastic wrap and bake for 40 minutes at 350 (if baking from frozen baking time could be up to 2 hours). Sprinkle with 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese and bake an additional 2-3 minutes.