Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

It's week two of back to school.  Part of me likes getting back on schedule and part of me wishes I could still sleep in.  I am not a morning person.  I'm not at my best at 6am.  Occasionally, I make a hot breakfast before I send the kids off to school, but most of the time it's cereal and yogurt.  The kids don't seem to mind.  They aren't all that hungry in the morning anyway.  To make-up for my lack of cooking in the morning, I do cook a hot dinner each evening.  Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti looks like a kid friendly meal.  I hope my young food critics agree!

Ingredients (printable recipe)

3 medium boneless chicken breasts

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can (10 oz) Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tablespoon butter

1 – 8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed

8 oz spaghetti, cooked and drained 

Cooking spray

Directions

Cook and drain spaghetti, set aside. Cut up chicken into small, bite size pieces. In a large skillet melt butter. Then add the cubed chicken, minced garlic & onion powder. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is done (no longer pink!). Stir in soup, cheese and Rotel tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until the cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in the spaghetti noodles and pour into a lightly greased (I used cooking spray), 2 quart (8x8) casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Source My Sweet Little Steiner Family

The Results...
Rich and cheesy!  We liked it.  I would serve this with plenty of veggies and/or fruits to help balance out the richness.  The Rotel gives this dish a little kick that younger kids might be sensitive to.  Our 4 yr. old thought it was spicy.  Using Mild Rotel or even a can of plain diced tomatoes would solve that problem.

After the cheese was melted and everything was heated through, I gave it a taste test before I put it in the oven.  I don't think this dish really needs to go in the oven.  It tasted pretty much the same either way.  But, while it was in the oven, I had time to get my sides ready.

This dish is a good candidate for a freezer meal.  Next time, I'd double the recipe and put a pan in the freezer for another day.  Just thaw and reheat in the oven.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti was mostly kid friendly (3 out of 4 kids approved).

This recipe is featured at Show and Share Wednesdays @ Semi Homemade Mom.



I also share recipes at these linky parties.