As we get closer to the Christmas holiday, I look for dishes that meet three criteria:
1 – Either it’s fast to make (less than an hour) or it’s easy to set up (slow cooker or Instant Pot)
2 – It makes enough to have leftovers for a day or two
3 – It tastes good (after all, isn’t that the whole idea of cooking?)
This recipe “checks all the boxes”. It’s easy to set up in a slow cooker, there’s plenty of leftovers (unless you’re feeding a house full of people), and with all the cheesy goodness it tastes delicious. What more can you ask for?
Adapted from Restless Chipotle
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
Description
An easy to make spaghetti style dish filled with cheesy goodness. Using a slow cooker lets you go about your day while it does all the major cooking for you.
Adapted from Restless Chipotle
Ingredients
Instructions
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Spray the inside of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the chicken in the bottom of the cooker. Cover the chicken with the onion, pepper, Ro*Tel, and condensed soup (do not add water!). Cook on Low for at least 6 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.
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Just prior to the end of the cooking time, prepare the spaghetti in boiling water until just al dente. Drain the spaghetti and set aside.
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Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and use forks to shred into small pieces. Stir and taste the sauce for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Add the heavy cream, cream cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, and two cups of the Cheddar cheese, and mix thoroughly. Add the spaghetti to the mixture and combine evenly. Top the mixture with the remaining Cheddar cheese, then cover and cook on Low for 30 additional minutes. Serve immediately.
Servings 8
Serving Size about 2 cups
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 734kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 38.1g59%
- Saturated Fat 19.3g97%
- Cholesterol 168mg57%
- Sodium 1243mg52%
- Potassium 271mg8%
- Total Carbohydrate 53.3g18%
- Dietary Fiber 2.1g9%
- Sugars 4.4g
- Protein 44.6g90%
- Calcium 503 mg
- Iron 3 mg
- Vitamin D 280 IU
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
- Chicken breasts or thighs can be used. My personal preference is thighs as they have more flavor and tend not to dry out when cooking.
- Other condensed soups could be substituted such as cream of mushroom or cream of celery.
- Do not dilute the soup by adding water.
- For a spicier dish, either use a Hot version of Ro*Tel or double the quantity to 2 cans.
- The original recipe used 4 ounces of cream cheese, but suggested 8 ounces for a creamier texture. This version uses 8.
- Shred the cheese from blocks if possible. Pre-shredded cheese contains an anti-caking agent that prevents it from melting easily when cooked.
- Other cheeses can be substituted if desired.
