Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
Whenever I want to cook something quick and easy, I always lean towards pasta. Pasta would also be at the center of the dining table whenever we have a family celebration, especially birthdays. Now, I’m tomato based pasta type of girl and majority of the family prefers cream based sauces. I just prefer the flavor a tomato offers and I find cream based pasta bland for my taste, maybe it how it is cooked – maybe. Fortunately, I have found a cream-based pasta that exudes so much flavor and it has the perfect balance of salty, savory and creaminess.
First and foremost let us prepare all the ingredients that we need. Thaw the chicken breast fillet ahead of time especially if you do not prefer the microwave method of thawing then gather all the vegetables that you’ll be needing. Slice the red onions thinly, crush the garlic with the help of the mortar and pestle, dice the bell pepper and tomatoes. As for the dry ingredients, you have to gather them as well. Open the cans that need to be opened, measure and set aside the powder ingredients. Lastly, you’ll have grate cheddar cheese. Once the chicken is completely thawed, you’ll need to slice it into strips and you’re all done with prep, now let the cooking begin!
Depends on what you like to do first, but I like to cook the pasta first. In a large pot of boiling water, sprinkle some salt then add the spaghetti noodles. Let that cook for ten (10) minutes. Next, you’ll need to have a medium-sized saucepan half-filled with water. Add the chicken bouillon, onion powder and garlic powder then place the chicken. Let it boil for 20 minutes. Once that’s done, take the chicken out and let it cool. Set aside 1/2 cup of the chicken broth.
On a saute pan, with two (2) tablespoons of canola oil saute the garlic and onions until its golden brown and translucent. Time to add the tomatoes, mushrooms and bell pepper. Cook the tomatoes until they’re soft and the mushrooms and bell pepper are tender. After that, pour in the cream of chicken, chicken broth, chicken strips and grated cheese. Make sure to mix well then you’re good to go.
Just a few pointers with regards to the pasta. Adding olive oil or any type of cooking oil to the water that cooks the noodles is optional. I’ve recently discovered that yes it may help from sticking, but the noodles won’t be able to absorb the sauce. Another pointer is to make sure you use a large pot to cook your pasta and try to reduce the flame enough to maintain a steady boil.
Here’s a breakdown of how much its costs to make this: Chicken breast – Php 214.00 Spaghetti noodles – Php 52.50 (for 450 grams) Red onions- Php 36.82 Bell pepper – Php 22.11 Garlic – Php 26.21 Tomatoes – Php 11.06 Chicken bouillon – Php 56.00 (for 12 pieces) Cream of chicken – Php 109.00 (for 300 grams) Mushroom – Php 31.50 (for 198 grams) Cheddar cheese – Php 190.00 (for 227 grams) Garlic powder – Php 28.50 (for 30 grams) Onion powder – Php 67.50 Salt – Php 10.00
The home-schooled chef 