Monterey Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Monterey Chicken Spaghetti is a creamy, comforting pasta dish featuring tender chicken, melted Monterey Jack cheese, and a flavorful sauce made with garlic, onions, and a touch of paprika. This skillet recipe comes together quickly using simple ingredients, perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces spaghetti, cooked al dente
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Sauce & Seasonings
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the bite-sized chicken pieces with paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté onions and garlic: In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make the sauce: Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine pasta and chicken: Add the cooked spaghetti and chicken pieces back into the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated with the creamy sauce.
- Melt the cheese: Evenly sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese over the top of the skillet contents. Cover the skillet and let it sit for 2-3 minutes off the heat or on very low heat until the cheese melts.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the skillet from heat, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and serve the Monterey Chicken Spaghetti warm.
Notes
- To prevent the cheese from sticking, cover the skillet tightly when melting the cheese.
- You can substitute cooked rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, especially salt and pepper.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove or microwave.
Keywords: Monterey Chicken Spaghetti, creamy chicken pasta, Monterey Jack cheese spaghetti, quick chicken dinner, creamy skillet pasta
