Cheesy Chicken and Spaghetti Casserole

A creamy blend of sauteed chicken and herbs, basking in a savory tomato broth, with just enough cream to make the dish seem decadent. Two cheeses - mozzarella and parmesan - add gooeyness and nuttiness, turning this into one stellar, family-friendly meal! 

I mean, look at that forkful! You can see the gooey cheese, the creamy sauce, and a little pop of a pea for fun!

If you want to make this dish ahead, here's a tip: Keep the sauce and spaghetti separate until ready to assemble the casserole. That means, make the sauce right up through the part where you add the heavy cream and parmesan. Then, when the sauce is cool, refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Make the pasta and keep that chilled for 24 hours too. When you're ready to bake, combine the sauce and spaghetti, and fold in the mozzarella cheese and peas as directed. Transfer to the baking dish, top with more cheese (the remaining mozzarella and parmesan) and bake as directed. Note: If you start with cold ingredients, add 10 minutes to the first cooking time, when the foil in ON.

Cheesy Chicken and Spaghetti Casserole

1/2 pound spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste or sundried tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup frozen peas, keep frozen until ready to use

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, stirring frequently. Add the basil and oregano and stir to coat. Add the broth and tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Stir in the spaghetti, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese and peas (the sauce will seem thin, don't worry, things thicken up in the oven).
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of parmesan. Cover with foil (spray the foil with cooking spray if it will touch the cheese - that way it won't stick).
Bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, until the cheese melts.
Serve!

Serves 4