This Monterey chicken casserole is everything you want a pasta casserole to be. The tender pieces of chicken really hit the spot, while the spaghetti is a nice touch that provides added texture. Pasta casseroles all too often call for short pasta such as penne or rigatoni, but those get boring after a while. There's nothing boring about the recipe that follows.
Spinach is added to this dish to amp up the nutritional value, and of course lots of Monterey Jack cheese is added to enrich the flavor. At the very end, French fried onions are sprinkled on top. They not only give it one final boost of flavor but also lots of texture to keep things interesting. This is one casserole dish that is sure to become part of the weekly rotation.
How to Make Monterey Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
6
15 minutes
35 minutes
50 minutes
1 cup spaghetti, broken in half
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of moisture
2 cups chicken, cooked and roughly chopped
1 3-ounce can French fried onions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9" x 13" casserole dish.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Beat egg in a large bowl. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic.
Add drained pasta to egg mixture along with Monterey Jack cheese, spinach, and cooked chicken. Stir well to combine.
Pour mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until heated through.
Remove casserole from the oven and sprinkle French fried onions on top.
Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, until the onions are crisp.