Not-Too-Hard, From-Scratch Chicken Spaghetti

INGREDIENTS

• 2cups (1 lb-ish) cooked chicken of choice (thighs, legs, breast, or tenderloin), meat shredded and off the bone 
• 16 oz spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente
  
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, optional
• Optional Topping: 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parmesan, olive oil spray or melted butter

      For the Sauce

• 2 T butter 
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 (15oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3 cups Pastured Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp dried basil and parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano, onion powder, salt, and pepper
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  

DIRECTIONS

Cook and shred your chicken. Set aside. Boil your spaghetti noodles until al-dente (just cooked). While the noodles cook, make your sauce. 

To make your from-scratch sauce, you'll melt the butter and olive oil in a deep sided saucepan (or dutch oven). Once melted, add garlic and cook until fragrant (30-60seconds). Add the flour and stir until thickened and all flour is absorbed. You'll add the tomatoes, Pasture Raised Chicken broth, milk, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then lower temperature and simmer for 5-7minutes, until thickened. Add in your cheeses and your shredded chicken. Continue to simmer until thickened to your liking.

Drain your pasta, reserve some pasta water in case your sauce is too thick! 

Put your pasta back in the pot and add your delicious from-scratch sauce (or add noodles directly to dutch oven). Mix together until all the noodles are covered. You may need to add extra pasta water to thin at this point, but that's up to you. Now you're ready to eat! 

Optional topping if you like crunchies: Top casserole dish or dutch oven-filled noodles with panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, then spray with some olive oil... broil on high for a few minutes (don't let it burn!) If you're making this casserole earlier in the day to bake later,  wait to put on topping until ready to bake - then bake covered in foil for 30minutes, and uncovered for 10-15minutes. 

The photo is of half a recipe! So this serves a lot. If you don't want leftovers, put half this recipe in a tin to freeze then bake from frozen (covered in foil) for 45 minutes. Take foil off, toss on some parmesan, and finish baking for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly and cooked through. 

Adapted from Carlsbad Cravings "Easy Chicken Spaghetti"