Three Cheese Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken & Pasta

01 - 2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
02 - 12 ounces spaghetti (most of a standard box)

→ Veggie Add-Ins

03 - 7 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
04 - 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
05 - Half an onion, diced

→ Base for Sauce

06 - 3 tablespoons butter (split into 2 portions)
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 8 ounces softened cream cheese (the whole block)
10 - 3/4 cup chicken broth

→ Flavor Boosters

11 - A pinch of Italian seasoning (1/4 teaspoon)
12 - Fresh black pepper and salt, to your liking

→ Cheesy Topping

13 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

# Instructions:

01 - Microwave the cream cheese for 30 seconds to soften it, or let it sit at room temp for a couple hours. Pat the chicken dry, season it with salt and pepper, and preheat your oven to 350°F, setting the rack towards the upper part.
02 - Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water but stop about 2 minutes shy of the time on the package. Drain once it's ready.
03 - As the pasta cooks, heat olive oil with 1 tablespoon of butter in a big pot over medium-high. Toss the onion in and stir until it gets lightly golden, roughly 4-5 minutes.
04 - Add your chicken pieces to the pot and stir them around until almost fully cooked, about 5-6 minutes. Move them to a plate afterward.
05 - Throw the mushrooms, garlic, the rest of the butter, and the Italian seasoning into the same pot. Stir it all until the mushrooms soften and most of their liquid has disappeared, around 5 minutes.
06 - Turn the heat to high. Gradually stir in the softened cream cheese (cut into chunks to help it melt), chicken broth, and heavy cream. Mix non-stop for 5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
07 - Turn off the stove. Add back the chicken along with the cooked pasta. Mix well so everything’s nicely coated in sauce.
08 - Scoop the mixture into a 9x13 dish and spread it evenly. Cover with mozzarella and parmesan. Bake it for 30 minutes uncovered, then switch to broil for a couple of minutes to get the top golden and bubbly. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

# Notes:

01 - If using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead, skip the chicken cooking step. Use 3-4 cups of shredded chicken when mixing everything together.
02 - Make sure the sauce isn't on the heat too long before baking. If it thickens too much, the pasta will dry out.
03 - Cut into the dish lasagna-style to portion it so everyone gets a good amount of that cheesy topping.

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