Chef John's Chicken Spaghetti

No canned soups were harmed in the making of this chicken spaghetti recipe, which showcases a whole bird. Other than requiring a little time, this recipe is dead simple. Just be sure to undercook your pasta by at least a minute, since it'll finish cooking in hot sauce for a few more minutes. This is a critical step, and allows all those flavors to get sucked up by the still hydrating spaghetti. Garnish with a little more Pecorino Romano cheese and basil.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 850 Calories

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
• 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• ¼ cup thinly sliced basil leaves
• 1 (4.5 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
• 1 tablespoon cold butter (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place chicken in a pot and pour marinara sauce on top. Add water and anchovies. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, without stirring, for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Step 2

Transfer chicken to a bowl using tongs. Let cool to the touch.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, skimming off the fat from the surface, until sauce is reduced by at least half, 20 to 35 minutes.

Step 4

Tear off chicken meat by hand and transfer to a bowl, breaking the pieces into your desired size.

Step 5

Add the chicken, red pepper flakes, and salt to the reduced sauce. Cook and stir until chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes. Keep on low heat while you cook the pasta.

Step 6

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water according to package instructions, reducing time by 1 minute, about 11 minutes. Drain and return to the pot; reduce heat to low.

Step 7

Add the chicken sauce and Pecorino Romano to the pasta. Sprinkle in basil and add butter. Stir until butter melts, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add remaining Pecorino Romano cheese. Cover and let sit for 1 minute. Stir and serve.