Black Folks Soul Food Chicken Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce
This post may contain affiliate partner links. View our privacy statement HERE.
The concept of soul food is one that many people associate with the South, often characterized by its rich flavor, hearty cooked foods, with plenty of savory seasonings. Soul food chicken spaghetti is an example of this type of dish.
What is soul food chicken spaghetti?
Succulent shredded chicken and spaghetti noodles are prepared in a delicious broth seasoned with onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper for a flavorful a meal you’ll love. That’s Back folks’ soul food chicken spaghetti.
How do you make Black folks soul food chicken spaghetti?
The easiest way is to place everything in the Instant Pot. This way only takes about 6 minutes – then Doug E. Fresh, you’re on!
How do you make this in an Instant Pot?
This delicious chicken spaghetti dish is made with cooked chicken, spaghetti pasta, chicken broth, spaghetti sauce, yellow onion, celery, carrots, and black pepper.
Place everything in the Instant Pot. Nestle the ingredients under red spaghetti sauce and uncooked spaghetti noodles. Then you’re ready for quick and easy pressure cooking in under 5 minutes!
This dish combines incredible textures with sautéed onions, celery, and carrots mixed with tender, seasoned chicken adding depth to the spaghetti sauce. The carrots and celery add just enough bite.
You can top this zesty dish with two types of cheese – mozzarella and parmesan – both melted together on top for an extra cheesy bite! Your taste buds are going to run wild as soon as they detect all of the fantastic goodies packed in this Black folks chicken spaghetti recipe!
Kitchen equipment
Shop my kitchenware!
Instant Pot duo Nova | The Pioneer Woman Instant Pot | The Pioneer Woman measuring bowls | Kate Aspen heart-shaped measuring spoons | Anthropologie dish towel | Anthropologie plate |
Ingredients for Black folk’s chicken spaghetti
- 3 cups of cooked and seasoned shredded chicken
- 8 oz. of spaghetti pasta, uncooked
- 2 ½ cups of chicken broth
- 24 oz. spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce
- ½ cup of yellow onion, chopped
- ½ cup of celery, chopped
- ½ cup of carrots, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ a teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of sugar (optional)
- fresh or dry basil or parsley to garnish (optional)
Instructions for Black folk’s chicken spaghetti
- Open the Instant Pot lid and add the shredded chicken, onion, celery, carrots, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar into the stainless-steel inner pot.
- Pour the chicken broth over the ingredients in the pot.
- Break the uncooked spaghetti pasta in half and scatter the pasta evenly in the inner pot.
- Use a small rubber spatula to press and submerge the spaghetti noodles into the liquid broth as much as possible.
- Then pour the spaghetti sauce evenly over the pasta, covering as much as possible.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable. The spaghetti will look soupy at first, but everything thickens up nicely as it cools.
- Gently work the spaghetti noodles apart using a pasta fork, and combine the noodles and vegetables with the sauce.
- Serve Black folks chicken spaghetti with fresh basil or a heaping topping of shredded parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese (optional), and enjoy!
What goes into chicken spaghetti?
Start with the main ingredient – spaghetti! Then there are the additions of seasoned chicken, chicken broth, spaghetti sauce, yellow onion, celery, carrots, and pepper. Garlic powder adds an extra boost of flavor to this already unique dish.
What does Black folks soul food chicken spaghetti taste like?
Black folks’ chicken spaghetti tastes like spaghetti, but with an infusion of seasoned chicken, herbs, and spices – that soul food flavor!
There are countless ways to serve this versatile dish. Some people like their spaghetti covered in marinara sauce, others prefer it covered in alfredo sauce, and some even smother theirs with ketchup.
What do you serve with Black folks’ soul food chicken spaghetti?
What goes with chicken spaghetti?
While you can enjoy chicken spaghetti all alone, here are a few suggestions for side dishes that pair well with this simple recipe.
- Air fryer parmesan kale salad
- Southern green beans
- Mashed potatoes
- Tomato watermelon salad
- Jamaican coco bread
Black folks soul food chicken spaghetti FAQs
What part of the chicken do you use for Black folks soul food chicken spaghetti?
Soul food chicken spaghetti calls for seasoned chicken. I prefer boneless skinless chicken breast, shredded, which I used in this recipe. But as long as the chicken is generously seasoned (chicken seasoned the Southern soul food way), you can use any part of the bird. White meat, dark meat, chicken legs, chicken tenders, rotisserie chicken, or chicken thighs!
Can you add seasoning while cooking the chicken breast?
For the most intense flavor, it’s best to first season the chicken, cook it, and then add it to this recipe.
Why do you break up the pasta?
Break the pasta in half, so it fits into the Instant Pot. Then you don’t have to stand over the pot waiting for it to boil. Instead, you simply close the lid and make spaghetti – noodles and all, ready in 2 minutes!
Can you freeze chicken spaghetti?
You can preserve leftovers by freezing them for later use. Here’s one of the best ways to freeze chicken spaghetti to enjoy it anytime!
You’ll need a gallon-sized freezer bag or two quart-sized freezer bags and parchment paper or plastic wrap.
Layout the parchment paper or plastic wrap on a flat surface, then spoon the chicken spaghetti onto the wax paper or plastic wrap in one even layer. Then place the chicken spaghetti into one of your freezer bags.
Is it possible to bake chicken spaghetti in the oven?
Baked chicken spaghetti in an oven is indeed possible! It’s a simple and easy way to cook it without any fuss. You only need a 9×13″ baking dish, your favorite spaghetti pasta, and some shredded cooked and seasoned chicken. Basically – this same recipe with cheese on top!
Is it possible to make chicken spaghetti ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare this soul food recipe ahead of time by placing the ingredients in the Instant Pot to pressure cook later in the day. When ready, pressure cook, then combine the ingredients and serve!
What are the best spaghetti recipes?
Are you a fan of spaghetti, like most families?
This recipe is for a Black folks’ seasoned soul food spaghetti.
Here’s are some more ideas for other ethnic spaghetti recipes from around the world!
- Spaghetti alla carbonara from Italy
- Bolognese spaghetti from Italy
- Chicken tetrazzini from the US (a San Francisco treat!)
- Mexican spaghetti casserole from Mexico
- Thai curry coconut shrimp and spaghetti from Thailand
- Easy Gumbo RecipeNothing's more Louisiana than gumbo! A classic Southern dish and culinary staple in The Big Easy.This easy gumbo recipe is Cajun cooking combined with Creole seasoning & spicy Thai flavors - served over rice and pressure cooker ready in only 15 minutes!Check out this recipe!
- Singaporean chili crab over steamed white rice
- Korean kimchi fried rice with spicy pork from Korea
- Malaysian beef rendang with fragrant jasmine rice from Malaysia
- Vietnamese lemongrass pork lo mein noodles from Vietnam
- Japanese teriyaki chicken and soba noodle stir-fry from Japan
What do you think of this recipe?
Had you heard of chicken spaghetti before you tried this recipe?
We all love a good pasta dish, and chicken spaghetti is no exception. There’s nothing like a hearty helping of soul food chicken spaghetti to fill you up and make you feel warm inside.
Who are you going to share this chicken spaghetti recipe with?
Soul food is cozy comfort food at its finest.
“Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul!”
More Black folks’ classic chicken recipes:
- Coming soon to The Soul Food Pot – Black folks chicken soup!
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken cooked, seasoned, and shredded
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles uncooked
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 24 oz. spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped
- ½ cup celery chopped
- ½ cup carrots chopped
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sugar optional
- basil fresh or dry basil or parsley - optional to garnish
- parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese, optional to garnish
Instructions
- Open the Instant Pot lid and add the shredded chicken, onion, celery, carrots, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar into the stainless-steel inner pot.
- Pour the chicken broth over the ingredients in the pot.
- Break the uncooked spaghetti pasta in half and scatter the pasta evenly in the inner pot.
- Use a small rubber spatula to press and submerge the spaghetti noodles into the liquid broth as much as possible.
- Then pour the spaghetti sauce evenly over the pasta, covering as much as possible.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable. The spaghetti will look soupy at first, but everything thickens up nicely as it cools.
- Gently work the spaghetti noodles apart using a pasta fork, and combine the noodles and vegetables with the sauce.
- Serve Black folks chicken spaghetti with fresh basil or a heaping topping of shredded parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese (optional), and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Our own version of spaghetti is sweet and creamy.. it’s more of like a dessert. LOL
Sounds delicious – I’d love to try the recipe!