Dirty Spaghetti
Dirty Spaghetti
Ingredients
For the Dirty Spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken, frozen
- 12 ounces smoked andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 2 cups Trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper mix), frozen, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (Tony Chacheres), or to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons shredded cheese, for garnish, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack
Instructions
- 1
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the frozen ground chicken and break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Add the sliced smoked andouille sausage to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until both meats are well browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease, if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Once the meats are browned, add the frozen Trinity (onions, celery, and bell peppers) and minced garlic to the pot. Stir and cook until the vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
Push the cooked meat and vegetables to one side of the pot, creating an empty space. Add the unsalted butter to the empty side. Once the butter melts, sprinkle in the all-purpose flour. Stir the flour and butter constantly to create a roux. Cook the roux, stirring continuously, until it darkens to a medium-dark brown color, about 5-8 minutes. Once the roux is ready, mix it thoroughly with the meat and vegetables.
⏱️ 8 min
- 4
Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir it in, cooking for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock. Season generously with Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika. Stir everything together and bring the gravy to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a nice consistency that will coat the noodles, about 10-12 minutes.
⏱️ 12 min
- 5
While the gravy simmers, cook the spaghetti pasta according to package directions in a separate large pot of boiling water until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Add the cooked spaghetti directly into the gravy in the Dutch oven. Stir well to combine the spaghetti with the gravy. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring after each addition, until the desired consistency is reached.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Serve the Dirty Spaghetti hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Dirty Spaghetti
For the Dirty Spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken, frozen
- 12 ounces smoked andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 2 cups Trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper mix), frozen, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (Tony Chacheres), or to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons shredded cheese, for garnish, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack
Instructions
- 1
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the frozen ground chicken and break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Add the sliced smoked andouille sausage to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until both meats are well browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease, if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Once the meats are browned, add the frozen Trinity (onions, celery, and bell peppers) and minced garlic to the pot. Stir and cook until the vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 3
Push the cooked meat and vegetables to one side of the pot, creating an empty space. Add the unsalted butter to the empty side. Once the butter melts, sprinkle in the all-purpose flour. Stir the flour and butter constantly to create a roux. Cook the roux, stirring continuously, until it darkens to a medium-dark brown color, about 5-8 minutes. Once the roux is ready, mix it thoroughly with the meat and vegetables.
⏱️ 8 min - 4
Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir it in, cooking for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock. Season generously with Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika. Stir everything together and bring the gravy to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a nice consistency that will coat the noodles, about 10-12 minutes.
⏱️ 12 min - 5
While the gravy simmers, cook the spaghetti pasta according to package directions in a separate large pot of boiling water until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Add the cooked spaghetti directly into the gravy in the Dutch oven. Stir well to combine the spaghetti with the gravy. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring after each addition, until the desired consistency is reached.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Serve the Dirty Spaghetti hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
⏱️ 1 min