This chicken spaghetti is a creamy, cheesy comfort food that is baked until bubbly. It’s an easy casserole that comes together fast, with enough to feed a crowd.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Creamy, cheesy, and cozy with sharp cheddar flavor, tender chicken, and tomatoes that add brightness without overpowering the sauce.
- Recommended Tools: A 9×13 casserole dish and a box grater make prep quick and the sauce extra smooth.
- Prep Tip: Don’t overcook the pasta; it’ll cook more in the oven as the casserole bakes.
- Freezer Meal: This recipe makes a great freezer meal either as individual servings or a whole casserole.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Use cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken) to make this easy. You can also use leftovers or make some shredded chicken.
- Pasta: Any pasta works, but long noodles hold the sauce best.
- Onion/Garlic: Use fresh if possible. In a pinch, swap fresh with 1 teaspoon onion powder and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Rotel: Lightly drain the Rotel tomatoes to avoid a watery bake. For a milder dish, use petite diced tomatoes.
- Bell Pepper: Adds flavor and a little sweetness.
- Cream: Half and half or light cream makes the sauce creamy without being too rich. Milk can be used, but the sauce will be more watery.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese brings the best flavor. A blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack will make for extra melt.
Variations
- Add-Ins: Add sauteed mushrooms, corn, or stir in some spinach at the end.
- Heat Level: Want to tame the heat? Use plain diced tomatoes and a pinch of paprika instead of chilies.
- Topping: For an extra golden top, sprinkle it with extra Parmesan.
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
- Cook spaghetti just to al dente and drain.
- Make the homemade sauce and mix in Parmesan and some cheddar.
- Stir in chicken, tomatoes, and spaghetti (full recipe below).
- Spread in a greased dish, top with remaining cheddar, and bake.
Store, Freeze, and Reheat Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. It can also be frozen, before or after baking, for 4 months in airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
To reheat, microwave with a splash of milk or broth and cover to prevent drying. It can also be reheated in the oven at 350°F, covered until hot, then uncovered briefly to refresh the cheesy top.
Favorite Pasta Casseroles
Did you enjoy this Chicken Spaghetti Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 (14 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes with chilies such as Rotel, or petite diced tomatoes, lightly drained
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ green bell pepper chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half or light cream
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the spaghetti al dente in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain well, do not rinse.
- Meanwhile, to make the sauce, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook until tender. Stir in the flour and Italian seasoning and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add the broth and half and half, a bit at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Bring to a boil and let boil 1 minute or until thick and bubbly.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper.
- Combine spaghetti, chicken, cream sauce, and canned tomatoes. Mix well. Spread in baking dish.
- Top with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- Pasta: Don’t overcook the pasta, it will cook more as it bakes.
- Cheese: Pre-shredded cheese works in this recipe, but shredding your own makes for a smoother sauce. Sharp cheddar adds the best flavor.
- To Make a Shortcut Sauce: Cook the vegetables (onion, garlic, bell pepper) as directed. Add ¾ pound cubed Velveeta cheese, 10 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup, and drained Rotel tomatoes. Stir until melted. Skip the salt and add ½ teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Chicken, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Thanks Cathleen! We love how this one freezes! Makes for a delicious easy freezer meal!
I love a good home cooked meal like this! This is getting added to our list of must make dinner next week.
I hope you love it Deseree!
I love it when you can switch up a traditional dish with a simple ingredient and come out with perfection like this!
Total perfection Jacquelyn! We loved how simple and delicious this dish is too!
Nice! I wanna take that first bite that’s on the fork! Nice pics and very yummy sounding recipe :).
Thanks Daniela! It was hard to resist long enough to photograph! It really is as delicious as it sounds!
This sounds so delicious! I’m always looking for ways to spicy up regular ol’ spaghetti while still making some that’s quick and easy. We’ll definitely have to try this!
Thanks Claire! This recipe is definitely that, delicious yet quick and easy!! Enjoy!
My child is going to love this! Great idea. Never hear of a spaghetti casserole before. Will swap cheddar for velvet as we don’t fancy the taste of American processed cheese.
Spaghetti Casserole is delicious! Your child will definitely love it! Enjoy!!
Thanks Kallee, I hope you love it!
Love your little trick about the parchment paper!! I can’t even begin to tell you how WONDERFUL this recipe looks! My kids will love this! Printing now so I can make it this week. So glad I found this recipe!!
Enjoy the recipe Amanda!
Thank you Jenni! I hope you love it!
This is SO good! Recommend half a cup less cheddar, a little more of the italian seasoning, and more bell peppers. This would honestly probably be just as good with spinach too!
Adding spinach is a great idea! So glad you enjoyed it Tiffany!
Thank you Aleta, I hope your family loves it!
Enjoy the recipe Pearl!
Enjoy Eliane, our family loves this one!
Hi Holly, do you think it could make the chicken spaghetti but use Salmon in place of th chicken?
I haven’t tried it with Salmon but I can’t see any reason it wouldn’t work. Let us know how it goes!
Thanks will do!
Ooh this looks so good. And thank you for the tip on how to freeze it! When cooking for two, that means there is always leftovers but I never know how to freeze it easily. Can’t wait to try :)
We love make ahead or freezer meals too! Enjoy Heather!
This definitely looks like a dish that could become a family favourite! Noodles are never a bad idea in my house, we all love them. This looks so comforting and delicious!
Thank you Katherine, I hope your family enjoys the recipe!
Hi Holly, can’t wait to try this recipe, but the instructions don’t say when to add the chicken. I’m assuming when you mix everything together before baking?
Thanks!
Apologies for the confusion. The chicken is added with the sauce and spaghetti in step 4.
My husband is a big time pasta lover and he really liked this. Definitely will be a keeper for us!
So glad he enjoyed it Debi!
My boys will love this! I can’t wait to try it!
Enjoy the recipe! Let us know how it goes Justine!
love your recipes.
Thank you Cordi!