In this easy chicken spaghetti recipe, shredded cooked chicken and spaghetti are smothered in a creamy, cheesy sauce and baked until browned and bubbly.
While the sauce is homemade, I’ve also included a shortcut sauce for busy weeknights!
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Chicken Spaghetti Recipe…
This chicken spaghetti recipe has been a reader favorite for almost 10 years.
- The sauce is made from scratch, but I’ve also included a shortcut sauce for busy days.
- This chicken spaghetti recipe uses simple ingredients that you likely have on hand.
- It’s versatile; use any cheese or pasta.
- This recipe is freezer-friendly – prep it ahead for busy days!
Ingredients for Chicken Spaghetti
Pasta: I use spaghetti noodles, but you can use other varieties of long pasta. Be sure to cook it al dente (firm) so it doesn’t overcook as the casserole bakes.
Chicken: This recipe uses cooked chicken. Shred rotisserie chicken or use up leftovers if you have them. If needed, baked chicken breasts work well too.
Flavor: Onion, garlic, and bell pepper add flavor, while canned diced tomatoes (or Rotel tomatoes) add a bit of freshness.
Chicken Broth: This is the base of the sauce and adds flavor—if using low-sodium broth or stock, add some extra salt.
Cream: Half and half or light cream makes the sauce creamy without being too rich. Replace 1 cup of half and half with ½ cup each heavy cream and milk.
Cheese: Both cheddar cheese and Parmesan add flavor to the cheese sauce. Pre-shredded cheese works well in this recipe.
Variations
- You can replace the cheddar with any cheese you’d like, including Monterey Jack cheese or a shredded mozzarella cheese blend.
- Replace the chicken with leftover turkey or ham. If using ham, reduce the salt in the recipe slightly.
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
- Cook pasta: Cook the spaghetti and drain.
- Prepare sauce: Prepare the sauce (recipe below).
- Assemble: Combine the spaghetti, chicken, diced tomatoes, and sauce in a greased casserole dish.
- Bake: Top with more cheese and bake until bubbly.
Serving Suggestions
Salad: I love to serve this dish with a fresh salad—either green salad or Caesar salad.
Bread: Bread or garlic bread is great to sop up any bits of sauce and help stretch the meal further.
Leftovers and Meal Prep
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Chicken spaghetti freezes very well and can be frozen before baking for up to 4 months.
- To bake from frozen, cover with aluminum foil to prevent the cheese topping from overcooking and bake at 375°F for about an hour, or until it is piping hot throughout!
More Family Favorite Casserole Recipes
Did you make this Chicken Spaghetti? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Homemade Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes drained or tomatoes with chilies
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 Parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, 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 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 can 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
- Don’t overcook the pasta, it will cook more as it bakes.
- Pre-shredded cheese does work in this recipe but shredding your own makes for a smoother sauce.
- Sharp cheddar adds the best flavor.
- Cook the veggies as directed.
- Add 3⁄4 pound Velveeta cheese, 10oz condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup, and drained tomatoes and cook until melted.
- Skip the salt and add ½ teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
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.
This recipe is amazing! I added Zucchini, peas, carrots, corn, fresh thyme, oregano, and rosemary. It came out incredible!
Yummy!
Such a great recipe and even better food!
I don’t rate recipes very much but I thought I should with this one! I always make as stated with the homemade cream sauce. Always turns out delish! Thanks for a great one!
Thanks, Katie! So happy you enjoyed it.
You mention adding cream cheese when describing the two recipes. which recipe or both and when do you add it? possibly to replace the light cream?
Hi Deborah, you can use cream cheese to create a thicker sauce but adding it in step 2 with the broth.
We loved the chicken spaghetti! I was wondering what to do with two chicken breast and you solved the problem. Great comfort food dish for a Sunday afternoon Football watching day! Thank you so much! Really good !
Hi Holly, I’m looking forward to making this recipe and I see that you mention cream cheese makes for a thicker sauce. I checked three times and it is not listed in the ingredients or when to add it. What can you tell me? Thx so much. Love your recipes!!
Hi Claire, you can add cream cheese for a thicker sauce in step 2 when stirring in the broth and cream.
I used a half of a poblano instead of the green pepper and tomatoes with green chilies. This had a nice kick. I think it could have used a little more cream and less cheddar to make it slightly more creamy.
Delicious! I added some zucchini from my garden and used an artisan black peppercorn cheddar that I happened to have on hand. A salad and some homemade sourdough rounded out this cozy and easy meal! And the leftovers are just as delicious!
Can you prepare this ahead of time then keep in fridge to pop in oven after you get home?
That should work well, Laura!
Delicious recipe! Love the flavor of the homemade sauce. Entered into the September Cooking Challenge!
My very 1st time making chicken spaghetti & it was a hit I also use your buttermilk biscuits recipe whenever I make them. They are a hit as well also. Next I’ll try your tuna casserole recipe. I’m sure that’ll be a hit as well!!
After I made the sauce I realized it desperately needed flavor, so I modified the seasonings and added some of my own: 2 tsp of italian seasoning, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp minced onion, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp of ground mustard. I probably should’ve added an additional teaspoon of ground mustard – it needed more tang. 1 tsp paprika and 1/4 or 1/2 tsp cayenne would also do nicely here.
Also – just use the whole freaking box of spaghetti. I found myself wishing I had.
Thanks for sharing your alterations!
I didn’t see the recipe for making the sauce from scratch. I have all the ingredients and don’t even know how to prepare it. Very disappointing
The full recipe can be found by scrolling towards the bottom of the post or by using the jump to recipe button at the top. All instructions on how to prepare the ingredients can be found there.
Delish!!! only change I made was adding some red pepper that I needed to use up. Easy and delish! I’ll be making again and sharing.
Family ate it up! Easy dinner, would make it again.
So yummy! Hubby went back for thirds!
Hi Holly! This looks like a great recipe, but I have a question. What, exactly, is light cream?
Here in Alberta, Canada, we have whipping cream, or half and half, including a reduced fat version of the hall and half.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks.
Half and half or the reduced fat half and half will work just fine!
Made this and it’s delicious. I put my own twist on it tho. We love Mexican so I added a can of green chilli peppers and 1 1/2 tbsp of spend with Pennie’s taco seasoning. Yummy. Served it with swp cheese toast and corn on cob.
An absolute hit with my family! We made a double recipe for leftovers, which were equally delicious the next day!