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.
I am making this wonderful recipe for the third time. The one change my family has preferred is that instead of using the Cheddar cheese (which can get greasy when it melts) we have substituted the 5 (or 6) Italian cheese blend that is available at almost any grocery store. I also throw some fresh chopped Basil on the top just as I take it out of the oven.
Sounds delish Robin!
What can I substitute for light cream?
You can mix heavy cream with milk to make half and half and use it in this recipe.
This was delicious! I added celery, mushrooms and carrots, did not use bell pepper, but did use rotel. I don’t usually buy cream, but it makes a huge difference in these recipes.
Hi there! If I premake it the night before and put it in my fridge, do I just follow the baking directions directly from the fridge?
Thank you.
Hi Pokey, we would let the casserole sit out on the counter while the oven preheats then bake according to the recipe instructions. Enjoy!
Made this for dinner and it turned out great. Add diced fresh cherry tomatoes
Hi! Can heavy cream be used instead of light cream?
Hi Wendy, please take a look at this post, which will help with making light cream (also known as half and half) from heavy cream. Enjoy the recipe!
Oh gosh this looks sooo good but husband hates cheddar cheese. Is there another cheese you could recommend that would still give a great but not as intense flavor?
Mozzarella with a little bit extra parmesan would work well in this recipe.
For the “light cream” in the recipe do you use half and half or something else? Sounds yummy!
Hi Amy, half and half is perfect in this recipe!
excellent recipe!!!!!
I have made this recipe more than once and seems like every time it’s better lol.. My husband even complemented it today to how delicious it was. Love this recipe!
Yum yum!! Delicious! I made this for dinner tonight. I used fresh peppers and tomatoes from our garden. I boiled 2 chicken thighs. That was plenty of meat. This was a very good dish. We were looking for something different for supper and this worked. We will make this again!
Absolutely delicious !!! You can taste all the ingredients in every bite. Husband can’t stop raving about it. Thank you. I love seeing all your recipes and tips.
So yummy!! The whole family loved it! My father in law usually won’t eat anything that’s a little different but even he loved it!
Used this recipe and substituted regular flour for coconut flour and keto pasta zero noodles!!! Was so good and keto friendly!!!
Thank you for sharing that Kayla!
Very tasty! Made it with fresh tomatoes and a whole green pepper but everything else the same. Would make it again for sure!
So good!!! I didn’t do the green peppers and added a little extra chicken broth. The whole pan was gone.
I made this for dinner and we all loved it! I combined a higher grade fresh grated mild cheddar cheese with regular SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE in the mixture and on top of casserole! It was delicious!
The recipe is great! But I gave it four stars because I had to add a cup of water to the roux because it was too thick without it. I added pasta water to make a creamier texture.
Great easy & tasty dishes
I don’t cook much anymore but my grandson is going to college in the town I live in and so I’d like to make some easy home cooked meals. I like your recipes
Thank you Gail ❤️❤️