Chicken Spaghetti
This Chicken Spaghetti is everything you love about comfort food, creamy, cheesy, and loaded with tender chicken and spaghetti, all baked into one bubbling, golden casserole. It’s easy to make, feeds a crowd, and reheats like a dream.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time35 minutes mins
Total Time50 minutes mins
Course: casserole, Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked spaghetti casserole, chicken spaghetti
Servings: 9
Calories: 491kcal
For the Casserole:
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons butter for tossing the pasta
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- fresh parsley for garnish
For the Sauce:
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded, rotisserie chicken works well
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup 1 can
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup 1 can
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies like Rotel
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium or no sodium added
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika optional
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- salt and black pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and toss with butter to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (if using), Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked spaghetti, shredded chicken, half of the cheddar cheese, and the sauce. Mix until everything is evenly coated.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Pour the spaghetti mixture into the prepared dish and spread it out evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
- Spaghetti: Cook it al dente, you want it firm enough to hold up through baking. Overcooked spaghetti = mush city. And don’t skip the butter toss. It’s not just for flavor, it keeps things from clumping into a spaghetti brick.
- Chicken: Rotisserie is your shortcut hero, but any cooked, shredded chicken will do. Just make sure it’s seasoned. Bland chicken will ruin the whole mood.
- Cheese Blend: Cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan are the holy trinity here. Don’t sub all the cheese for mozzarella unless you want a gooey puddle. Use real Parm if you can, it adds that sharp, salty depth.
- Cream Soups: Yes, I use canned. Yes, it’s delicious. This is comfort food, not a culinary thesis. That said, if you want to make your own, go ahead, but I’m sticking with pantry-friendly.
- Want to spice it up? Use medium or hot Rotel. Add crushed red pepper flakes. Or drizzle some hot sauce over your serving if you're the only heat lover in the house.
- Make it ahead: Assemble the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Dinner party the next day? Boom, one less thing to stress over.
- Freezer-friendly: Yep. Wrap tightly (foil + freezer bag) and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and bake like normal.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 805mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 734IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 322mg | Iron: 3mg