Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
This chicken spaghetti recipe is at the top of our family’s list of recipes that take us back to childhood right away. This dish has been our go-to comfort food for centuries. It contains tender shredded chicken, properly cooked pasta, and a creamy, cheesy sauce that ties everything together. I’ve spent years making changes to my grandmother’s original chicken spaghetti recipe, and now I have a version that strikes the right mix between being tasty and being easy for a busy family.
Put it on your list
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Chicken Spaghetti
During a very hard time in my life, I found this chicken spaghetti recipe. My grandma made it for us the week after Max was born, when I was feeling overwhelmed by being a new mom and really wanted something familiar and comforting. I remember eating that first bite and feeling like everything would be good. That’s the kind of enchantment this dish makes. It has since become our family’s idea of comfort food, and we ask for it for everything from bad-day dinners to birthday parties.
The precise combination of flavors and textures is what makes this recipe remarkable. It somehow feels both rich and cozy at the same time. The creamy, cheesy sauce on the soft strands of spaghetti; the perfectly seasoned chicken in every bite; the little pockets of mild green chiles that add just the right amount of interest without being too much; and the beautiful golden cheese topping that makes the best crust in the oven. It tastes great and doesn’t require any particular cooking abilities or trips to the grocery store.
Things you need to make chicken spaghetti
The Basics:
- Pasta with spaghetti
- Shredded cooked chicken
- Soup with cream of chicken
- Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
- Chopped up very little onion
- Diced bell pepper
- Chopped garlic
- Shredded cheddar cheese
The Flavor Boosters:
- Seasoning from Italy
- Powdered garlic
- Optional: cayenne pepper
- Black pepper and salt
- Butter
- Oil from olives
- Chopped fresh parsley
The Creamy Parts:
- Broth from chicken
- Sour cream
- Softened cream cheese
Check the recipe card for amounts.
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
Get Your Parts Ready
- Cook spaghetti until it is al dente (slightly firm), then drain it but don’t rinse it.
- Cut or shred cooked chicken into little pieces that are easy to eat.
- Chop up the onions and bell peppers and mince the garlic.
- Set the oven to 350°F and butter a 9×13 baking dish.
Make the sauce creamy
- In butter and oil, cook onions and peppers until they are tender.
- Add garlic and spices and cook until they smell good.
- Add the chicken broth, Rotel tomatoes, and cream of chicken soup and stir.
- Add cream cheese and sour cream and mix until everything is melted and creamy.
- Add half of the shredded cheese and mix it in.
Put together and mix
- Stir in the shredded chicken to coat it.
- Add the cooked spaghetti slowly, making sure that every strand is covered.
- Put the mixture in the baking dish you made.
- Put the rest of the cheese on top in a uniform layer.
Bake till golden brown
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes without a cover, or until the cheese is melted and the bubbles are gone.
- Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This is very important for the right texture!
- If you want, you can add fresh parsley on top.
- Watch your family’s eyes light up as you serve them this comfortable meal.
The revelation that revolutionized my Chicken Spaghetti Recipe forever came after a particularly disastrous potluck where my casserole turned out soggy and uninteresting. Determined to do better, I started experimenting with the most fundamental part – the pasta itself. I discovered that cooking the spaghetti for exactly two minutes less than the box directions made an incredible impact in the final dish. The pasta should be pretty firm when you drain it, nearly uncooked to the bite.
This small undercooking helps it to finish in the oven without becoming soggy, retaining that perfect al dente texture that makes each forkful delightful rather than mushy. When my pasta-particular father-in-law requested for seconds and then the recipe after years of patiently eating my prior renditions, I knew I’d finally broken the formula.
Another game-changing tactic includes how I handle the cheese. Rather of stirring all of it into the mixture, I now reserve about a third just for topping. In each dish, this makes two different cheese experiences: the cheese that melts perfectly into the creamy sauce for richness throughout, and the lovely golden top layer that gets a little crunchy in the oven and makes the most delightful texture contrast.
Changes
Choices for Pasta:
- Spaghetti to linguine or fettuccine
- Pasta with gluten → Pasta without gluten
- Penne or rotini instead of spaghetti
- Old-fashioned → Whole wheat pasta
- Standard → Broken spaghetti pieces for kids under 5
Protein Swaps:
- Rotisserie chicken → Chicken breasts that have been poached
- Chicken → Leftover turkey (excellent post-Thanksgiving!)
- Shredded chicken → Canned chicken in a pinch
- Regular chicken → Ground chicken (brown it first)
- Poultry → Cooked shrimp for a seafood twist
Creamy Components:
- Cream of chicken soup → Cream of mushroom or celery soup
- Canned soup → Homemade white sauce
- Sour cream → Plain Greek yogurt
- Regular → Light cream cheese
- Full fat → Reduced fat choices
Vegetable Variations:
- Bell peppers → Celery for similar crunch
- Standard → Add mushrooms or peas
- Regular → Include broccoli florets
- Basic → Mix in spinach at the end
- Onions → Shallots for milder flavor
Chicken Spaghetti Recipe Variations
Southwest Fiesta:
- Add a can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
- Mix in corn kernels
- Use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar
- Add chopped cilantro instead of parsley
- Top with chopped avocado and lime wedges when serving
- Max calls this “taco spaghetti” and demands it constantly!
Italian-Inspired:
- Replace the Rotel with a can of diced tomatoes with Italian herbs.
- Put in one teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- Add sliced black olives to the mix.
- Use mozzarella and parmesan instead of cheddar
- Sprinkle with fresh basil after baking
- Perfect for when we want something somewhat less “Southern”
Buffalo Chicken Twist:
- Add ⅓ cup buffalo sauce to the mixture
- Use blue cheese or ranch dressing instead of sour cream
- Top with crumbled blue cheese instead of cheddar
- Garnish with sliced green onions
- Not too spicy but has that amazing buffalo flavor the adults love
Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti:
- Omit the Rotel tomatoes
- Add steamed broccoli florets
- Use alfredo sauce instead of cream of chicken soup
- Add ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Mix in a handful of frozen peas toward the end
- This variation converted our broccoli-skeptical neighbor kid!
Equipment For chicken spaghetti recipe
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Large large skillet or Dutch oven
- 9×13 baking dish
- Colander to drain pasta
- Use a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula to mix.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife and cutting board
Storage Tips
Refrigerator Storage (3-4 days):
- Allow leftovers to cool completely before refrigerating
- Cover the original baking dish with foil or transfer to airtight containers
- Store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator
- The flavor actually enhances overnight as the flavors mingle!
Reheating Magic:
- Individual portions: Microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through
- Whole casserole: Cover with foil and bake at 325°F for 20-25 minutes
- Add a splash of milk or chicken broth if it appears dry
- Finish uncovered for a few minutes to re-crisp the top
Freezer Strategies (up to 3 months):
- For optimum results, slightly undercook the pasta if you know you’ll be freezing
- Cool completely before freezing to prevent ice crystals
- Portion into family-sized or individual containers for flexibility
- Wrap well in plastic wrap, then foil, or use freezer-safe containers
- Label with date and reheating instructions (your future self will thank you!)
Easy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz 340 g spaghetti
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or diced – rotisserie works great
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can 10.5 oz / 300 g cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup milk or heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella / Colby Jack
- ½ tsp salt adjust to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika optional
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning optional
- Fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
- In a large pan, heat oil and sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in cream of chicken soup, broth, and milk until smooth.
- Add chicken, seasonings, and cheese. Stir until melted and creamy.
- Add cooked spaghetti and toss until fully coated.
- Simmer 3–5 minutes, then serve warm.
Thawing & Reheating Frozen Portions:
- Best way: Put in the fridge overnight to thaw.
- Reheat covered at 350°F until center reaches 165°F (approximately 30-45 minutes)
- If reheating from frozen, add around 20 more minutes and check the center
Questions and Answers
What are the ingredients for Chicken Spaghetti?
The fundamental components of Chicken Spaghetti Recipe include cooked spaghetti noodle, shredded chicken, and a creamy sauce often made with ingredients like cream of chicken soup, diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel), cheese, and additional seasonings. Most variations typically contain sautéed veggies like onions and bell peppers. The particular ingredients vary by location and family custom, but these essential constituents produce the perfect combination of creamy, cheesy comfort with just enough texture and flavor variance to keep each bite fascinating.
Do you put cream cheese in chicken spaghetti?
Cream cheese isn’t conventional in all forms, but it’s my secret weapon for generating that velvety, luscious texture that sets superb Chicken Spaghetti Recipe different. I add roughly half a brick (4 ounces), softened and sliced into tiny pieces so it melts evenly into the sauce. It creates a smooth consistency that coating every strand of spaghetti flawlessly. Some older family recipes might not contain it, but once you try it, you’ll never go back to preparing it without its creamy ingredient!
Is chicken tetrazzini the same as chicken spaghetti?
While they have similarities, chicken tetrazzini and Chicken Spaghetti Recipe are unique recipes. Chicken tetrazzini often has a more pronounced mushroom taste, commonly includes wine in the sauce, and frequently features a breadcrumb topping. It has Italian-American origins and tends to be slightly more refined. chicken spaghetti recipe, especially Southern variants, frequently adds chopped tomatoes with green chiles, and has a more clearly “comfort food” approach with its copious use of cheese throughout. Both are great, but chicken spaghetti tends to be more kid-friendly and suited to informal family dinners.
What sauce works best with chicken pasta?
For Chicken Spaghetti Recipe particularly, the creamy sauce created from cream of chicken soup, diced tomatoes with chiles, and cheese makes the perfect match to the mild chicken flavor. For different chicken pasta recipes, you might choose alfredo sauce for a rich, indulgent meal; a light olive oil and garlic sauce for something fresher; or a tomato-based sauce with extra vegetables for a more balanced option. The beauty of chicken is its adaptability – it matches well with practically any pasta sauce, from creamy to tomato-based to light and herbal.
A Comforting Classic Your Family Will Request Again and Again
This chicken spaghetti recipe has become so much more than just a dinner in our household – it’s a ritual, a comfort, and sometimes even a celebration. There’s something almost magical about how a simple combination of pasta, chicken, and creamy sauce can bring people together around the table, generating those priceless moments of connection that we all need, especially on busy weeknights when life feels particularly frantic.
Looking for more family-approved comfort dishes that bring everyone to the table? Our The Best Creamy Tuscan Chicken combines delicate chicken with a sun-dried tomato cream sauce that tastes like it came from an Italian restaurant. When you need a simple yet stunning pasta dish, our Easy Creamy Tomato Pasta delivers rich, velvety flavor in less than 30 minutes. And for a hand-held meal alternative that disappears in minutes, try our Easy Cheesy Garlic Chicken Wraps that blend crispy exteriors with gooey, savory cores.
Don’t forget to share your chicken spaghetti dish creations with us! Let us know how your family loved this comfortable favorite. As Max says whenever this dish arrives on our table, “The best kind of dinner is one that feels like a hug!” – and this chicken spaghetti recipe offers that feeling in every bite.