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!
- 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 a fresh salad—either a green salad or Caesar salad with this dish.
- 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 four 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
This easy cheesy Chicken Spaghetti recipe combines tender chicken and spaghetti in a quick and delicious cheese sauce.
Prevent your screen from going dark
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 cream, 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 a greased 9×13 dish.
Top with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- 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.
Calories: 518 | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 606mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 970IU | Vitamin C: 18.6mg | Calcium: 425mg | Iron: 2.1mg
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.
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