Homemade Chicken Spaghetti is one of those easy, cheesy casserole dishes that is definitely one of our favorite comfort foods!
Tender chicken and pasta are tossed in an easy homemade cheese sauce and set to bake until golden and bubbly!
Serve this with a side of homemade garlic bread and a caesar salad for a perfect meal!
An Easy Casserole
I love this dish because it’s the ultimate comfort food and one that the whole family will agree on.
- This is a simple, filling, and satisfying chicken spaghetti casserole.
- There are two options for the creamy cheesy sauce:
- a homemade from scratch sauce
- OR a shortcut version for busy nights (both are listed below).
- Just like a traditional baked spaghetti casserole, you likely have all of the ingredients on hand!
- Prepping it is easy and even more so if you make it with rotisserie chicken or leftover Oven Baked Chicken Breasts!
Ingredients
CHICKEN: If you are making chicken spaghetti with rotisserie chicken, then there is no need to cook the chicken in advance. Just shred two cups and set aside. If you are using raw chicken breasts, you can make poached or baked chicken breasts (although I usually have a big batch of crock pot shredded chicken in the freezer for recipes like this).
SPAGHETTI: Use any long pasta you have on hand. Cook it al dente (which means firm so it’s just cooked) as it will cook more in the oven as the spaghetti bakes.
SAUCE: We love the from-scratch version of the sauce but if you’re really short on time, I’ve included a shortcut version too. Green or red peppers add flavor while cream cheese helps thicken the sauce. Use a sharp cheddar for the best flavor.
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
This is an easy chicken spaghetti recipe:
- Boil the spaghetti until it is al dente
- Make the cream sauce (per the recipe below) and cook until thick and bubbly. Add in the cheeses (remove the sauce from the heat before adding the cheese).
- Stir in the pasta, chicken, and tomatoes and place in a greased casserole dish.
- Top with more cheese and bake until bubbly!
Allow the baked chicken spaghetti to rest for five minutes to help the sauce thicken.
Short Cut Chicken Spaghetti Sauce
Short on time? Make a Short Cut Chicken Spaghetti Recipe! Try it with canned cream of mushroom soup, and a can or two of Rotel tomatoes instead! It will still be tasty and satisfying. Be sure to buy the Rotel without lime added!
Here’s a quick and easy shortcut sauce for chicken spaghetti:
- Sautee red peppers and onions.
- Add in one can of cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken soup) and 3/4 pound diced processed cheese (like Velveeta cheese). Heat until melted and creamy.
- Season with onion and garlic powders and pepper (the Velveeta and soup have plenty of salt already, so you may not need to add any.)
- Continue as directed in the recipe by adding bite-sized pieces of chicken.
What to Serve With Spaghetti Casserole: Serve up whatever your favorites to go along with an Easy Lasagna or Cheesy Chicken Casserole are. For us, that usually means a fresh green salad (or kale salad) and some dinner rolls or biscuits.
Leftovers?
Keep leftovers in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Can You Freeze Chicken Spaghetti? Chicken spaghetti freezes exceptionally well, so go ahead and make it in advance. Once you place it in the casserole dish, you don’t need to bake it first, just freeze it for up to four months.
Here’s a little trick: Line your dish with parchment paper and let it freeze solid, then transfer it to a large freezer bag. That way you don’t have to tie up your casserole dish for months. The chicken spaghetti is already pre-formed for the dish, so all you have to do is slide it back in when you’re ready to reheat.
You can cook this directly from frozen (but be careful, most glass dishes cannot go from freezer to oven). Cover it in foil to prevent the cheese topping from overcooking. Cook at 375°F for about an hour, or until it is piping hot throughout!
Baked chicken spaghetti is rich and super filling. It doesn’t need many fussy side dishes. I like to serve it with breadsticks or garlic bread, and a cucumber salad or fresh green salad dressed with vinaigrette for some color and crunch.
More Family Favorite Casseroles
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole – A fun twist on a favorite Italian meal!
- Easy Tuna Casserole – Classic and simple.
- Hamburger Casserole – Zesty beef and noodles!
- Salsa Chicken Casserole – Chicken and rice with lots of flavors!
- Eggplant Parmesan– Satisfying and delicious!
- Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole – Personal favorite recipe!
Homemade Chicken Spaghetti
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti cooked
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ green bell pepper chopped
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup light cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- salt and pepper
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes drained or tomatoes with chilis
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook spaghetti al dente. Drain well.
- Cook onion, garlic, and bell pepper in butter until tender. Add flour and seasonings. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in broth and cream a little bit at a time until smooth. Cook until thick and bubbly.
- Remove from heat, add parmesan cheese and half the cheddar cheese. Mix until smooth and melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine spaghetti, chicken, cream sauce, and canned tomatoes. Mix well. Spread in a greased 9x13 dish.
- Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta, it'll 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.
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 was fantastic! Only tweak I did was 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper since we like a little spice. Family loved it
My husband ordered this at a family diner in Little Rock and loved it. I tried it and loved it too. I had never heard of it before so I found this recipie to make it at home since it came up a few times afterward. I followed the directions exactly- I threw in half a leftover red pepper as well. It has much more flavor than the one from the diner! I used the rotisserie pre-cooked shredded chicken from Costco to save time since it’s moist and tender. I also made the Italian seasonings from scratch as listed here in the recipe. This time the cheddar was pre shredded, but the Parmesan was off the block. I will do both cheeses off the block next time as I found the pre shredded to be a little greasy when baked though it was a top brand. Will make again and again- that’s saying a lot since I’m fussy!!!
I am so happy you found our recipe, Sarah! Enjoy ❤️
Pretty darn delicious! Had to make a few tiny tweaks based on what I had on hand. Used several baby red and orange bell peppers instead of green and added some finely diced jalapeño to the sauté since the recipe mentioned using the chili tomatoes. Used heavy cream diluted with a little water (1/2 c cream/1/4 c water). Didn’t have quite enough parm and used white cheddar and extra sharp cheddar plus didn’t measure the cheese but eyeballed it and added all to the sauce. Without the cheese on top the exposed spaghetti gets a little crispy which I like. Used plenty of salt and pepper plus garlic powder. Was worried the sauce was too thin and it’d be bland but was really happy with the outcome! I try to not tweak recipes I review but followed as close as I could!
If I wanted to make this for someone else, after I add all the ingredients to the pan, can this be frozen and reheated for them a few days later?
How long would cooking be right out of the freezer?
Hi Melissa, this casserole can be frozen before baking. Take it out the day before it’s ready to be enjoyed and thaw in the fridge overnight. Then bake as directed, it might need a couple extra minutes if the casserole dish is cold from the fridge. I hope your friend likes it!
Absolutely delicious!!! The family wanted to try something new so when I found this recipe it was perfect this will definitely be added as a favorite dish.
What do you mean by light cream? Is half and half okay? Thanks!
Yes, half and half is perfect!
Also, is the cream sauce in the actual listing of recipe? The other day I pulled it up and there was a separate link. Today there is not. Thankyou.
Hi Jeanette, the cream sauce is listed in the ingredients & directions, there is no link.
Hi. Did you use parm in shake container or did you use fresh parm fresh parm already shredded in tubs ?
We used a block of fresh Parmesan and shredded it, but you can use any Parmesan you have on hand or prefer Let us know how this recipe turns out for you!
I’m a southern boy. I’ve been looking for a recipe that tastes like that potluck from my youth. This nails it.
Hello- Where can I find the recipe for the homemade sauce? Thank you!
It is just above the comment box, you can also use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of any page!
The “jump to recipe” doesn’t work nor do the buttons to increase the recipe.
Sorry to hear you are having problems with the recipe card, Echo! If you click ‘print’, you should be able to adjust number of servings.
Very delicious! First time I’ve ever made chicken spaghetti. Really loved the roux for this recipe. I’m not a big fan of creamed soups so this is perfect. I used heavy cream but added a little more chicken broth and grated my own cheese. .