My chicken spaghetti bake recipe is the pasta recipe to end all pasta recipes, the chicken recipe to end all chicken recipes, the– okay, you get that I’m excited? Well, you should be, too! I take my chicken spaghetti recipes seriously. They should be tummy-filling without being dense. They should be savory with perfectly cooked noodles. They should elevate the chicken to newfound flavor heights.
Luckily, my chicken spaghetti bake recipe fits all those needs! This will rocket to the top of your favorite chicken pasta recipes list. Break out your baking pans, and let’s get to it!
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What I Love About Chicken Spaghetti Bake Recipe
In addition to the delicious, oven-baked heartiness, there’s so much to love about my chicken spaghetti bake recipe!
- Fully rounded flavor
- Great for make-ahead meals
- Crunchy cheese topping
- Decadent al dente noodles
Recipe Notes
I am not at all ashamed to admit that I call this my “crack chicken spaghetti bake.” It is that good. Those noodles. That tender chicken. The spices and a surprising pop of chili. The cheese. Trust me, friends — you’ll want to lick the baking pan!
Chicken Spaghetti Ingredients Notes
The ingredients in my chicken spaghetti bake recipe are straightforward spaghetti ingredients — well, mostly. It wouldn’t be a signature Gonna Want Seconds recipe if I didn’t throw in a few yummy surprises, eh?
- Chicken: This recipe calls for pre-cooked chicken — my favorite! Not only is it easier, but it also gives you a chance to use the flavor-infused storebought rotisserie chickens. I love my grocery’s garlic and lemon chicken for this recipe! If you’re wary of breaking down your rotisserie chicken, this handy guide should help ease your fears.
- Mushroom Soup:Â Cream of Mushroom has been around for as long as there have been canned foods — but don’t feel like you have to use the old staple! There are so many varieties of cream of mushroom soup now, from organic to gluten-free — or you could even make your own substitute with evaporated milk, flour, and mushroom stock!
- Chili Sauce: This chicken spaghetti bake recipe gets a great pop of pepper flavor and spice from chili sauce — not hot sauce! What’s the difference? Hot sauce is a combination of pepper’s notorious spicy element, capsaicin, suspended in a carrying agent like vinegar. Chili sauce has more bulk to it, using capsaicin as well as the chili pepper flesh and meat, as well as other spices and flavorings.
- Be kind to your mouth and definitely go for chili sauce in this recipe!
Spaghetti Storing Tips
Is this a casserole or is it spaghetti? Do you store it like you would noodles or like you would a baked dish? I answer all your questions here!
Can You Freeze This?
To stay on the safe side, I store my chicken spaghetti bake recipe like I would a normal spaghetti dish. Since noodles play such a prominent role in the meal, I don’t want to risk them losing their structure in the freezer’s low temps.
So I carefully cool off the leftovers, seal (either in an airtight container or coated in plastic wrap in the baking pan), and store in the freezer for up to two months. That way, the noodles don’t go all mushy and wonky on you.
Also, be aware of the heavy cream presence in this dish. Freezing milk-based sauces can sometimes cause the dairy to separate, but if you freeze your leftovers as quickly as possible (make sure your freezer’s temps are low, low, low!), you should avoid any separation yuckiness.
Make Ahead Tips
My favorite way to harness the beauty of make-ahead magic with this chicken spaghetti bake recipe is to make the whole dish through Step 5 ahead of time and freeze it per the instructions above. Then, when you’re ready to eat it, thaw it (in the fridge! This will help prevent milk separation), and bake according to the directions below.
I love having casseroles like this on hand when I know I’ll have a busy night but still want a homecooked meal. It’s such a great investment to buy some good, solid baking pans that have their own lids for this very reason!
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
My chicken spaghetti bake recipe can sit happily in the fridge for up to five days. That’s a whole week’s worth of workday lunches!
can’t think of anything better than knowing that my lunch break comes with a hearty helping of this stick-to-your-ribs treat! It tastes even better paired with some garlic bread or other crusty bread to scoop up the noodles. Yum!
Chicken Spaghetti Recipe Variations
Can’t get enough chicken spaghetti? Me neither! The pairing of tender chicken and equally tender noodles is just too good not to gobble up.
Can I Make This In An Instant Pot Instead?
Why does spaghetti in the instant pot taste so good? All that oven-baked goodness somehow finds its way into instant pot spaghetti! And I love making this into instant pot spaghetti and meatballs to give a fun twist to the old classic.
More Spaghetti Recipes
Spaghetti recipes have to be some of the most versatile concoctions ever to grace our kitchens. Looking for more? Give these a try:
- Spaghetti Recipe With Ground Beef – A quicker take on meatballs!
- Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe – Gotta go classic.
- Taco Spaghetti – Two great dishes in one!
- Mexican Spaghetti – Spices galore!
- Million Dollar Spaghetti – Yes, it is as good as a million bucks!
Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 2 cans cream of mushrooms soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 (15-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups jack cheese,- divided
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, cut into 1/2 cubes
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente and drain well. Return drained pasta to the pasta pot.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Saute the onions over medium heat, stirring often, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms to the onions and continue to cook until mushrooms are soft; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine cream of mushrooms soup, sour cream, milk, diced tomatoes, chili sauce, cumin, coriander, chili powder, pepper, and 2 cups of the jack cheese until smooth.
- Add the cooked chicken, vegetables, and the sauce to the pasta pot and fold until everything is evenly coated. Pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
We paired this with garlic bread. It’s a 5/5!
Oh that’s so perfect! Thanks Brenda 🙂