Chicken spaghetti casserole is one of the tastiest throw-together chicken pasta recipes in my arsenal. At the end of a long hard day when hungry tummies are rumbling, chicken casserole recipes come together quickly and taste amazing!
Yummy pasta recipes have long been a staple in the kitchen, and they help make wholesome chicken recipes nutritious flavor-heavy convenience meals. When you can toss them in the oven and settle in for the evening, life just gets a little better!
My family is absolutely crazy about this dish, so I have many versions. My stovetop chicken spaghetti is super quick and easy. If you prefer the casserole variety, my chicken spaghetti with rotel, chicken spaghetti bake, and crack chicken spaghetti are delicious! I hope you’ll try them all. ♥
Let’s make this!!
What I Love About This Recipe
This chicken spaghetti casserole recipe has a creamy cheesy sauce blend tempered with the flavor of a delicious multi-spice concoction.
It’s a quick and easy way to nurture your family’s love of spaghetti and change up your dinner routine at the same time. Here are some other reasons to love it!
- Wholesome nutritious meal
- Totally doable on a busy weeknight
- Unique crave-worthy flavor
- Cheesy change to tomato-based spaghetti
- Great bring-along for potlucks
Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Recipe Notes
Roux: Success depends on techniques, even simple ones. For instance, be sure to remove your roux from the heat when you add your milk/beer base to thicken up the sauce. Leaving it on the heat too long can scorch the flour and completely change the flavor of your sauce.
Toss It: Speaking of which, you’ll want to sauce your spaghetti pasta while it’s hot. The heat helps the sauce evenly coat and stick to the warm starchy pasta for a superior restaurant-style flavor.
Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Ingredients
- Spaghetti – Be sure to salt your pasta water. I like to use 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of water. The spaghetti pasta will absorb the salted pasta water as it cooks, essentially flavoring the pasta from the inside out.
- Veggies – You must sauté your veggies, preferably in butter. Sautéing veggies before adding them to recipes helps coax out their sweeter more mellow flavors and combats bitterness. Besides, it’s the first step in the recipe.
- Roux – Taking the time to heat your spices and flour for just a minute or two before moving to the next step makes you look like a Rockstar in the kitchen. First, it perks up your spices for an aromatic complexity you won’t believe. Second, it gets rid of that ‘flour’ flavor so your sauce tastes like you want it to.
- Cheese – So here’s the thing. There is something to be said for the convenience of pre-shredded cheese. It just works! But, if you want a super creamy sauce for this spaghetti casserole, then consider shredding cheese off a block. Pre-shredded cheeses typically have anticoagulants and stabilizers added to them which does affect their melting characteristics.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This recipe will stay fresh and yummy in the fridge for up to 4 days, if nobody knows its in there. Once people find it though, it tends to get gobbled up!
- Can You Freeze This?So, here’s the thing. Cheese sauce can sometimes be as finicky as pasta in arctic temperatures. If you must freeze, it’s best to only freeze the homemade sauce and make fresh pasta when you’re ready to throw it in the oven.
- Cheese sauce expands in the freezer, so leave room for expansion in the freezer-safe bag/container. It freezes best in the colder temperatures of a deep freezer and you’ll need to mix it well upon thawing. If there is separation, it may help to add just a little cream to retrieve that creamy texture again.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Making the casserole ahead of time can totally simplify a busy schedule. There isn’t a lot of work involved in getting this chicken spaghetti casserole recipe into the oven, so it only takes a few minutes. Using rotisserie chicken and pre-shredded cheese adds flavor and makes things even simpler.
Serving Recommendations
I like to serve this with a simple green salad dressed with my favorite balsamic vinaigrette or when it’s strawberry season, strawberry spinach salad.
At our dinner table, a meal isn’t complete without a side of bread! I love my copycat Olive Garden bread sticks, truly amazing garlic bread, garlic and herb Parker house rolls,or herb garlic bread with this chicken spaghetti.
How To Make Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
- Saute the aromatics and peppers. Sprinkle flour and add the spices and herbs.
- Remove from heat and whisk in milk and beer, add the chili sauce and cheese.
- Combine the cooked pasta, cooked chicken, and the sauce.
- Mix and transfer to a baking dish.
- Top it with cheese and bake.
***See the full instructions below.
Recipe Variations
Serving this chicken spaghetti casserole recipe just like it is usually made for an awesome meal. However, you can make some subtle changes that spice things up in the most convenient ways. Here are a couple of simple suggestions.
- Add pre-cooked crumbled bacon for an extra savory flavor enhancer
- Try adding chopped ham for a play on chicken cordon bleu
- Add a crunchy breadcrumb topping for multiple textures
- Toss in some frozen peas or broccoli to sneak in some veggies
Craving More Delicious Recipes?
I hope you’ll join our cooking family! Subscribe to Gonna Want Seconds and receive all our latest recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Absolutely free to you and we never share your email address.
TRIED THIS RECIPES?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
More Chicken Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Fajita Pasta
- Chicken Lasagna
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- 1/2 cup butter divided
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, ribs removed, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 (12 ounce) can beer
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups Monterey Pepper Jack cheese, - divided shredded
- 4 cups chicken, cubed or shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray an 11X14 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook spaghetti (16 ounces) in well-salted water according to package instructions just to al dente. Drain pasta well then add back to the pasta pot.
Sauce:
- In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter and saute onion (1), garlic (1 tablespoon), poblano (2), and jalapeno (1) over medium-high until onion is translucent but not brown.
- Add the remaining butter to the skillet and melt. When butter begins to bubble, sprinkle flour (1/2 cup), chili powder (1 tablespoon), cumin (1 tablespoon), coriander (2 teaspoons), and oregano (2 teaspoons) over the top and whisk over medium heat until evenly combined. Cook, stirring constantly, until spices become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat and slowly whisk in milk (2 1/2 cups) and beer (1 can). Return to medium heat and cook until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Reduce heat to low and stir in Worcestershire Sauce (1 tablespoon), chili sauce (1/2 cup), salt (1 1/2 teaspoon), pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and 1 1/2 cups Monterey Pepper Jack cheese.
- Pour sauce over pasta in the pot, add chicken (4 cups) then toss to coat evenly. Pour into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the remaining Monterey pepper jack and cheddar (1 cup) over the top. Bake in the preheated oven until heat through and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, garnish with cilantro (2 tablespoons), and serve.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
On your phone? Check the web story here.
Never would have thought of these ingredients but it was awesome and a definite make again! Husband suggested we trade chicken for smoked pulled pork next time.
Hi Carole! I’m happy you and your hubby enjoyed!
Love this sauce! The only change I made was I didn’t make it as spicy as the recipe calls for. I def have this recipe bookmarked! Thank you for sharing!
You’re so welcome Karen! So happy to hear you enjoyed <3