This Super Easy Chicken Spaghetti is definitely going to be a favorite at your dinner table. A few pantry staples and some leftover chicken is all you need for this fast, fabulous weeknight fare!
“Chicken Spaghetti” may conjure images of a chicken-Parmesan-inspired recipe: a simple (boring) chicken breast resting atop a mountain of pasta, bathed in marinara.
This hearty and flavorful dish is no chicken spaghetti with red sauce, though. My Chicken Spaghetti is the go-to recipe for a super creamy, super cheesy, quick chicken dish that offers all the comfort of a cozy casserole made right on your stovetop.
What is Chicken Spaghetti?
While you may not have heard of Chicken Spaghetti before, it’s popular among casserole queens and comfort-food-connoisseurs, partially because it’s such a customizable recipe but also because it’s just so darn good!
It’s a variation on tetrazzini, a classic American dish that usually has turkey and a béchamel or cream sauce (with a splash of sherry, because why not), sprinkled with cheese, and baked in a casserole dish until warm and bubbly.
SAVE THIS CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
TO YOUR PASTA OR DINNER BOARD FOR LATER
WE’D LOVE TO BE FRIENDS ON PINTEREST! WE’RE ALWAYS PINNING TASTY RECIPES!
What Ingredients Do You Need To Make Chicken Spaghetti?
I take a little help from some handy pantry items to make a sauce that’s not only delicious but easy to get on the table in about 30-40 minutes. Honestly, waiting for the pasta water to come to a boil will take longer than putting this whole thing together!
The basics for a Chicken Spaghetti recipe are similar: cooked pasta mixed with cheese and canned cream soups (infinitely easier than making a butter/cream sauce!), with creative additions that reflect the tastes of its maker.
Signature ingredients can include onions and celery, pimentos, or green peppers, all of which are found in the chicken spaghetti Pioneer Woman makes. Rather than the subtle taste of pimentos, I choose to use canned tomatoes with green chilis, since I always like to spice things up when I can.
Honestly, I really AM a fan of veggies, but even after cooking they’re all a little bit crunchy and really compete a bit with the creamy perfection of the overall dish, so I leave them out of my version.
The chicken spaghetti Paula Deen makes has some of the same veggies, plus fresh mushrooms (which I don’t include for the texture reasons I’ve already mentioned), but she also uses angel hair pasta instead of thin spaghetti. While the difference in pasta size is only a small one, the thin spaghetti holds its own a little better, suspended beautifully in the luscious sauce, than the fine strands of angel hair.
I’m pretty sure every warm pasta dish on the planet includes a generous cheese constituent, and that’s definitely the case in this Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti recipe.
Many versions include cheddar or Monterey Jack or make the chicken spaghetti with cream cheese. The texture of cream cheese in particular changes when it’s heated, though and regular shredded cheese adds flavor but doesn’t really incorporate as well with all the cream soups going on.
I decided to make a substitute in this dish with everyone’s favorite fool-proof melting companion and make my Chicken Spaghetti with Velveeta.
In my experience, nothing else melts as smoothly or preserves that rich, “velvety” consistency.
How Do You Make Chicken Spaghetti?
Based on these ingredients, you can probably imagine how a traditional Chicken Spaghetti gets put together: begin with a veggie saute while a neighboring pot bubbles away with the pasta; mix all the ingredients in a big bowl, then transfer them to a casserole dish for a warming trip through the oven.
Did you count all those dishes? I don’t know about you, but even those “soft on your hands” dishwashing detergents don’t make me enjoy washing lots of pots and pans after dinner (especially those stubborn casserole dishes that seem to be perpetually soaking in my sink).
My recipe is all made on the stove top, in one pan, which not only makes my Chicken Spaghetti easy but also helps get it on the table quicker. And, repeat after me, “One pot dinner is always a winner!”
Okay, MAYBE you want to add a simple green salad or steamed veggie to really call it a complete meal, but this is definitely going to be a recipe to add to your repertoire.
Your family will be so thankful, you may just get some help with those dishes!
Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Thin Spaghetti
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
- 1 pound velveeta, cut into cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1/4 Cup to 1/2 cup milk divided
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook pasta in well-salted water, according to package instructions just until al dente. Drain. Dry out pot to use for the sauce.
- While the pasta drains, add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, drained tomatoes, Velveeta, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup milk to the dried pasta pot.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often so the sauce doesn't burn until the Velveeta is melted and sauce is smooth. Add more milk, if needed, to thin the sauce a bit.
- Add cooked pasta and chicken and combine until evenly coated. Serve.
Nutrition
Recipe Notes For Chicken Spaghetti:
Tomatoes – I like to use a couple of cans of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies or Rotel. Just make sure they’re drained well so you don’t dilute the sauce. Feel free to use a mild or spicy version based on your own taste, of course. No judgment here.
Chicken – Want to make an extra easy Chicken Spaghetti casserole? Use a rotisserie chicken to make the prep time even faster! If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken on hand, though, just simmer 2-3 boneless chicken breasts in a large pan, in well-salted water (to make sure they come out nicely seasoned), while the pasta water is coming to a boil. They’ll be cooked and cooled by the time you’re ready to add them to the pot.
Crispy Crunchy – If you have the time (and inclination to wash an extra pan) and crave a little extra texture in the dish, you can go the casserole route and make an easy crunchy topping. One of my favorite tricks is crushing a bag of seasoned croutons! Just spoon the finished spaghetti into a lightly-greased casserole dish, sprinkle with crushed croutons, and bake under your broiler just until the crumbs start to brown a bit. You can also toss ¾ c. of panko breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and do the same thing.
Pasta – As I’ve already mentioned, this is a great way to use your pantry staples for a quick and amazing dinner. If you’re out of thin spaghetti, there’s no need to make a special trip to the grocery store. You can substitute regular spaghetti, linguini, or fettuccini, and even something small like macaroni will do in a pinch. You can also use whole wheat pasta as a healthier alternative.
Leftovers – This Chicken Spaghetti recipe definitely makes a decent amount, so you can freeze any leftovers. I would recommend putting it in an 8×8” lightly greased casserole dish for freezing. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it completely, and reheat the dish covered in foil to help retain the moisture. Pasta leftovers can be a little dry, so you might want to drizzle 3 – 4 tablespoons of milk or chicken stock over the top first to make sure it stays nice and creamy.
Check Out these Spectacular Pasta Recipes!
- Slow-Roasted Tomato Sauce and Spaghetti -Infused with flavors of the caramelized tomatoes and garlic, simply delicious!
- Crock Pot Spaghetti – Family favorite easy to make a meal, coated with a hearty meat sauce!
- Million Dollar Spaghetti -Super easy to put together and has a center layer of creamy, gooey cheese!
- Chicken Riggies – This famous Italian-American pasta will rock your world! In Chicken Riggies, a thick tomato cream sauce smothers marinated chicken and veggie-rich rigatoni.
Cathrynne Vaughan says
July 16, 2019 at 9:38 pmThanks for all the explanation about why which ingredient is used; very helpful. Going shopping!
Kathleen says
July 17, 2019 at 1:06 pmHi, Cathrynne! Yay! We love this recipe, I hope you do too! Let us know how it turns out. Enjoy shopping! 🙂
RoXie says
May 8, 2019 at 5:52 amDo you use one or two cans of Rotel? Do you drain them? It says to use one can in the ingredients list but under recipe notes it says that you use a couple of cans. I want to make this sometime soon. It sounds so good!
Kathleen says
May 20, 2019 at 11:59 amHi RoXie! I use 1 (10 Ounce) Can Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chile Peppers, Drained. <3
Ginger Richard says
April 2, 2019 at 2:33 pmI will make this recipe for dinner tonight.
Kathleen says
April 3, 2019 at 11:34 pmOh, I’m so glad you’re going to try this! It’s quick, easy and total comfort food! <3
Mary Mckenzie says
December 11, 2018 at 3:38 pmLove, love this recipe…..I added 1/2 cup of sliced black olives once and it was very good.
Kathleen says
December 13, 2018 at 12:29 amI’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Mary! Olive sound like a delicious addition.
CJ says
September 28, 2018 at 7:24 pmI make a slightly different rendition of this for my family and they all love it. I use angel hair pasta instead of spaghetti…seems to not sit so heavy on the stomach 🙂 added fresh mushrooms once before as well.
Kathleen says
September 30, 2018 at 5:18 pmThanks CJ. Love angel hair pasta.<3
GobAnu says
September 2, 2018 at 10:52 amHi what are the red bits in the picture
Kathleen says
September 2, 2018 at 6:21 pmTomatoes 🙂
Olivia Brown says
August 27, 2018 at 9:13 pmI made this yesterday and the whole family loved it! Healthy and delicious recipe, I will definitely make it again!
Kathleen says
August 27, 2018 at 9:25 pmSo happy to hear it was a hit with your family too, Olivia!!
Joseph abell jr says
April 9, 2018 at 3:19 pmHow big of cans of the cream of chicken and cream if mushroom soup do u need
Kathleen Smith says
April 13, 2018 at 6:24 pmHi Joseph, just the regular size, 10.5 ounces 🙂
Samantha says
June 23, 2017 at 10:42 amThe recipe calls for 1/4 and 1/2 cup of milk divided but I only see 1/4 being used. What is the other 1/2 for?
Kathleen Smith says
June 26, 2017 at 8:51 pmHi Samantha. The remaining 1/4 cup is added, if needed, to thin the sauce. Sorry that wasn’t clear. I amended the instructions.
Victoria says
June 19, 2017 at 7:12 pmHow much garlic powder do you use? I only see it in step 2 of the instructions but not in the ingredient list.
Kathleen Smith says
June 19, 2017 at 7:50 pmHi Victoria! Sorry about that. That was a typo. I don’t generally add garlic powder to this recipe.