This Chicken Spaghetti is loaded with veggies and made with two cheeses for a flavorful and savory meal the whole family will love. It’s absolutely delicious.
If you love chicken pasta dishes, then you should try these Chicken Stuffed Shells or Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo With Grilled Chicken.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love this recipe for Chicken Spaghetti because it’s so yummy and also perfect for making ahead of time. This casserole pasta can be prepped for a busy night and then just popped in the oven for a quick and fabulous meal.
- TASTE: Rich, savory, and cheesy, this dish tastes so good. The onion, garlic, and peppers give it sweetness and amazing flavor.
- TEXTURE: Creamy and rich with melted cheese and juicy chicken, this Chicken Spaghetti is so satisfying. The pasta is perfectly cooked to an al dente.
- TIME: This takes about 30 minutes to make.
- EASE: It’s so easy to put this dish together. It uses simple ingredients and is perfect for meal prep.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken- You can use white meat or dark meat for this recipe. Chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken are great choices.
- Cheeses- I used both medium cheddar and mozzarella because they both add unique flavor and lots of gooey deliciousness.
- Heavy cream- This is the base for the sauce and is smooth and rich.
- Flour- This ingredient thickens the sauce.
- Chicken broth- This adds moisture while also adding flavor. You can use regular or low-sodium.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Make it spicy- Add some diced jalapenos, chipotles, or red pepper flakes to this dish to give it some heat.
- Substitute the chicken- Make this recipe with shredded pork, sausage, or beef for some variety.
- Make it gluten-free- Substitute the flour and spaghetti for gluten-free versions.
- Make it lighter- Using low fat cheese and half & half instead of heavy cream can make this dish a little lighter.
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
- Saute the vegetables. In a large pot, add the butter and let it melt over medium-high heat. Then add in the diced onion, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir for a few minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the flour and seasonings. Then add in the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir for about a minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Mix in the broth and cream. Now slowly pour in the chicken broth while continuing to mix. Once the sauce has slightly simmered and thickened, pour in the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer once more.
Pro Tip: Mixing in the broth will help deglaze the bottom of the pan for more flavor.
- Melt the cheese in the sauce. Now add in 1/2 of the cheddar and 1/2 of the mozzarella. Stir until melted and remove from the heat.
- Cook the spaghetti. Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water.
- Add everything together. Now add the cooked drained pasta, shredded cooked chicken, and canned tomatoes to the sauce. Stir just to combine.
- Bake. Transfer the pasta to a deep 9×13 inch baking dish. Add the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the cheese.
Recipe Tips
- Chop the vegetables small- Keep the veggies on the small side so they don’t overpower a mouthful of this tasty dish. They will also soften faster.
- Don’t overcook the pasta- Be careful not to overcook the spaghetti since it will bake more in the oven.
- Add the tomatoes last- Adding these near the end keeps them from cooking for too long and becoming too mushy.
- Broil it- Don’t skip this step as it creates a crisp, golden layer of cheese on top of the spaghetti that is so scrumptious.
FAQs
The best way to cook spaghetti is by placing it in a pot of boiling salted water. This allows the pasta to absorb the salty flavor as it cooks. Cook the spaghetti until it is soft, but still has some chew, also known as al dente. Avoid letting it get mushy as it will cook further when baked in this Chicken Spaghetti casserole dish.
Chicken Spaghetti is very similar to chicken tetrazzini in that they both use a creamy sauce, but tetrazzini uses wider noodles than spaghetti, such as linguine and fettucine. Also, the tetrazzini sauce sometimes uses white wine.
Serving Suggestions
This Chicken Spaghetti recipe is creamy, cheesy, and savory. It tastes amazing with breads, salads, soups, and vegetables.
- Breads: Serve this with some Rustic Bread (overnight), Sourdough Bread, Focaccia Bread, or Khachapuri – Georgian Cheese Bread.
- Salads: Start the meal with a green salad, like this Spinach Salad, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Broccoli Cranberry Salad, or Cucumber Radish Salad.
- Soups: Enjoy this Chicken Spaghetti alongside a bowl of Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, She Crab Soup, or Cream of Mushroom Soup.
- Vegetables: Pair this dish with some Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, Air Fryer Mushrooms, or Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Make the sauce and cook the pasta and assemble the components in the baking dish. Cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it.
Storing: Store any leftovers of this Chicken Spaghetti in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the oven or microwave.
Freeze: You can freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer safe casserole dish. Thaw in the fridge and heat in the oven until warmed through.
More Yummy Pasta Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes drained
- 2 cups cooked diced chicken
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the butter and let it melt over medium-high heat.
- Then add in the diced onion, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir for a few minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.
- Then add in the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir for about a minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Now slowly pour in the chicken broth while continuing to mix. This will help deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Once the sauce has slightly simmered and thickened, pour in the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer once more.
- Now add in 1/2 of the cheddar and 1/2 of the mozzarella. Stir until melted and remove from the heat.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water. Be careful not to overcook the pasta since it will bake more in the oven.
- Now add in the cooked drained pasta, shredded cooked chicken, and canned tomatoes. Stir just to combine.
- Transfer the pasta to a deep 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Add the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes then broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the cheese.
Nutrition
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Kellie says
Made this earlier this week. Mistakenly left the can of tomatoes out even though I had it open and sitting on the counter! I did the red bell pepper but can’t eat the green. I added a poblano instead for something green. Also added some carrot. I didn’t add the whole pound of pasta – maybe a little more than half. It was delicious and even better the next day. We really didn’t miss the tomatoes but I am sure it is a nice addition. Will be making it again and will add some mushrooms and maybe a little bacon. Thank you for the recipe!
Dina says
Wow Kellie I love how you improvised with what you had and made it work so wonderfully! Thank you for your awesome feedback 🙂
Lorrie says
Absolutely fantastic!!!!! Everyone in my family loves it and so easy to make!!!
Dina says
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for the feedback 🙂
Catherine says
Very easy to make. Picky hubby loved it
Dina says
Wow that is awesome Catherine! I am so thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner for you and your husband 🙂
JoAnn says
Looking good something I would cook to eat 😋
Dina says
Yes! I think you would love this recipe! If you give it a try let me know how it goes! 🙂
Bernice Carter says
Good
Dina says
Thanks for your feedback Bernice! 🙂
Christie says
SCORE!! Made this for lunch and it was amazing! My 20 yo son raved, and that’s saying something! Yum!!
Dina says
Wow that is amazing Christie! So glad to hear that you all loved this chicken spaghetti!