Baked Chicken Spaghetti
This baked chicken spaghetti combines tender chicken, spaghetti noodles, and a creamy, savory sauce baked under melted cheese. It’s a dependable casserole that serves easily, reheats well, and works just as nicely for weeknight dinners, leftovers, or freezer meals.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 608kcal
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles cooked according to package directions
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ cups yellow onion diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 21 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup (two 10.5-ounce cans)
- 14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes with green chilies juices drained
- 3 cups chicken shredded, (from either 3 large boneless/skinless breasts or 1 whole rotisserie chicken)
- 3 cups Colby jack cheese shredded, divided in half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large pot of water, boil your spaghetti noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and add to a large mixing bowl.
- While your pasta is cooking you will make your filling. In a large skillet, on medium-high heat, add the unsalted butter, diced onions, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Sauté the vegetables and spices for 5 to 6 minutes or until they are soft and translucent.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, turn the heat to low and add the chicken stock, and both cans of the condensed cream of chicken soup. Stir to fully combine all the ingredients until the condensed soup has thinned out and is smooth.
- To the large mixing bowl, with the cooked and drained spaghetti noodles, add the shredded chicken, petite diced tomatoes with green chilies and 1½ cups of the shredded Colby jack cheese. Mix together then add the sauce mixture. Stir to fully coat all the pasta and chicken with the sauce.
- Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture to the prepared baking dish. Add the remaining 1½ cups of shredded Colby jack cheese on top of the casserole.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken spaghetti is bubbly and the cheese is lightly golden. Allow the chicken spaghetti to rest, on the counter, for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to cool and slightly thicken up.
Notes
- For best results, this chicken spaghetti dish should be served hot. As it sits and cools beyond the 5 to 10 minute resting period, the sauce will be absorbed by the noodles.
- Use visual cues instead of the clock. When checking how long to bake chicken spaghetti, look for melted cheese with gentle bubbling around the edges. If the top browns too quickly or the center looks dry, it’s likely overbaked.
- Break the spaghetti before cooking for easier serving. Break the pasta in half or in thirds before boiling, if you prefer. Shorter strands make this creamy chicken spaghetti easier to scoop and serve cleanly, especially for potlucks and family-style dinners.
- Don’t worry if the pasta looks firm before baking. The spaghetti continues to soften as it bakes and absorbs the sauce, which helps the casserole hold together without turning mushy.
Nutrition
Calories: 608kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1370mg | Potassium: 552mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1503IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 394mg | Iron: 3mg