This flavorful chicken spaghetti combines onions, garlic, rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, and green chilies in a creamy cheddar sauce. It is quick and easy, always enjoyed by the family, and made without canned soup.
This recipe will quickly become a family favorite, perfect for busy weeknights or a comforting meal. It’s an easy weeknight meal yet hearty enough for ravenous appetites. Enjoy it with warm garlic knots, roasted broccoli, or olive garden copycat salad.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter: unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, reduce the seasoned salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Chicken broth: low sodium is best
- Cheese: any smoked, mild, or sharp cheddar
- Chicken: any diced or shredded cooked chicken.
- Rotel tomatoes: You can substitute any diced tomatoes with green chilies
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta well.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for a minute while stirring.
Sprinkle the mixture with flour and cook for a couple of minutes while stirring several times. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of chicken broth, seasoned salt, black pepper, and ground cayenne pepper. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar until melted. Add the drained spaghetti, cooked diced chicken, and drained Rotel tomatoes.
Top with the remaining cheddar and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese melts and the dish heats. For the best results, enjoy promptly.
Preparation Tips
- If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, transfer everything to a 9×13-inch baking dish after step #4.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, thin the dish with the additional chicken broth. Add a couple of tablespoons at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Don’t overcook the spaghetti. Cook according to al dente instructions as the spaghetti is baked in the oven.
- To add a little heat, increase the cayenne pepper a bit, add minced jalapeno, or add a little hot sauce.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many great options with this dish. Rocket salad, spring mix salad, and no-knead bread are a few of my go-to’s. For vegetable side dishes, I like roasted asparagus, green beans almondine, and glazed carrots.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat. You can add a little chicken broth to loosen up the mixture.
More Chicken Recipes
Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 5 tablespoons butter unsalted or salted
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2-3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded cheddar reserve 1/2 cup for the top
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ¼ teapoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2½ cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles drained
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta well.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Sprinkle the mixture with flour and cook for 2 minutes while stirring several times. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of chicken broth, seasoned salt, black pepper, and ground cayenne pepper.
- Whisk in 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar until melted. Add the drained spaghetti, cooked diced chicken, and drained Rotel tomatoes.
- Top with the remaining cheddar and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the dish is heated. For the best results, enjoy promptly.
Notes
- If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, transfer everything to a 9×13-inch baking dish after step #4.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, thin the dish with the additional chicken broth. Add a couple of tablespoons at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Don’t overcook the spaghetti. Cook according to al dente instructions as the spaghetti is baked in the oven.
- To add a little heat, increase the cayenne pepper a bit, add minced jalapeno, or add a little hot sauce.
Krystle S
I love that it’s made with fresh ingredients like onions, garlic, and rotisserie chicken, and the creamy cheddar sauce without canned soup is such a nice touch.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Krystle!