This creamy, cheesy pasta dish (with a hint of spice) will be a weeknight favorite!
This chicken spaghetti recipe is hands down one of my families favorites! It has become a go to and worked its way into the dinner rotation at least twice a month. The cheesy sauce makes it a comforting meal but the touch of cayenne keeps things interesting. Even the pickiest of eaters will love this recipe!
Mom hack: sometimes (when my toddler is feeling extra picky) I sneak extra veggies into this meal. Just puree steamed veggies of choice (I use broccoli, cauliflower & carrots) in your blender. Then mix into the prepared cheese sauce before assembling your casserole. My kids are none the wiser. Even the grown ups can’t tell their getting extra veggies! 😉
Lets talk about ingredients:
Chicken – For this recipe I am using baked chicken thighs. You can use whatever your preferred chicken cut or left overs you already have on hand. Don’t feel like baking chicken before you cook dinner? Grab a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery and cut down the prep work!
Pasta – I typically use dried spaghetti noodles in this dish. I have tried whole wheat variations as well and it turns out delish!
Velveeta – Melts down flawlessly for the perfect cheese sauce with zero fuss. Could be substituted with 2% variety is desired. If you’re not a fan of Velveeta, you could use cheddar. I have not personally tried this but would recommend grating your own rather than using pre shredded.
Cream Cheese – Makes your sauce oh so creamy. If you prefer, you could substitute low fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel.)
Peas – I add frozen peas into my sauce just before assembly. These can go straight from the freezer into your sauce and bake perfectly.
Rotel – Rotel tomatoes and chilis add another facet to the cheese sauce. I opt for the original variety but you could play with different spice levels based o your families taste!
Cream of mushroom soup- Give me a can of condensed cream of something soup and I can do anything! I opt for cream of mushroom for this recipe. I have tried it with cream of chicken and it was great if that sounds more to your liking.
Shredded cheese – Creates a beautiful cheese topping on your casserole. You can use whatever your favorite is. I normally use mild cheddar or a cheddar jack blend.
Spices – garlic and onion powders create the base flavor of your cheese sauce. I add in a bit f cayenne to keep things interesting. Its just enough to give a good flavor without being too spicy. You can absolutely leave this out if you’re not a fan.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Boil water in a large pot and prepare spaghetti per package instructions. Drain and set to the side when complete.
- While your pasta is cooking, shred your prepared chicken if you haven’t already.
- In the same large pot, combine Rotel, soup, velveeta, cream cheese, garlic, onion and cayenne. Hat over medium-high heat stirring frequently.
- Once melted add peas, chicken, and pasta to the cheese sauce.
- Transfer thoroughly combined mixture to a casserole dish.
- Top with shredded cheese and bake for 20 minutes.
This recipe features a lot of pantry/fridge staples you may already have on hand. It requires minimal equipment (cause who wants more dirty dishes?) and prep. Making this a great weeknight meal!
The Best Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 2 cups Chicken prepared, shredded
- 1 lbs spaghetti
- 1 lbs velveeta
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can Rotel
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1.5 cups frozen peas
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheese I used cheddar jack
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Boil water in a large pot and prepare spaghetti per package instructions. Drain water and set to the side.
- While spaghetti is boiling, shred your precooked chicken, if you haven't done so already.
- In the same pot, combine Rotel, soup, velveeta, cream cheese, garlic, onion and cayenne. Heat over medium-high heat stirring frequently.
- Once melted and thoroughly combined, add peas, chicken and pasta to the mixture.
- Transfer contents of the pot into a casserole dish and top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes