Chicken Spaghetti

This easy dinner recipe combines tender chicken with spaghetti, bell peppers, and mushrooms in a delicious spicy Rotel and Velveeta cheese sauce. Pour into a baking dish, top with more cheese, and bake the chicken spaghetti casserole to bubbly cheesy perfection in under 30 minutes!

The first time I tasted chicken spaghetti was at a church potluck, and I’ve been hooked ever since. The recipe for that first dish, and many others since, was a simple one – cooked pasta, a can of Rotel tomatoes, a can of chicken breast, and a can of cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup. Always popular with a crowd.

Then one evening at Orlando’s Restaurant in Lubbock, I had a different version of the dish that made my heart sing! As I don’t get back to Lubbock very often, I knew I was going to have to figure out how to recreate this masterpiece. My good friend Todd gave me a recipe to try, and I looked at several others online as well. What I’ve come up with is, I think, a really good attempt at the restaurant version, but I will probably continue to tweak it over time.

Recipe Ingredients and Variations

Boneless Chicken. Chopped into bite-sized pieces

Spaghetti. Spaghetti is what is typically used for this dish, but I will occasionally substitute linguine. Any pasta would work, of course, since it’s a casserole!

Veggies. A combination of baby bella mushrooms, onion and green pepper add great texture and flavor.

Rotel Tomatoes. The Orlando’s version did not have Rotel, but I kept those because I really like the flavor combination. Choose your preference of mild or spicy tomatoes.

Heavy Cream. For the most rich and decadent cheese sauce.

Velveeta. You might roll your eyes at using Velveeta, but it’s perfect to get just the right cheesy sauce.

Salt and Pepper. We prefer zesty adobo salt and freshly ground black pepper. But regular salt and pepper will do just fine!

Mozzarella Cheese. Purchase your choice of shredded cheese or hand grate fresh mozzarella.

How to Make Chicken Spaghetti

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions to just al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Sauté the chicken and cut into small chunks. Saute chopped onion and green bell pepper until just starting to become transparent. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft.
4. In a separate, small saucepan, heat the heavy cream on low until it just begins to bubble. Add Velveeta cubes and continue to cook, stirring until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add Rotel tomatoes and stir to combine.

5. In a large bowl, add the cooked and drained pasta, the chicken, and the vegetables. Pour the cheese sauce over all and gently stir to mix the ingredients.

6. Pour the pasta mixture into your baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted, and the sauce is beginning to bubble.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let me know what you think of my take on this classic.

More Recipes to Try

• Red Pesto Pasta
• Sloppy Joes for a Crowd
• Spaghetti Casserole
• Tex-Mex Meatloaf

Chicken Spaghetti

Recipe by Pennie Saadallah

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

224

kcal

Total time

45

minutes

This easy dinner recipe combines tender chicken with spaghetti, bell peppers, and mushrooms in a delicious spicy Rotel and Velvetta cheese sauce. Pour into a baking dish, top with more cheese, and bake the chicken spaghetti casserole to bubbly cheesy perfection in under 30 minutes!

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Ingredients

• 6 oz 6 boneless chicken

• 6 oz 6 spaghetti

• 1 small 1 onion chopped

• 1/2 1/2 green bell pepper chopped

• 4 oz 4 baby bella mushrooms chopped

• 10 oz 10 Rotel tomatoes

• 1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 heavy cream

• 3 oz 3 Velveeta cubed

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 adobo salt or regular salt

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 freshly ground black pepper

• 4 oz 4 mozzarella cheese grated

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• Cook pasta according to package directions to just al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Sauté the chicken and cut into small chunks. Saute chopped onion and green bell pepper until just starting to become transparent. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft.
• In a separate, small saucepan, heat the heavy cream on low until it just begins to bubble. Add Velveeta cubes and continue to cook, stirring until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add Rotel tomatoes and stir to combine.
• In a large bowl, add the cooked and drained pasta, the chicken, and the vegetables. Pour the cheese sauce over all and gently stir to mix the ingredients.
• Pour the pasta mixture into your baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted, and the sauce is beginning to bubble.

Notes

Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, and taste delicious reheated. Perfect for a hearty lunch or second dinner later in the week.
The spaghetti casserole will freeze well before it is frozen. Assemble in a disposable metal pan, cover tightly with two layers of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Or bake uncovered from frozen for approximately 1 1/2 hours.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 224kcal

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