This Easy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole is made with diced chicken breast, 3 kinds of cheese, diced canned tomatoes with green chilies, and a variety of seasonings. It’s hearty and loaded with flavor.
You’ll love the creamy spaghetti sauce and tender chicken in this Easy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole. Serve it with a fresh garden salad for a comforting meal.
Table of Contents
Show
Ingredients You’ll Need
- chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- Italian seasoning
- olive oil
- butter
- yellow onion
- garlic
- flour
- chicken broth
- milk
- spaghetti
- cream cheese
- cheddar cheese
- canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
- mozzarella cheese
- red pepper flakes and chopped parsley for garnish
(Note: Full recipe is at the bottom of the post)
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Dice the chicken and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and saute the chicken for 5-8 minutes or until done. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter, stirring to loosen the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and cook for about 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and toss to coat. Cook, stirring with a whisk for about 2 minutes, until you can no longer smell the flour and it begins to turn golden.
- Slowly add the chicken broth while continuing to stir. You want the roux to maintain its thick consistency as the broth is added. Add the milk a little at a time. Continue to whisk until combined and smooth. Leave to simmer and reduce while you cook the pasta.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the spaghetti and follow the package directions to cook to al dente. When the pasta is ready, transfer it to a colander to drain.
- Add the softened cream cheese to the simmering sauce and stir continuously until fully melted and smooth.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce cool slightly. Sprinkle in the shredded cheddar and stir to combine.
- Drain the diced tomatoes and add to the sauce along with the diced chicken. Stir well to combine.
- Stir in the drained spaghetti and then transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for about 15 minutes. If you like, the casserole can be broiled for a few minutes. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh parsley as desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Save time by using leftover or rotisserie chicken.
- Use penne or another medium-sized tubular pasta instead of spaghetti.
- Freshly shredded cheese is the best choice. Pre-shredded bagged cheese doesn’t melt as well.
- Make this dish your own by adding your favorite seasonings. If you like spicy food, add some cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
- This dish can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F, cover the dish with foil, and bake for 20 minutes before continuing with the baking instructions in the recipe.
How To Store Easy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
Leftover Easy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole should be cooled to room temperature, transferred to an airtight container, and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze the leftovers, place them in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place the frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight to defrost before reheating.
To reheat, place the leftovers in a baking dish, cover with foil, and gently heat in a 350°F oven until warmed throughout. You may have to stir in a splash of water or stock if it seems too dry. The leftovers can also be reheated in the microwave at reduced power until warmed through.
How To Serve Easy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
This dish is super hearty and comforting. Serve it with a fresh garden salad, thick slices of Italian bread, or buttery garlic bread.
Easy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
This Easy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole is made with diced chicken breast, 3 kinds of cheese, diced canned tomatoes with green chilies, and a variety of seasonings. It’s hearty and loaded with flavor.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 teaspoons garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup milk
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- red pepper flakes and chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Dice the chicken and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and saute the chicken for 5-8 minutes or until done. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter, stirring to loosen the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and cook for about 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and toss to coat. Cook, stirring with a whisk for about 2 minutes, until you can no longer smell the flour and it begins to turn golden.
- Slowly add the chicken broth while continuing to stir. You want the roux to maintain its thick consistency as the broth is added. Add the milk a little at a time. Continue to whisk until combined and smooth. Leave to simmer and reduce while you cook the pasta.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the spaghetti and follow the package directions to cook to al dente. When the pasta is ready, transfer it to a colander to drain.
- Add the softened cream cheese to the simmering sauce and stir continuously until fully melted and smooth.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce cool slightly. Sprinkle in the shredded cheddar and stir to combine.
- Drain the diced tomatoes and add to the sauce along with the diced chicken. Stir well to combine.
- Stir in the drained spaghetti and then transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for about 15 minutes. If you like, the casserole can be broiled for a few minutes. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh parsley as desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking
Leave a Reply