We love dishes that are easily customizable and quick to prepare, and cheesy chicken spaghetti is no exception. Our recipe has you creating your own “cream of chicken”-style sauce rather than using the canned condensed soup for better flavor without adding too much work. Have leftover chicken? Use it up in chicken spaghetti! Love the convenience of shredded rotisserie chicken? This is a great use for it. Want a little kick of spice? Replace the diced green chilis with diced jalapeños. You can easily make this recipe your own by changing it to suit your own personal preferences. 

If you need dinner on the table even faster, try our 15 Minute Garlic Shrimp Linguine or our Penne Rosa for more quick-and-easy pasta recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • No “cream of” anything soups in our version!
  • Use leftover chicken, rotisserie, or even canned chicken. Or leave it out!
  • Ready for the oven in 15 minutes, and on the table in 45 minutes.
A close up view of a serving of chicken spaghetti being scooped out of the pan.

Like any good casserole, this is a versatile dish that you can easily customize to use what you have on hand. While our base recipe is absolutely delicious, we want to make sure you have all the options so that you can really maximize what you already have on hand, or what is on sale. This dish is meant to be flexible to accommodate different pasta shapes, various cheeses, and different levels of spice.

Ingredient Notes

An overhead view of the ingredients needed to make chicken spaghetti.
  • Spaghetti: is preferred, but you can also use linguine, fettuccine, or even penne.
  • Cheese: mix things up with Monterey jack, mozzarella, pepper jack, or a Mexican cheese blend.  
  • Onion: can use yellow or white, but can also omit it if preferred.
  • Bell Pepper: use any color, or substitute with two poblano peppers.
  • Diced Tomatoes: canned diced tomatoes are preferred for that preserved fresh flavor. You can also use mixed or spiced diced tomatoes, like Rotel, or tomatoes with roasted garlic. You can even use a jar of salsa.
  • Green Chilis: can be replaced with diced jalapenos or canned diced jalapenos to make it spicier.
  • Diced Chicken: use leftover diced chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken. You can also leave it out for a meatless meal.

Chef’s Tip

The two canned items used in this recipe are utilized because they are preserved rather than what we would consider processed food. Canned tomatoes are often preferred in cooking because canning preserves the freshness of tomatoes in a way that you just can’t get with shipping tomatoes to grocery stores. Garden fresh tomatoes are the only thing that beats preserved.

An overhead view of a plate of baked chicken spaghetti.

Storage and Reheating Instructions 

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. The USDA recommends that leftovers be consumed within 3 to 4 days. This recipe is not suited for freezing.

Microwave serving portions on high in 30-second increments until heated through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir in between to allow the pasta to heat more evenly.

Reheat on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium-low heat, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of water as needed to thin out the sauce. 

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