Chicken Spaghetti
Creamy Chicken Spaghetti baked with peppers, onions and cheese is the perfect family dinner recipe. This is one that is going to be on regular rotation, guaranteed.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Spaghetti. You could honestly make this chicken spaghetti casserole with any pasta shape but the spaghetti is delicious baked in the creamy sauce.
- Rotisserie chicken. To cut down on prep time, I use rotisserie chicken in this recipe. Cooked chicken breasts, chicken thighs or leftover chicken can also be used.
- Vegetables: Bell peppers, onion and garlic. Rotel tomatoes/canned tomatoes can also be added but I prefer the dish without them.
- Béchamel sauce. Instead of using canned chicken soup/cream of mushroom soup, I made my own béchamel sauce.
- Seasonings: I used smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt and black pepper. A seasoning mix like cajun seasoning or Italian seasoning can also be used.
- Cheese. I used sharp cheddar cheese but any cheese of your choice can be substituted. Mozzarella cheese is a great melting cheese but doesn’t offer a ton of flavor. Monterey Jack Cheese or Gruyere are both good options.
How to make Chicken Spaghetti
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil over medium-high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes. At this stage, the pasta won’t be fully cooked/al dente but it will continue cooking in the oven and you don’t want it to be over-cooked. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain.
- Make the sauce: Sauté the vegetables with the seasonings in a splash of olive oil until tender. Make the béchamel sauce according to recipe instructions then combine the cooked spaghetti, sauce, sautéed vegetables and shredded chicken. Add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Bake: Transfer the spaghetti to a baking dish or casserole dish. Top with the grated/shredded cheese and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dish is hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven and serve.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, this easy chicken spaghetti recipe a great dish to prepare in advance. Assemble the dish right up to the baking point, cover with foil and keep in the refrigerator overnight before baking. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I prefer reheating in the air fryer or oven but you can use the microwave oven too.
Serving suggestions
Although this chicken spaghetti recipe is a complete dinner on its own, we love serving it with a big green salad and some garlic bread. It’s also great with vegetable side dishes like broccoli, asparagus or green beans.
Servings: 6
Calories: 608kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500g) spaghetti
- 1 rotisserie chicken shredded, skin and bones discarded
- 2 red bell peppers finely chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 4 cups bechamel sauce
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded/grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390°F/200°C.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes then reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain.
- In a large skillet or frying pan set over medium-high heat, sauté the peppers, onion and garlic for a few minutes until softened then add the spices and cook for another minute.
- Combine the sauteed vegetables with the spaghetti, shredded chicken and béchamel sauce then stir until combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish/casserole dish and top with the cheese.
- Place the dish in the oven and allow to bake for 20 minutes until the dish is hot and bubbling and the cheese has melted.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 608kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1738mg | Potassium: 739mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1989IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 322mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Chicken Pasta Recipes
