This cheesy chicken spaghetti with Rotel is a family favorite, loaded with gooey cheese, tender chicken, and Rotel tomatoes for a kick of flavor.
Table of Contents
🎥 Video: How to make chicken spaghetti
Watch how it comes together in just 30 minutes - perfect for busy weeknights or back-to-school chaos. It even freezes like a dream—just check the storage section for tips.
🧾 Ingredients notes
Cooked, boneless chicken thighs work as well as boneless chicken breasts if you prefer them, or you can shred the meat from a rotisserie chicken. I've even used leftover turkey in place of the chicken during the holidays.
If you don't have cream of chicken soup you can use cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, or cream of asparagus soup - they all work well. Or, make a homemade white sauce.
📖 Recipe
Southern Chicken Spaghetti with RoTel
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast, or more if desired - boneless, cooked and shredded
- 16 ounces spaghetti, broken in 2-inch pieces
- 21.5 ounces cream of chicken soup, 2 10.75-ounce cans condensed soup
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes & green chilies
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded - divided use (12 ounces)
- ¼ cup heavy cream, you can use milk if you prefer
- 1 cup frozen peppers and onions mixed, or use diced fresh
Instructions
- Cook the chicken breast, dice or shred it, and set aside.
- If using fresh onions and peppers saute them until soft in a skillet with a little olive oil or butter.
- Break the spaghetti into 2-inch pieces and cook until tender in boiling, salted water.
- Drain and set aside.
- Mix the soup, RoTel, and cream cheese in a microwave safe dish.
- Heat, stirring every minute, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Stir in 2 cups of the shredded cheese.
- Stir until smooth. You may need to add some milk or cream to thin it down if it seems too thick.
- Stir the chicken into the cheese mixture.
- Stir the pasta, onions, and peppers into the chicken and cheese mixture. Make sure all the ingredients are covered with the cheesy sauce.
- Spoon into a greased 13x9-inch casserole dish.
- Top with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese.
- You may stop here, cover with plastic wrap then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months or refrigerate for 2 days before baking.
- Bake at 350F 20 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
- Let stand for 5 minutes or so before serving.
Notes
- Put plastic wrap, parchment, or waxed paper over the top before sealing with aluminum foil or the acids from the tomatoes will react with the aluminum and it will taste awful.
- You can skip the baking and just mix it all up in a skillet if you like.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with chicken spaghetti
Keep it easy by choosing a few of these great side dishes for chicken spaghetti and some classic southern fried pies for dessert.
Dinner plans solved!
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🍲 Southern casserole culture
Homemade chicken spaghetti casserole is one of my favorites. It's creamy, rich, gooey, and cheesy - everything the ultimate comfort food should be.
This wasn't one of those things that my mom made, though.
This is a recipe that came from one of my neighbors when my kids were growing up -- I guess she took pity on me and my nightly dinners for 10 people or more.
A large family requires lots of food!
She brought a foil covered pan of this comforting casserole to my door one afternoon when I was SO exhausted, SO ready to quit, and SO full of "woe is me" that I was ready to bust.
It changed my entire day.
It's that simple. One dish of comfort food, one knock at the door at the right time, and someone suddenly has the energy to go on with life. Someone feels cared about.
Isn't that what makes life worth living?
Stacie Hall says
Excellent! I was able to cut tge recipe in half. It was the perfect amount!
Marye says
I am so glad you liked it Stacie - it's one of our favorites.
Sherri Rochester says
I make this recipe at least monthly. We love it. I use macaroni at times to replace the spaghetti noodles. I am taking it to my Church potluck on Sunday. Thinking of replacing the 'seasoning' with taco seasoning. Still rolling it around in my brain.... 💕 Love this 😋
Kate D says
Delicious! I added crushed red pepper and used the Hot Rotel 🙂
Claire deLun says
Literally a comfort food!! All the measurements are just about right but I added some jalapeno peppers as both my boys loves spicy. They chowed down like it is the end of the world and wiped out the entire casserole container. Added more cheese on top as broiling and toasting it is such a treat. Thank you for sharing
Hannah says
I made this for supper tonight and it was delicious! Tastes just like the ones I had at church potlucks growing up in southern Arkansas… it reminded me of my childhood in the best way. Ultimate comfort food!
Sarah Spiegelhauer says
It's a fantastic day to make this in Texas - it's been storming all day - what a perfect time for some comfort food. 🙂 I think we will have your chicken spaghetti and some Honey Buttermilk rolls 🙂 My kids beg me to make rolls with your Honey Buttermilk recipe - having them with this chicken spaghetti will make them think they are in heaven 😆 And what a great idea to add crushed chips to the top! I'm thinking Doritos will be the perfect addition! Thank you Marye for all of your recipes - every single one of them is a hit with my family. ❤
Kate Baird says
I love your creative, innovative recipes and ideas.
Can't wait to try this one. And love Angel Biscuits!
I can't wait to read your emails and to peruse the recipes.
Needless to say, you've caused my electronic recipe book
to expand by a thousand-fold!
Gayle Long says
This is one of my favorite go-to meals when I need to cook a meal my family loves but I don't have a lot of time to prepare. With the prep time, and cook time you can have a meal on the table in less than a hour. That is my kind of meal!
Tommie Ford says
I am looking forward to making this Chicken Spaghetti! The cream cheese is an interesting change. And thank you for adding the "how to freeze" information!
I also will make the Angel Biscuits per your suggestion. We have a restaurant that used to serve Angel Biscuits to every guest; sadly, this was changed after Covid. They were delicious.
I made your Crockpot Swiss Steak yesterday....it was so tasty that this is now my Swiss Steak recipe to use from now on! Thank you!
Nancy says
I love this recipe! It has become a favorite of my husband's, although it didn't start that way....I told him on the phone that I was making a new recipe, and he asked what. I said chicken spaghetti, and he went quiet. Ok, says my pickiest eater. Hmmm. So I made it up and he walked in the door while it was in the oven, with a frozen dinner. He says, chicken doesn't belong in spaghetti. Now I am mad, and saying Good, more for me! Then I take it out of the oven and he comes closer, that kinda smells good. He ate half that night. LOL
Carolyn says
Yum!
Family loved the recipe!
Jane Huber says
This is such a great meal! 😋
Jack says
This looks/sounds so good. I generally look at recipes as general ideas/suggestions only meant to head the cook off in a similar direction. I like your recipes and the suggestions that you make. You are not afraid to give alternate possibilities to those that choose to try. One can use good old math with recipes. (add, subtract, multiply and divide at will)
Judy Burrell says
Can I just use rotisserie chicken do instead of having to cook the chicken?
Marye says
Yes, absolutely!
Theresa Andresen says
Thanks for including the Time and Temp options. That always comes in handy (like if I want to make biscuits to go with the casserole).
Nancy Price says
I have a similar recipe without the Rotel, but think this will definitely be tastier.
Nancy Price says
I am looking forward to making this recipe. I have a similar recipe without the Rotel, but think this will definitely be tastier.