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 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.
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🍽️ 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?
Becky Crocker says
Love this chicken recipe. Very cheesy. And yes comfort is wonderful.I like it best with spicy 🌶️ tomato’s. And your expert tip about cooking the chicken makes it so easy, thanks. Happy Birthday.🥳
Lynda B says
Hi Marye!
I'm on my way to the grocery store to buy cream cheese and Rotel! There is only 2 of us, but now I know what to do with the excess! I'll share it! (my husband doesn't like leftovers) Love your recipes!!
Susie A Hartley says
How can I make this so it would be low carb? Can I use Alfredo sauce for the sauce?
Marye says
You could use spiralized zucchini. That's what I used to do. I would't use alfredo because of the parmesan.
Terrie says
I'm going to make this tomorrow but I'm going to substitute my homemade salsa for the Rotel since that's what I have on hand! Tks for the recipe!
Adella Lear says
OK, Marye--as I write this, my husband and I are finishing up a huge vat of your Taco Spaghetti recipe. Delicious!!! This chicken spaghetti will be the next recipe on our pasta roll (which seems to be happening more frequently!!!).
Would using whole wheat pasta in any of your pasta recipes make it less caloric? My knees don't like to exercise!!!
I've been drooling over all of your bread recipes, too...but get so disappointed when the recipe calls for the paddle blade on a mixer. You guessed it!!! We don't have one, and newly onset hand arthritis make no-knead breads sound even better, for sure!!!
We are in the heart of the Hill Country here in Texas, and if you haven't seen the wildflowers lately, this year's abundant crop are absolutely gorgeous!!!
Love following your posts and recipes--and have shared many with my sister who only does easy and good recipes for her family. Keep up the good work!!!
Adella Lear in Marble Falls, TX
Marye says
Oh you live in one of my favorite areas! You could use whole grain pastas but it does change the texture and you really don't save calories - you do add a little fiber. You could try using healthy choice soups or reduced calorie products. Personally I only make it once in awhile and I only eat a little.