BBQ Chicken Spaghetti

Creamy BBQ chicken spaghetti casserole is made with tender shredded chicken, Rotel, cream cheese, smoky barbecue sauce, and plenty of melted smoked Gouda. It’s an easy, cheesy family dinner and a delicious way to use leftover BBQ chicken.

Course Main Dish - Chicken, Main Dish (Quick and Easy)

Cuisine American - Southern

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 852kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

3 cups cooked shredded BBQ chicken breast I make this in bulk, please see video
16 ounces spaghetti cooked
21 ounces cream of chicken soup 2 - 10.5 ounce cans
¼ cup milk you may need more
⅓ cup BBQ sauce your favorite
10 ounces Rotel tomatoes undrained
6 ounces cream cheese
3 cups smoked Gouda shredded and divided
1 cup diced onion sautéed
6 slices bacon cooked until crisp

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water according to the package directions, stopping at al dente. Drain well
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, combine the cream of chicken soup, ¼ cup milk, BBQ sauce, Rotel with its juices, and cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
Stir in the sautéed onion and about 2 cups of the smoked Gouda. Continue stirring over low heat until the cheese is melted. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more milk, a tablespoon or two at a time.
Add the shredded BBQ chicken and cooked spaghetti. Toss until everything is evenly coated in the sauce.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup smoked Gouda over the top.
Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly around the edges and the cheese on top is completely melted.
Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This gives the sauce a chance to settle back into creamy casserole territory instead of immediately fleeing across the plate like it has outstanding warrants.
Sprinkle 6 to 8 slices of crisp, crumbled bacon over the casserole just before serving. Adding it at the end keeps the bacon crunchy instead of letting it soften in the creamy sauce.

Notes

Storage:

Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze baked or unbaked up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

You can also assemble up to 1 day ahead of time and bake when ready.

Tips:

I like to break the spaghetti in thirds before cooking. It makes the finished casserole much easier to mix, scoop, and serve. No one needs a three-foot noodle making a break for freedom.
Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. The sauce thickens slightly and clings to the spaghetti better, plus you’re less likely to remove the roof of your mouth with molten Gouda. A small but meaningful victory.

Nutrition