1.5poundschicken breastor more if desired - boneless, cooked and shredded
16ouncesspaghettibroken in 2-inch pieces
21.5ouncescream of chicken soup2 10.75-ounce cans condensed
10ouncesdiced tomatoes & green chilies
6ouncescream cheese
3cupsCheddar cheeseshredded - divided use (12 ounces)
¼cupheavy cream you can use milk if you prefer
1cuppeppers and onions mixed
Instructions
Cook the chicken breast, dice or shred it, and set aside.
If using fresh onions and peppers saute them until soft.
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 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.
Spoon into a greased casserole dish.
Top with remaining 1 cup 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.
Video
Notes
Try serving this with some Angel Biscuits.TipsChicken spaghetti with RoTel is super easy to make - and a little different from the bland recipes you often see. The tomatoes and chiles add a sharp, mildly spicy flavor that cuts the richness of the cheese and creamy sauce and balances it out nicely.
You can assemble this up to 3 days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge until you're ready to bake it.
This casserole freezes well for up to 3 months.
Put plastic wrap, parchment, or waxes 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.
Break the spaghetti up in 2 to 3 inch pieces before cooking - it's traditional!
Cook the pasta just until done. It will cook more (and soak up more flavor) as it baked.
You can skip the baking and just mix it all up in a skillet if you like.
VariationsChicken spaghetti with the RoTel in it is my favorite but this is a versatile dish with lots of potential variations!
Turkey, ham, and cooked ground beef are ALL good in this versatile dinner recipe.
Stir in pimento.
Saute some Bell peppers with the onions.
Top with breadcrumbs, crushed tortilla chips, or potato chips.