Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
This family friendly quick and easy chicken casserole brings sweet bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, garlic and seasoned rotisserie chicken together in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: main meal pasta
- Method: stovetop/bake
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups (2% or whole) milk
- 1 (10 ounce) can mild diced tomatoes and green chilies drained
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 cups cooked cubed rotisserie chicken
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti according to box instructions and drain well.
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper and cook until starting to soften; approximately 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Sprinkle the vegetables with flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes; stirring frequently.
- Slowly stir in the chicken broth and milk alternating between the two. Stir in drained tomatoes and ground cayenne pepper. Cook until slightly thickened; approximately 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar and grated Parmesan in small quantities until melted. Add cooked chicken and continue stirring until heated through.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add cooked spaghetti to casserole dish. Pour chicken cheese sauce over the top of the spaghetti. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.
Notes
- You can use any kind of small to medium size pasta like penne, farfalle, elbows, thin spaghetti or angel hair. Whatever pasta you go with cook it slightly al dente as you will also be baking it.
- Green or orange bell pepper can be substituted for the red bell pepper.
- I like to use seasoned roasted rotisserie chicken but you can use baked, poached or even grilled chicken.
- You can make this casserole dish up to 2 days in advance. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Be sure to cook the pasta al dente. Reserve the shredded cheddar on the top until you bake it. Remove casserole 30 minutes prior to baking. Stir in 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or milk, top with reserved cheddar and bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.
- The ground cayenne pepper adds just a tiny touch of heat and flavor. If you love the heat add a little more than the recipe calls for.
- This casserole reheats remarkably well in the microwave on a reduced power.
Keywords: chicken spaghetti, chicken spaghetti with rotel, easy chicken spaghetti, how to make chicken spaghetti, southern chicken spaghetti
Find it online: https://www.smalltownwoman.com/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti/