Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Bake is a comforting casserole the whole family looks forward to come dinnertime. Less complaining, more eating — a mother’s dream come true.
This recipe is destined to become a staple in your dinner lineup. It's made-from-scratch rendition, outshining the rest with real ingredients and a whole lot more flavor. You'll find it miles upon miles better than its dump-and-bake predecessor, and you will taste the difference. At its most basic form, Real Cheese + Real Vegetables = Real Good.
Serve this Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Bake with a side of easy homemade garlic bread and a house salad on the side!
CHICKEN SPAGHETTI INGREDIENTS
- Chicken - As far as the chicken goes, use this simple recipe for Baked Chicken Breasts. It's foolproof and delivers juicy, perfectly cooked chicken every single time. If you don't have time to bake your own chicken, plan ahead by purchasing a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
- Spaghetti - You can use standard-sized spaghetti noodles or thin spaghetti noodles.
- Cheese - For the best Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Bake, you'll want to trade in the Velveeta for real Cheddar. The kind that creates that creamy, dreamy, stretchy combo that only real cheese could.
- Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms
- Chicken Broth
- Half-and-Half
- Flour - All-purpose flour thickens the sauce and will give it body.
- Seasoning - Chicken Spaghetti Casserole has a Tex-Mex vibe to it thanks to the seasoning mix. It consists of Kosher salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder, and of course, don't forget the hot sauce.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
- Cook the Chicken - Before you begin making the sauce for your Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole, you'll want to have your chicken ready to go. Either shred the chicken or cut it into bite-sized pieces, whichever you find more preferable.
- Cook the Pasta - When cooking the pasta for your Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Bake, follow the package instruction for al dente. This means the cooked pasta will still have a bit of chew to it. You don't want the spaghetti to be completely soft because it is going to continue to cook in the oven with the sauce. And, don't forget to salt the pasta water! The pasta is at least half the casserole, and you want it to have as much flavor as possible.
- Sauté the Vegetables - Homemade Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Bake begins with a quick and easy sauce. It's creamy and smooth, with just the right amount of spice and seasoning. It begins with onions and bell peppers sautéed on the stovetop until softened. Then, the sliced mushrooms go in and they are cooked until softened as well.
- Add Flour and Liquid -The flour gets sprinkled over the vegetable mixture, and the chicken broth and half-and-half go in. The mixture simmers until slightly thickened.
- Combine All the Ingredients - Once the sauce is made, all you have to do is bring it all home! Add the sauce, the cooked spaghetti, the shredded chicken, and half of the Cheddar to a bowl, and mix well. Then, transfer it to a casserole dish and add the remaining cheese.
- Bake - The casserole bakes until melty and bubbly and it's almost ready to go. Allow the casserole to sit 10-15 minutes before diving. This will not only prevent you from burning the roof of your mouth, but it will also give the casserole time to set up a bit.
5 MORE CHICKEN DINNER IDEAS YOU'LL LOVE
- King Ranch Casserole is a hearty stacked enchilada casserole featuring shredded chicken, corn tortillas, hearty vegetables, cheese, and a creamy Tex-Mex sauce.
- Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is an American classic featuring melty Colby Jack cheese and a crunchy Cornflake topping.
- Chicken Taco Casserole is healthy and gluten-free! It's made with ground chicken, brown rice, black beans and fresh taco toppings like diced tomatoes, sour cream, and cilantro.
- Homemade Chicken Pot Pie features a delicious, savory filling of juicy chicken, tender vegetables, and a creamy gravy enclosed in a double-layer of flaky pie crust.
- Authentic Chicken Verde Enchiladas are made easy at home with shredded chicken, Monterrey Jack cheese, corn tortillas, and a scratch-made tomatillo sauce.
The best ever Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Bake featuring shredded chicken, spaghetti, Cheddar cheese, and an easy homemade sauce made with fresh vegetables.
- 2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
- 1 lb Spaghetti
- 2 tbsp Canola Oil
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 Green Bell Pepper seeded and diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper seeded and diced
- 1 Yellow Onion diced
- 8 oz Button Mushrooms sliced
- ½ c All-Purpose Flour
- 4 c Unsalted Chicken Broth
- 1 c Half-and-Half
- 2 ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 ¼ c Freshly Grated Cheddar Cheese separated
- 2 tsp Hot Sauce (optional)
-
Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a large, greased casserole dish. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a roaring boil and cook spaghetti noodles to al dente, according to package instructions. Do not overcook the noodles. Strain and add to a large mixing bowl, along with the chicken. Set aside until ready to use.
-
Add oil and butter to a large sauté pan with a fitted lid or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in bell peppers and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes or until softened. Add mushrooms, stir and cover for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the lid and sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture. Stir until the vegetables are evenly covered in a paste-like coating.
-
Begin splashing the chicken broth over the vegetables, stirring after each addition until the mixture begins to take on a pudding-like texture. At this point, add the remaining chicken broth, along with the half and half. Stir to evenly combine. Allow mixture to simmer for 5-7 minutes, until it has thickened slightly. Stir in salt, chili powder, garlic powder and black pepper.
-
Pour the sauce over chicken and pasta, along with 1 ¾ cups of cheese and the hot sauce. Stir thoroughly to combine and transfer to the baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the remaining cheese over the casserole and bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sides are bubbling. Remove from the heat and allow to cool 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Video
