Easy Chicken Spaghetti - Budget Bytes (original) (raw)

Let me start by saying my husband requested that I make this recipe over my usual chicken pasta recipe that I’ve been making for 10 years!! I was appalled. But honestly, I can’t even blame him. This creamy Chicken Spaghetti recipe is a pasta lover’s dream. Tender chicken breast and spaghetti pasta are coated with a luscious cream sauce, then baked to perfection with extra cheese on top! I love an easy casserole that’s made with simple pantry and refrigerated ingredients, and this one now firmly has a spot in our weekly dinner rotation!

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“It was my first time making this fabulous chicken spaghetti! My family was so pleased with the way it turned out! We will absolutely make this recipe again!”

Ashley Zimmer

CREAMY Chicken Spaghetti WITH ROTEL

This is not the traditional spaghetti sauce recipe you’re probably familiar with. My chicken spaghetti recipe is made with a creamy, cheesy, super flavorful cream sauce that coats tender chicken and spaghetti noodles. Tangy Rotel tomatoes are also added to give it an extra pop of flavor and to balance the creaminess of the dish. The mixture is then placed in a casserole dish and baked until it’s gooey and bubbly around the sides. Great, now I’m sitting here drooling just thinking about it again!

1. I recommend cooking the spaghetti until al dente so it doesn’t become overcooked and mushy when baking in the oven!
2. I used 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. Together, they totaled about 1.5 lbs and took around 7-10 minutes to cook in a skillet. If you use larger or smaller chicken breasts, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
3. Use the same skillet that the chicken was cooked in to make your cheesy sauce! And no, you don’t have to wash it first! I can’t explain how much extra flavor those brown bits on the bottom of your skillet add. The melted butter and chicken broth will deglaze the pan and incorporate all of that flavor into the sauce.
4. Once you add the flour to the skillet, cook it for 2-3 minutes before moving to the next step. This cooks out the raw flour taste and creates a roux (for thickening the sauce) with the melted butter.

I opted for two boneless, skinless chicken breasts when making this recipe. But if your budget is tight, you can certainly use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead! You could also try using ground chicken (about 1.5 lbs) if that’s what you’ve got in the fridge. 😊

Cost 13.36recipe/13.36 recipe / 13.36recipe/2.23 serving

This creamy Chicken Spaghetti recipe is made with a cheesy, luscious, cream sauce and baked to perfection. A pasta lover’s dream!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Chicken Breasts

• ▢ 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, (about 1.5 lb total) $6.25)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.12)

Pasta

• ▢ ½ Tbsp salt (for the pasta water, $0.04)
• ▢ 8 oz spaghetti (uncooked, $0.62)

Sauce

• ▢ ¼ cup salted butter ($0.52)
• ▢ 1 onion (diced, $0.32)
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves (minced, $0.16)
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour ($0.06)
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth ($0.34 *)
• ▢ ½ tsp salt ($0.02)
• ▢ ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)
• ▢ ½ tsp Italian seasoning ($0.05)
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream ($1.36)
• ▢ 1 10oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles (drained, (Rotel) $1.00 ***)

Toppings

• ▢ 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded, (divided) $1.24 **)

• ▢ 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded, (divided) $1.24 **)

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Using a sharp knife, carefully fillet each chicken breast into two thinner cutlets. Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the four chicken cutlets to the skillet and cook on each side until golden brown and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes total). Remove the chicken to a clean cutting board, and allow it to rest.

• While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp of salt to the water then add the spaghetti pasta and boil until the pasta is tender (or al dente). Drain the pasta in a colander.

• While the pasta is cooking, start making the sauce. In the same skillet that the chicken was cooked in, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until onion is translucent.

• Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and stir with the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flour starts to turn golden brown.

• Slowly pour the chicken broth into the skillet and stir to fully dissolve the flour from the bottom of the skillet. The flour will start to thicken the sauce when it returns to a simmer. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and the heavy cream to the skillet. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

• After the chicken breasts have rested, chop them into smaller ½ inch pieces.

• Turn the heat off the skillet and add the drained diced tomatoes with green chiles, the chopped chicken, and the cooked spaghetti to the pan. Mix until combined.

• Add the chicken spaghetti mixture to a 9×13” casserole dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

• Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and cheese is melted.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

* Chicken broth combines with the roux to create a rich and thick sauce. And I always recommend using a good quality chicken broth because it adds a lot of flavor to your dish. I use Better than Bouillon to make my broth.

** Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese add depth of flavor to the casserole and make it extra rich and cheesy! And yes, I do recommend using both types of cheeses. I first tested this recipe using just cheddar cheese, but adding some mozzarella cheese with it really boosted the level of flavor!

***A can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles adds a LOT of flavor to the cream sauce and makes this chicken casserole absolutely delish! So don’t skip it!

Serving: 1servingCalories: 572kcal (29%)Carbohydrates: 37g (12%)Protein: 24g (48%)Fat: 37g (57%)Sodium: 843mg (37%)Fiber: 2g (8%)

The nutrition data is automatically calculated using all ingredients listed on the recipe card, including any listed as optional. Percentages are of daily value.

How to Make Chicken Spaghetti – Step by Step Photos

Cook the chicken: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Use a sharp knife to carefully fillet each chicken breast into two thinner cutlets. Here is a great tutorial on how to cut chicken breast into cutlets by Serious Eats.

Now, heat a large deep skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Place the four chicken cutlets into the skillet and cook on each side until golden brown and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes total). Remove the chicken to a clean cutting board, and let it rest.

Cook the pasta: While you wait for the chicken to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp of salt to the water, then add 8 oz. of spaghetti pasta, and boil until the pasta is tender (or al dente). Drain the pasta in a colander.

Make the sauce: I start making the sauce while the spaghetti is boiling. In the same skillet that the chicken was cooked in, heat 1/4 cup salted butter over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until onion is translucent.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour into the skillet and stir with the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flour starts to turn golden brown. Slowly pour 2 cups of chicken broth into the skillet and stir to fully dissolve the flour from the bottom of the skillet. The flour will start to thicken the sauce when it returns to a simmer.

Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of heavy cream to the skillet. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

Now chop the cooked chicken breasts into smaller ½ inch pieces.

Turn the heat off the skillet and add 1 can of drained diced tomatoes with green chiles, the chopped chicken, and the cooked spaghetti to the pan. Gently mix together until well combined.

Assemble the casserole: Add the chicken and spaghetti mixture to a 9×13” casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Bake the casserole: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and the cheese is melted on top.

This Chicken Spaghetti casserole is so creamy and delicious, it’ll soon become one of your favorite recipes! Enjoy!

Variations to Try

When I say this recipe is delicious, I mean it! But that doesn’t mean you can’t use up what you already have on hand or try new variations. Here are a few ideas to switch things up:

• Add sliced mushrooms or diced bell peppers (sauté them with the onions and garlic first!) The mushroom addition would make this recipe similar to a chicken tetrazzini!
• Use leftover rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken instead of cooking the chicken breasts in a skillet.
• Sprinkle in another type of cheese like Monterey Jack or Parmesan for even more cheesy goodness!
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to up the spice level.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this chicken casserole with some crusty bread or try our Homemade Garlic Bread. It would also pair well with a quick side salad to keep dinner simple and easy. With that being said, my family and I totally enjoyed this dish by itself…no extra sides needed for us!😉

Storage & Reheating

Let any leftovers cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I usually use the microwave to reheat individual servings until hot throughout. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this one, as pasta and cream-based dishes can become mushy and separate once thawed.

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Marsha McDougalMarsha is a Nashville native and the food blogger behind MapleJubilee.com where she shares simple, healthy-ish recipes for busy families and home cooks. As a cancer survivor, Marsha’s goal is to share more recipes using whole foods and real ingredients! She enjoys practicing her food photography, spending time with her family and sharing her bubbly personality and food recipes on her YouTube channel.More About Marsha