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Creamy, cheesy, and bubbling straight from the oven,
this Chicken Spaghetti is the kind of comforting casserole that makes dinner feel especially satisfying.
With tender chicken, sharp cheddar, spaghetti, and a rich mushroom sauce in every forkful,
it’s a cozy family meal that you can make now or save for later.
There’s a lot to love about a dinner that can be assembled ahead of time.
This one is especially handy because you can bake it immediately, refrigerate it for up to 2 days,
or tuck it into the freezer for a future meal.
Once it’s in the oven, the cheese melts over the top while the spaghetti,
chicken, peppers, onion, and pimentos come together underneath.
Serve it hot and bubbly with a fresh salad or a simple green vegetable on the side, and dinner is ready.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s wonderfully creamy and cheesy. Cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, and sharp cheddar surround the spaghetti with a rich, savory sauce, while the final cup of cheese creates a melty topping.
It’s made for planning ahead. Assemble the entire casserole and refrigerate it unbaked for up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months, making it a useful dinner to have waiting when you need something comforting and substantial.
It feeds a crowd. With 8 servings, this is an easy choice for family dinners, potlucks, or any night when you’d like enough food to go around.
The flavors are simple but satisfying. Green pepper, onion, and pimentos add little pops of flavor throughout the creamy pasta, while Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and cayenne give the casserole a savory, gently spiced finish.
Chicken Spaghetti Ingredients
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients that give this Chicken Spaghetti its creamy texture, cheesy flavor, and savory finish:
- Chicken – You’ll need 2 cups of cooked chicken. It gives the casserole plenty of hearty, savory flavor and makes it filling enough for a main dish.
- Spaghetti – Break the uncooked spaghetti into 2-inch pieces. The shorter noodles are easier to mix with the chicken, vegetables, cheese, and creamy sauce.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup – This forms the creamy base of the casserole and brings a rich, savory mushroom flavor to every bite.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Sharp cheddar gives this dish its bold cheesy flavor. Most is mixed into the spaghetti, with the remaining cheese sprinkled over the top before baking.
- Green Pepper – Finely diced green pepper adds a little freshness and subtle crunch that balances the rich, creamy ingredients.
- Onion – A small amount of finely diced onion adds savory flavor throughout the casserole without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Pimentos – These mild, slightly sweet peppers add little pops of flavor and color throughout the spaghetti.
- Chicken Broth – Use the reserved broth from cooking the chicken. It adds moisture to the casserole while giving the sauce more chicken flavor.
- Lawry’s Seasoned Salt – This seasoning adds an easy blend of savory, salty flavor to the chicken and creamy sauce.
- Cayenne Pepper – Just 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon adds a gentle kick. Use the smaller amount for mild heat or the full amount for a little more warmth.
- Salt and Pepper – Add these to taste to bring all of the flavors together.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cook the chicken
Cook 1 cut-up fryer chicken and pick out the meat to make 2 cups.
2. Cook the spaghetti and combine everything
Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.
3. Assemble and bake
Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to 6 months, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days, or bake immediately: 350°F for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil.)
Expert Tips
Keep the spaghetti al dente. This is one of the most important details in the recipe. The pasta still has another 45 minutes in the oven, so it shouldn’t be fully softened before the casserole is assembled.
Save that chicken broth. Instead of cooking the spaghetti in a separate pot of water, the recipe uses the same broth from cooking the chicken. You’ll also need 2 cups of reserved broth for the casserole itself.
Remember to hold back some cheese. The recipe calls for 3 cups of grated sharp cheddar altogether, but the additional 1 cup is reserved for the top. That gives the finished casserole its cheesy baked layer.
Watch the top as it bakes. You want the casserole hot and bubbly without letting the cheddar become overly cooked. If the cheese is browning too quickly, simply cover the casserole with foil.
Dice the vegetables finely. Small pieces of green pepper and onion blend easily into the spaghetti, giving you a little of their flavor throughout the casserole.
Recipe Variations
This Chicken Spaghetti already has plenty happening in every bite, but there are a few simple ways to adapt the flavor without changing what makes the casserole work.
If you prefer just a hint of heat, stay toward the 1/8 teaspoon end of the cayenne range. For a little more warmth, use the full 1/4 teaspoon.
Mushrooms are another natural addition because they complement the cream of mushroom soup. If you decide to add fresh mushrooms, sauté them first so they release their excess moisture before they go into the casserole. That way, they add flavor without watering down the sauce.
You can also use another source of cooked chicken while keeping the recipe amount at 2 cups. Just remember that the original cooking method relies on chicken broth for both the spaghetti and the casserole mixture.
Storage & Reheating
One of the best things about this Chicken Spaghetti is how well it fits into a make-ahead dinner plan.
If you’re preparing it for later in the week, assemble the casserole, cover it, and refrigerate it unbaked for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, cover the unbaked casserole and freeze it for up to 6 months. Let a frozen casserole thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
Once baked, keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator and reheat until hot throughout. For larger portions, covering the casserole while reheating can help keep the pasta from drying out.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Spaghetti is rich and hearty enough to be dinner all on its own, but I especially like the idea of pairing it with something green and fresh. Roasted broccoli, green beans, steamed vegetables, or a crisp salad all provide a nice contrast to the creamy pasta.
For an extra-cozy meal, add warm biscuits, garlic bread, dinner rolls, or another crusty bread for the table. A simple salad with a bright, tangy dressing is another good choice—the freshness balances all that creamy mushroom sauce and melted sharp cheddar beautifully.
Recipe FAQs
1. Can I make Chicken Spaghetti ahead of time?
Yes, this is a great casserole to prep ahead. Assemble everything in the casserole pan, top with the remaining cheddar, and cover. You can keep it in the refrigerator unbaked for up to 2 days before baking.
2. How do I keep the spaghetti from getting mushy?
Make sure you only cook the spaghetti until al dente. You don’t want to overcook it since the pasta will continue cooking in the oven with the creamy sauce. Starting with slightly firm spaghetti helps give the finished casserole a better texture.
3. Can I use leftover or rotisserie chicken?
Yes, you can use already cooked chicken to make this recipe even easier. You’ll need 2 cups cooked chicken. Just remember that the recipe also calls for reserved chicken broth, so have chicken broth available if you aren’t cooking the chicken yourself.
4. Can I freeze Chicken Spaghetti?
Yes, this casserole freezes really well. I recommend freezing it before baking. Assemble the casserole, add the cheddar on top, cover it tightly, and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before baking.
5. What can I use instead of cream of mushroom soup?
You can use cream of chicken, cream of onion, or cream of celery soup if you don’t want to use cream of mushroom. Keep the same amount so you still get that creamy sauce that holds the chicken and spaghetti together.
Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cup cooked chicken
- 3 cup spaghetti, uncooked and broken into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
- 1/4 cup finely diced onion
- 1 jar (4-ounce) diced pimentos, drained
- 2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot
- 1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- 1/8 TSP cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook 1 cut-up fryer chicken and remove the meat from the bones, measuring out 2 cups of cooked chicken.
- Cook the spaghetti in the same chicken broth until al dente, taking care not to overcook it. Once cooked, combine the spaghetti with the chicken, cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups of the sharp cheddar cheese, green pepper, onion, pimentos, reserved chicken broth, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the mixture to a casserole pan and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup sharp cheddar over the top. At this stage, cover and freeze for up to 6 months, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or bake immediately at 350°F for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly. If the cheese begins browning too much, cover the casserole with foil.
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Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1100mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 2mg Estimated nutrition per serving, based on 8 servings. Exact values can vary depending on the brands of cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese, seasoned salt, and chicken used.
