How to Make the Easiest and Cheesiest Chicken Spaghetti
Updated: Feb. 16, 2024
Want to mix up pasta night? You'll welcome this cheesy chicken spaghetti recipe into your weekly rotation.
While a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs is always enticing, sometimes you just want something a little different. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make spaghetti, spanning plenty of classic Italian pasta dishes and not-so-traditional takes.
One of our favorites of the latter is our cheesy chicken spaghetti recipe, which uses simple ingredients like cream of mushroom soup and Velveeta. Try this comforting recipe when you want an easy weeknight dinner guaranteed to be a hit at your house.
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
This recipe comes to us from Kristin Severs of Pleasant Hill, Iowa. You can count on six servings (if nobody asks for seconds).
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked spaghetti
- 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 8 ounces Velveeta, cubed
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Minced fresh parsley, optional
Directions
Step 1: Cook spaghetti
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
Make sure you know how to make spaghetti noodles not stick together—and don’t forget to salt the water.
Step 2: Start the sauce
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, cook the condensed soups, Velveeta, milk and seasonings over medium heat, stirring until smooth.
Step 3: Add the mix-ins
Add the chicken, tomatoes and chiles to the cheese sauce. Cook until heated through.
Step 4: Toss the pasta with the sauce
Toss the pasta with the cheese and chicken sauce, evenly coating the spaghetti noodles.
Step 5: Serve
Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese, and if desired, parsley. Looking for variations? Try this creamy green spaghetti recipe.
Tips for Making Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
What other mix-ins can you put in cheesy chicken spaghetti?
Feel free to use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of cubed chicken if you want the meat distributed a bit more evenly throughout the sauce. Add more protein with chopped bacon bits, or make the pasta spicy with red pepper flakes.
Also, spaghetti isn’t vital to this recipe, so use whatever noodles you have on hand. Linguine, bucatini or even a spiral pasta shape like cavatappi would be a perfect substitute.
What goes well with cheesy chicken spaghetti?
If you want to round out the meal, serve it with something green, whether it’s a side salad or roasted vegetable like asparagus or broccoli.
How should you store leftover cheesy chicken spaghetti?
Keep leftover cheesy chicken spaghetti in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days.
Can you freeze cheesy chicken spaghetti?
Although this recipe takes less than 30 minutes on the stove, you can make it ahead and freeze to save even more time. After preparing the dish (without sprinkling on Parmesan cheese and parsley), move it to a freezer container.
When you’re ready to eat your cheesy chicken spaghetti, partially thaw it in the fridge overnight. Transfer to a Dutch oven and cook, covered, over medium heat until heated through for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more milk if necessary.
More Cheesy Pasta Recipes
Originally Published: February 16, 2023
