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 classic Italian pasta dishes to not-so-traditional takes.
One of our favorites of the latter is our cheesy chicken spaghetti, 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 Ingredients
- Spaghetti
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup
- Condensed cream of chicken soup
- Velveeta
- 2% milk
- Garlic powder
- Pepper
- Cooked chicken
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Canned chopped green chiles
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, optional
Directions
Step 1: Cook the pasta
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions—and don’t forget to salt the water.
Step 2: Make the sauce
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, cook the condensed soups, Velveeta, milk and seasonings over medium heat, stirring until smooth.
Add the chicken, tomatoes and chiles to the cheese sauce. Cook until heated through.
Step 4: Finish the pasta
Toss the pasta with the cheese and chicken sauce, evenly coating the spaghetti noodles.
Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese, and if desired, fresh parsley.
How to Store 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 for about 15 to 20 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally and adding more milk if necessary.
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Tips
What other mix-ins can you put in cheesy chicken spaghetti?
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.
