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Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel

This baked chicken spaghetti with Rotel is a super easy and comforting meal for your family. It’s also a perfect take-along dish to bring to a loved one. It is quick, easy, and only needs a few ingredients. You’ll love this cheesy chicken casserole!

A slice of cheesy chicken spaghetti with Rotel diced tomatoes and chilis.

This cheesy chicken spaghetti with Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies is perfect for feeding a hungry family. Or those bottomless pit teenagers. Even picky eaters tend to love this easy spaghetti casserole. My super picky 4 year old will devour it!

This is my version of a classic Southern comfort dish. Every southern family has a cheesy chicken spaghetti up their sleeve! They all use a can of cream of soup. 🙂 Sometimes you need easy comfort food! I like to make my chicken spaghetti without Velveeta. I use shredded sharp cheddar instead.

It bakes up like a classic casserole in a 9×13 pan. It’s a perfect dish when craving cheesy, carby comfort food.

You can poach boneless skinless chicken breasts to make this. Or use leftover cooked chicken, shred a rotisserie chicken, or even use leftover Thanksgiving turkey!

To make a small casserole, divide the recipe into 2 8×8 pans. Freeze one for later or share it with a friend.

Deliver cheesy chicken spaghetti for a meal train. Share it with a loved one who is sick, grieving, or recently had a baby. They will be grateful!

Ingredients

Dried spaghetti, diced chicken, cream of chicken soup, Rotel tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, and spices measured out to make spaghetti.

A pound of dried spaghetti noodles. Break them in half before cooking. It makes them easier to mix in the casserole.

Plenty of cooked chicken. I usually poach boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this easy spaghetti. You can use leftover roasted or grilled chicken. Or shred a rotisserie chicken. You can even buy a bag of pre-cooked roasted chicken. They sell them fresh and frozen!

A couple cans of cream of chicken soup form the base of the creamy sauce for this casserole. You can substitute cream of mushroom or cream of celery if you like.

Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies add flavor, color, and a hint of spice. Use classic, mild, or hot to your preference. DO NOT DRAIN the rotel.

Garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper add a subtle flavor to the dish.

This easy chicken spaghetti has plenty of shredded cheddar inside and on top. Pre-shredded cheddar works best for this recipe because it mixes well without clumping. Use a 1-pound bag and set aside 1 cup for the topping. 

Variations

Use fire roasted tomatoes: If you want to avoid any level of spice, you can use a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of Rotel.

Use leftover turkey: You can use leftover Thanksgiving turkey instead of chicken to make cheesy turkey spaghetti!

Add veggies: Dice a bell pepper and an onion. Sauté them in a small amount of oil until translucent. Mix them into the spaghetti mixture before baking. Or, add a can of hatch green chiles.

Dress it up with toppings: This is a fun dish to customize. It pairs well with hot sauce, salsa, jalapenos, avocado, and chopped fresh herbs.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a 9×13 baking dish or large casserole dish.

Break the noodles in half. They’ll be easier to break up!

Then, cook them in salted boiling water to al dente, according to package directions. Drain them but DO NOT RINSE.

While the noodles are cooking, you can start mixing the other ingredients.

You need a really big bowl!

Mix the cream of Rotel, spices, 3 cups of cheddar, chicken, and cream of chicken soup in a large bowl. Then, add the cooked and drained noodles. Mix it up well.

Then, spread the mixture in a greased 9×13 pan or large casserole dish.

Top it with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar.

A pan of baked cheesy chicken spaghetti.

Bake it uncovered 350℉ for about 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Storage, Reheating, Make Ahead, and Freezing

Storage

Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheating

Reheat an individual portion in the microwave. Place on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute. Then microwave in 30-second intervals until hot.

Make Ahead

You can make this chicken spaghetti up to a day ahead. Follow the instructions to assemble the casserole, but do not bake it. Cover it with foil. Then, refrigerate it until ready to make. Add 5 minutes to the cooking time and wait for it to get bubbly.

Half Now, Half Later

This makes a large casserole! If you’re cooking for a smaller family or prefer to avoid leftovers, make the recipe in 2 pans. Use 2 8×8 pans or small casserole dishes. Spread half of the mixture in each pan, then top each pan with half the remaining cheese. Freeze a pan for later or take it to a friend!

Freezing

You can freeze chicken spaghetti. Follow the directions to assemble the spaghetti, but do not bake it. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Then date, label, and freeze.

Increase the cooking time when cooking a frozen dish. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place the foil-covered dish in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Then remove the foil and continue baking until golden and bubbly. 

A slice of cheesy chicken spaghetti with Rotel diced tomatoes and chilis.

Serving Tips

Try this spaghetti with easy roasted broccoli or a green salad to add a serving of veggies. It’s perfect with my 5-minute arugula salad.

Add toppings! I love letting everyone add their favorite toppings to this casserole. Try it with hot sauce, jalapenos, salsa, or sliced avocado.

Make it ahead to make a quick and easy dinner. You can assemble this casserole ahead of time. Either cook it the next day or freeze it for later.

Make one to share. This makes a great dish to share. Chicken spaghetti with Rotel is an easy comfort food for new parents who recently had a baby. You can also bring it as part of a meal train for someone grieving or sick. 

A bite of cheesy chicken spaghetti on a fork.

More Easy Dinner Recipes

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Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel

A slice of cheesy chicken spaghetti with Rotel and cheddar.

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Classic Southern chicken spaghetti made with Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, chicken, cream of chicken soup, and plenty of cheese.

  • Author: Mandi
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Casserole
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • salt for the pasta water
  • 1 pound dry spaghetti noodles, broken in half
  • 4 cups fully cooked shredded or diced chicken*
  • 2 cans cream of chicken soup
  • 1 10ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis DO NOT DRAIN
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
  2. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
  3. Cook the spaghetti noodles in salted boiling water to al dente. Cook them according to package directions. Drain. Do not rinse.
  4. Meanwhile, combine the chicken, cream of chicken soup, Rotel, 3 cups of cheddar, and the spices in a large bowl.
  5. Once the noodles are cooked and drained, add them to the bowl and mix until well combined.
  6. Spread the mixture into the prepared 9×13 baking dish.
  7. Top with remaining cheddar.
  8. Bake uncovered at 350℉ for about 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Notes

*Use poached chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken. Or leftover roasted or grilled chicken. You need a whole rotisserie chicken or 2 pounds of boneless, skinless, poached chicken.

  • Use mild, original, or spicy Rotel. If you want to avoid any spice, use a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead.
  • Use leftover Thanksgiving turkey instead of chicken.
  • You can use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup if you prefer.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8 of pan
  • Calories: 605
  • Sugar: 3.5 g
  • Sodium: 826.2 mg
  • Fat: 25.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 52.1 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 40.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 111.4 mg

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