The Best Chicken Spaghetti (+Video)
The Best Chicken Spaghetti recipe calls for sliced grilled chicken, spaghetti noodles, cream of chicken, salsa, sour cream and cheese. No Rotel!
FAMILY FAVORITE EASY DINNER RECIPE
This recipe is one I’ve been meaning to share for a while but it needed some tweaking. The original recipe I had for it was, well, kinda bland. I kept thinking that it needed a little more kick of flavor but I still wanted it simple to make. This recipe makes enough to feed your family and still have enough for leftovers
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
I decided I would switch out the can of Rotel (which is basically tomatoes and green chiles that is in most recipes) and replace it with salsa. That really added some yummy flavors. I also think that bit of taco seasoning really creates a super flavorful dish!
Angel hair pasta does not have to be used. You can use thin spaghetti or regular spaghetti or even fettuccine noodles.
Save yourself some time by using precooked chicken. Whether it be rotisserie chicken or the cooked chicken that is sold in the deli department. This will make this meal come together easily!
Store them in a covered container in your fridge for up to 3 days.
Yep! It’s just important to cover it well to protect against freezer burn. It will freeze well for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- angel hair pasta – I tend to like the thinner angel hair pasta for this but you can use your favorite pasta here like regular spaghetti or fettuccine or linguine.
- cooked chicken – a store-bought rotisserie chicken or the fully cooked grilled chicken you find in the refrigerator section all make this so easy to put together and adds flavor!
- cream of chicken soup – you can also use cream of mushroom or even make your own homemade cream of chicken soup.
- salsa – my absolute favorite salsa is mild Herdez – it has the perfect flavor for this recipe but you can also use Rotel if that is what you prefer. I think salsa brings much more flavor though.
- sour cream – this is really going to add a lot of creaminess here. You could use plain Greek yogurt as well.
- Mexican cheese blend – I just pick up the store-bought pre shredded cheese but you can shred your own or use a different flavor blend.
- taco seasoning – you can use store-bought or make your own taco seasoning.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SPAGHETTI:
Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions (remember, you are only using half the box of pasta.)
Once pasta is cooked, drain well. Place pasta back into the pot (with heat turned off). Add diced chicken, cream of chicken soups, salsa, sour cream, 1 cup of Mexican cheese blend and taco seasoning. Stir well to combine (this will take a few minutes.)
Pour combined mixture into your prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and a sprinkling of dried parsley.
Cover with nonstick aluminum foil.
Cook in the oven for about 25 minutes. Then enjoy!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: June 2016
Updated and republished: April 2019
The Best Chicken Spaghetti (+Video)
Ingredients
- 8 ounce angel hair pasta (half of a 16 ounce box)
- 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
- 2 (10 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup salsa
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup Mexican cheese blend, divided use
- 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 cup Mexican cheese blend
- dried parsley for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook 8 ounce angel hair pasta according to package directions (remember, you are only using half a box of angel hair pasta here.) Once pasta is cooked, drain well.
- Place pasta back into the pot and add 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken, 2 (10 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup, 1 cup salsa, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 cup Mexican cheese blend, and 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning.
- Stir well to combine (this will take a few minutes.)
- Pour combined mixture into your prepared baking dish.
- Top with 1 cup Mexican cheese blend and a sprinkling of dried parsley
- Cover with nonstick aluminum foil.
- Cook in the oven for about 25 minutes (until hot and bubbly.)
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- You can purchase the pre-cooked or pre-grilled chicken in the refrigerated section and freezer sections of your grocery store to cut down on time.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This dish was so good. I had planned for leftovers but that didn’t happen! I love this twist on chicken spaghetti. The salsa and taco seasoning are the stars in this recipe. We will definitely be having this dish again.
Do you think rotini noodles would be good with this recipe?
Hi Cathy, I haven’t tried it but it should work!
I may have overlooked this but I need to make this on Saturday and then put it in the oven for Sunday lunch. Will this work?
It was amazing! I tried this recipe, but I did dairy-free items
I’m about to make this recipe and just realized I only have cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Which one would be better?
I will leave a review later tonight after we try it!
Hi Candace! I’d say a mix of both! 😉 Hope you all loved it!
I needed a quick & easy dinner that I could make for my hubby and 3 1/2 year old son. This recipe is easy to follow and easy to make. The casserole was absolutely delicious! I’ll keep this in my “dishes to make again” pile! Thank you!
Thank you Jenny! I am always so, so happy when I hear the little ones like a recipe!! The big ones too 😉 Thank you for taking the time to come back & leave feedback!
I made this tonight and made a few adjustments. I used rotisserie chicken because I forgot to thaw my chicken. It was good. No complaints. Unfortunately, I am allergic to tomatoes so I couldn’t use salsa or even Rotel. I used roasted red bell peppers instead. I don’t think it was a good adjustment. It wasn’t awful but I’m not completely convinced it was the best option. Any suggestions on salsa replacement?
I will saw my picky eater loved it (after I removed the red pepper bits).
Hi Jennifer! That is a good question about the salsa. Honestly, I am not really sure. I’ll have to think on that. Is it all tomatoes you are allergic to or just the red kind? I was thinking a tomatillo salsa. Or maybe a green enchilada sauce perhaps….
It’s, unfortunately, all tomatoes. And rice, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, and strawberries. It’s just a blast with adult-onset food allergies. 🙁
Ugh!! I’m so sorry!!! I know that must be so hard!! Especially if you actually enjoy eating those things! 🙁
Thoughts on substitutes for the cream of chicken? We don’t eat meat and I saw cream of mushroom or cheese soups at the store.
Wow, what an awesome casserole! Had group of girls over and it went over big. Everyone wanted the recipe. Making again for more company tomorrow. A great and easy dish to make. Thanks, Also, didn’t change a thing in the recipe!
My husband like it too, said to keep that recipe, it’s a keeper!!!!!
Woo Hoo!! That is so great to hear Kathy! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment!
Enjoy chicken spaghetti. I use this same recipe and I added bacon to ours. It’s so good and delicious
Sounds wonderful to me!
This is so good. You can taste all of the ingredients. Definitely a must make again!
Yay!! Love hearing that. Thank you Angie!!
I wanted something different for dinner and came across this. My family loved it!
I did substitute the salsa with fresh jalapeños.
I plan to make this more often, and would be a great dish to bring to a potluck
Hi Francine! Woo hoo!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. It truly makes my day to get feedback on recipes. This is one of my personal faves and I’m thrilled that you love it too!
I love everything about this recipe! The others I’ve seen that copy this with a few tweeks just aren’t as good! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Thanks so much Mandy!!! So appreciated!! 🙂
Love it!
Best meal ever
Thanks so much Traci!
Love this recipe! I had some yellow squash that needed eating so I sliced and quartered it and added it to the mixture. I baked it for an extra 5 minutes and it was amazing!!! Both kiddos gobbled it up! I will definitely be making this again.
Love, love, love that you added some squash! Great idea! Thanks so much Amanda!!
This was very good , my very picky 7 year old gobbled it up! Added a side salad … perfect weeknight meal with plenty of leftovers for me and the little.
Thank you Angela! I always love hearing when a picky eater loves a recipe! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave feedback!
I going to try this , what the pros and cons on the salsa or rotel I like both just wondering thanks
Can’t wait to give this a try. Do you have any suggestions for substitutions if you have picky eaters who wouldn’t like the salsa or the Rotel?
Hmmmm…honestly, I have only ever tried it with those. The salsa is not strong at all. If you like, you can put the mild salsa in a food processor so there aren’t any chunks in it. Maybe that would help? Just use a very mild salsa (I Love Herdes mild salsas.)
I made this with spaghetti squash instead of pasta, and the entire dish was gone! The family loved it! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
My family loved this recipe. I found it a little too salty. I’d definitely make it again, but I would use a lower sodium soup.
Hi! Can this be made a few hours a head of time and refrigerated until baking?
Hi Holly! Yes, it sure can! Just cover it up well. 🙂
I am making this tonight. However we are cutting back on our carb intake. so I will be substituting the angel hair pasta with Zucchini! Wish me luck!
I’m interested to know how it goes! I think spaghetti squash might be a fun alternative too!
I made this for supper tonight and it was amazing. My toddler ate 2 helpings!
This is so awesome Brittany! I absolutely love hearing when kids love a recipe. This is so great to hear!
Great! I changed it up a bit though and use rotisserie chicken and rotel instead of salsa.
So happy you enjoyed it! Be sure to try the salsa next time. I think it is SO much better than the Rotel! 🙂
How much is a serving size?
About a cup. 🙂 However, if you are using this for nutritional purposes, I definitely recommend you use your own trusted nutritional app. These nutrition conversion tools are not always 100% correct. It’s just a general guideline.
Hi country cook have you tried this as a freezer mail? How did it turn out?
Hi Melanie! I personally have not tried to freeze this one. However, it should freeze okay. I think the key is making sure you have it wrapped really well so it doesn’t get any kind of freezer burn. 🙂