Chicken Spaghetti

Published Jan. 17, 2024

Chicken Spaghetti
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Rating
4(497)
Notes
Read community notes

This comforting casserole is a staple at picnics and potlucks across the American South, and it’s no wonder why. Creamy, cheesy noodles are tossed with tender bits of chicken, tomatoes and chiles, then topped with even more cheese and baked until bubbly. There have been many iterations of this dish over the years: Some recipes call for Velveeta and condensed cream of mushroom soup, while Craig Claiborne’s childhood recipe calls for a quarter pound of ground beef and pork in addition to a whole chicken. In this version, a flavorful combination of Cheddar and Parmesan are used, and milk and chicken stock thickened with a roux stand in for the canned soup. Feel free to use whatever kind of cooked chicken you like — leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken or a couple chicken breasts you baked just for the occasion. Chicken spaghetti is the perfect casserole to prepare ahead of time and freeze, making it ideal for large gatherings or for stocking a loved one’s freezer (see Tip). 

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • Black pepper
  • 8ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds
  • 4tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
  • 1small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4ounces white button mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 2celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 1medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼cup all-purpose flour
  • 1cup milk
  • 1cup low-sodium chicken stock or broth
  • ¼teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2(10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
  • 1pound cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
  • 2cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar
  • 1cup (3 ounces) shredded or grated Parmesan
  • Hot sauce, to taste (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

628 calories; 31 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 980 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center position. Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, celery and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the flour until smooth; repeat with the remaining flour, continuously stirring until the flour releases a nutty aroma, about 2 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Slowly pour in the milk, ¼ cup at a time, stirring continuously so there are no lumps. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring continuously. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir continuously, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, taste for seasoning and remove from the heat.

  4. Step 4

    Add the saucy vegetable mixture, chicken, 1 cup of the Cheddar and the Parmesan to the spaghetti and toss well to combine. Taste, adjust seasoning, and add hot sauce, if you like. Transfer the spaghetti mixture to the prepared casserole dish, spreading it out evenly and topping with the remaining Cheddar. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese melts and the casserole is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tip
  • To freeze the entire casserole, prepare and assemble in a freezer- and oven-safe casserole dish up to the point of baking. Cool to room temperature, cover with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove cover and bake until warmed through and bubbling, about 45 minutes.

Ratings

4 out of 5
497 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Cook the spaghetti noodles in chicken broth and then use a cup of that where indicated in the recipe. Elevates the flavor ten-fold

Add sour cream to this. It makes the dis so creamy and smooth and delicious.

Funny, isn't it, how ingredients like onion or garlic POWDER is central to everyday cooking from the Fifties and Sixties. I'm cooking and freezing flat in two-person seal-a-meal servings for easy entree. Thaw in cool water, put in ovenproof dish, top with cheese and heat up good memories. Bring on the Jello Salad!

I used to love the chicken spaghetti at Chickalini’s!

I was not expecting this to be so yummy! Husband requested so I made it and it really is so satisfying. My only adjustments were doubling the garlic and using fresh chopped tomatoes plus Hatch canned chilies

We made this with taco flavored corn chips instead of the spaghetti and called it Ranch Hand Chicken casserole. Plain corn chips can be used for a less spicy dish.

Hi! Not sure where you live or whether they were just sold out, but look for the brand Ro-Tel. They come in 10 oz cans, and usually they're in the Tex-Mex aisle or wherever the refried beans are.

This is very similar to a chicken tetrazzini recipe I've made for years (and my mother before me). Main difference is I don't use tomatoes and green chiles (but I'll try that next time) and I use a jar of Alfredo sauce instead of the roux (or cream of mushroom soup). One trick I learned from my mom: Boil the chicken until the meat is falling off the bone. Use the chicken in the recipe, but cook the pasta in the water/broth left in the pot. Don't skim off the fat!

People can change.

Changed a bit to account for what I had (or didn't have): used whole-wheat spaghetti; no Parmesan; added a small can of chilis along with plain diced tomatoes, one-half a pound of chicken, and a really big handful of spinach, roughly chopped. My son loved it but thought was hot (so won't use them next time). I'd likely add a little bit more spaghetti and even more spinach. I might try it with the Parmesan, although it was still tasty without it. Chop veggies on weekend to save time.

Cut the recipe in half. Makes a huge amount!

We used to call this Chickenetti and it was the most popular dish served by my high school lunch ladies

I used Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with Hatch chilies - just the right amount of heat.

I cooked the spaghetti for only 5-6 min and didn't change anything else. Air fryer chicken for 15min with olive oil, rosemary, salt, garlic powder & pepper... delicious!

Easy and very good. I also cut the recipe in half. Will add it to our regular rotation.

My family is CRAZY for this dish. It’s in regular rotation at our house.

I used 8 oz of Neufchâtel cheese instead of the cheddar, adding it to the sauce before mixing with the spaghetti so it could melt. Then topped with just a little bit of cheddar. Turned out really nice and creamy.

I used mild tomatoes &/chilis as children would be eating the dish. Would definitely use the regular or spicy version next time for more flavor.,came together easily and sliced well.

My significant other went back for THIRDS! Will definitely make again. A few notes: When prepared in advance and refrigerated this casserole needs an hour in the oven. We used a Costco rotisserie chicken to make this-one chicken was the perfect quantity of chicken to use when doubling the recipe.

Sort of a down home version of Chicken Tetrazzini (which I love!), and does very well for leftovers. I made it with spinach spaghetti for extra color.

It was just okay in my opinion. Would not make it again.

Made this tonight and it is definitely a keeper. Takes a bit to get everything prepped but worth it. I don't like green bell pepper (unless in the Louisiana Trinity) and am not a fan of canned diced tomatoes. So I cut up a can of whole tomatoes and roasted a poblano and used that. I didn't use onion or garlic powder but added extra fresh onion and garlic. Everything came together very nicely and my family loved it! I made a half recipe and it made enough for three adults with leftovers!

i made this last night and everyone enjoyed and said they would eat it again. My only "note to self" was that it could have been a little juicier. Perhaps next time, a little more stock or broth, or use the liquid from one of the cans of tomatoes. But do make and enjoy!

Loved this dish! My partner loved it too. Will be making this again, for sure. Used just one can of tomatoes with chilies and one can of fire roasted tomatoes because my partner doesn’t like things too spicy.

Very good! I cut the recipe in half and used an 8" sq. glass baking dish. Used about 1 lb. of rotisserie chicken (didn't halve *that* amount!), 2 tbsp. sour cream and added panko on top of the cheese. Thanks, Mr. Deravian and helpful commenters.

Made this pretty much as written. Family liked it and it took more like 1 hour 10 minutes total.

Yum! Used supermarket rotisserie chicken. Penne is what I had. Added sour cream per suggestion. Topped with panel instead of more cheese. Delish and a big hit!

For canned tomatoes use 1-14.5 oz with green chili and 1-14.5 fire roasted. Be very generous with cheese. Undercook the spaghetti because there will be plenty of liquid in the sauce to finish cooking; add a slight amount more pasta; add in jar diced red pepper; 1/2 diced jalapeno

Celery salt; use sour cream instead of milk

Hello! This part of the ingredients list is confusing, as 1 cup is 8oz. Please clarify! 2cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar 1cup (3 ounces) shredded or grated Parmesan

"With semi-hard cheeses like cheddar, 1 cup is equivalent to 4 ounces." https://www.wisconsincheese.com/the-cheese-life/article/53/how-to-measure-cheese

For semi-hard cheeses like cheddar, 1 cup is equivalent to 4 ounces.

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