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Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This creamy Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti is smothered with a homemade white sauce that makes it a cross between macaroni and cheese and alfredo sauce. Not bad company, right?  This delectable dish is another one of my go-to dishes when I need to feed a crowd on a budget. The creamy and decadent homemade white sauce makes it company worthy.

baked chicken spaghetti


Easy Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

This spaghetti recipe features a homemade cheese sauce that has an amazing creamy texture like you would expect from a bechamel sauce. It’s worth the extra effort to make it, and the ingredients can likely already be found in your pantry. That’s always a dinner win. How to make simple Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Prepare Dish – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Pasta – Cook the spaghetti in salted water per the package directions until al dente. Drain well.
  • Vegetables – Cook the onion, mushrooms and celery in a couple of drizzles of olive oil for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and are beginning to brown. Season with seasoned salt and black pepper to your taste. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove to a large mixing bowl.
  • Sauce – In the same saucepan melt butter. Add the flour stirring constantly over medium-high heat until the flour is absorbed.
  • Liquid – Begin to whisk in the milk. Continue to cook, stirring continuously over medium heat until the sauce comes to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
  • Seasonings – Add Italian seasoning, seasoned salt and black pepper. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste, if needed.
  • Parmesan Cheese – Remove from the heat and add Parmesan cheese.
  • Combine – Add the cooked spaghetti, chicken, pimentos and 2 cups of shredded cheese to the large mixing bowl with the vegetables. Pour the sauce over and stir until combined.
  • Transfer to Dish – Pour into the baking dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese. and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and bubbly.
how to make chicken spaghetti

How to Make the Best Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

This baked chicken casserole is one that only needs a couple of side dishes to round out the entire meal. You might like  to add roasted vegetables or homemade rolls to make it a family friendly weekday feast.

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti casserole recipe: Spaghetti, onion, sliced baby portabella mushrooms, celery, olive oil, minced garlic, butter, seasoned salt, black pepper, all purpose flour to make the sauce, whole milk, dried Italian seasoning grated Parmesan cheese, diced pimentos or diced roasted red bell pepper, rotisserie chicken and shredded white cheddar cheese or your favorite Italian blend of cheese.
  • The sauce for this chicken spaghetti is made from scratch and doesn’t utilize canned soups. It’s incredibly creamy and delicious and you’ll note it only takes a few pantry ingredients to make it.
  • I use diced pimentos in this chicken spaghetti recipe but please note that the same amount of roasted red bell peppers will work beautifully.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken, poached chicken or leftover roasted chicken in the same amount for this recipe. You could even use cooked and chopped boneless chicken thighs.
  • You might also like to add crumbled bacon or pancetta to the mixture before pouring it into the casserole dish for baking.
  • This chicken spaghetti can be fully assembled the night before then baked when you’re ready to eat. When doing so, give it 15-20 minutes on the counter to warm to room temperature before baking.
  • Store leftover cheesy chicken spaghetti in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in single serving portions to prevent drying out.
  • To round out the meal, add a big fresh homemade Spinach Salad and a basket of Homestyle Garlic-Herb Bread and turn it into a spaghetti feast.
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

More Easy Pasta Recipes to Make

easy cheesy chicken casserole

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Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian Inspired, Southern
Keyword: cheesy-chicken-spaghetti, chicken-spaghetti-recipe
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 484kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 1 lb thin spaghetti
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • 1 rib celery finely diced
  • 1 8 oz container sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 cup whole milk
  • 2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp seasoned salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 Tbsp
  • 4 oz jar pimentos OR diced roasted red bell peppers well drained
  • 3 cup cooked chicken roughly chopped
  • 3 cup shredded white sharp cheddar cheese or Italian blend of cheese divided use

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Cook the spaghetti in salted water per the package directions until al dente. Drain well.
  • Meanwhile, on the stove top in a medium-size pot, cook the diced onion, mushrooms and celery in a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and are beginning to brown. (Lightly season with salt and pepper to taste.)
  • To the pot add the minced garlic cooking for 1 minute longer. Remove to a large mixing bowl.
  • In the same saucepan melt 1/2 cup of butter. Add the flour stirring constantly over medium-high heat until the flour is absorbed.
  • Begin to gradually whisk in the milk. Continue to cook stirring continuously over medium heat until the sauce comes to a boil. Immediately lower the heat and simmer gently bubbling for 5 minutes.
  • Add 2 tsp dry Italian seasoning, 1 tsp seasoned salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your taste.
  • Remove from the heat and add 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
  • To the large mixing bowl add the cooked spaghetti, chicken, pimentos and 2 cups of shredded cheese. Pour the sauce over and stir until combined.
  • Transfer to the baking dish and top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 962IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 353mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

 

34 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made this recipe andy husband loved it! I did halve the recipe because there’s just the two of us, and it still was enough for two meals. Didn’t have the fresh mushrooms, so I substituted canned, also I doubled the amount of pimentos to use the full jar in the half recipe. This was easy and delicious, definitely a keeper! Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this for the first time today and we all absolutely love it here in Sligo, Ireland. We’ll definitely be trying your other recipes now too! Thank you.

  3. Hi , I have 2 jars of mushroom alfredo sauce can i use that instead of making the sauce that goes over all the other ingrediants

      1. ok thanks , and would I add the seasonings to that alfredo sauce that you have listed for the liquid mix ??

      2. Since I’m not sure what sauce you have you’ll have to experiment a bit with seasonings.

      3. I have Bertolli Mushroom Alfredo sauce with portobello mushrooms made with fresh cream if you could help it would greatly appreciated , :0)

      4. You likely won’t need the salt but the Italian seasoning will still work. Just add a teaspoon and taste. Good luck!

  4. Recipe looks good – going to make it tomorrow! However, we are a family of mushroom haters. Any suggestions on what to sub in?

    1. I have used sliced black olives and even Kalamata olives in this recipe and loved it. Brought it to a Pot Luck. None left!

  5. Just made this and it was great! I added some diced tomatoes, for an extra touch. Going to freeze the left overs. 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    Made this tonight, it was delicious! I didn’t have any pimentos, so I used roasted red peppers. It was a huge hit!

      1. I freeze this recipe often. Since there are just two us at home I will divide this into two appropriately sized baking pans. After allowing the freezer bound one to chill in the fridge (without the cheese topping), I will wrap it tightly in heavy duty foil and then pop it in the freezer. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight or at least a few hours) before topping with cheese and baking per the directions.

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