Are you craving that ooey, gooey, cheesy comfort food that hits the spot every time? Look no further than stovetop chicken spaghetti! I’ve been making this dish for years, and let me tell you – it’s a game-changer for busy weeknights when you want something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen (but actually only took 30 minutes!).
Traditional chicken spaghetti often gets baked in the oven, but the stovetop version is quicker, easier to monitor, and just as delicious. Plus, you don’t have to heat up your whole kitchen with the oven. Win-win!
What Makes Stovetop Chicken Spaghetti So Special?
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s talk about why this dish is worth adding to your regular rotation:
- Quick and easy – perfect for busy weeknights
- Uses simple ingredients you probably already have
- Incredibly versatile – can be customized with different veggies, cheeses, or pasta shapes
- Kid-friendly comfort food that adults love too
- Great for leftovers – sometimes tastes even better the next day!
As Stacey from Southern Bite says, “This dish is perfect for those busy weeknights when you want some of that stick-to-your-ribs kind of comfort food. It’s ooey, gooey cheesy perfection!”
Ingredients You’ll Need
For my go-to stovetop chicken spaghetti recipe, you’ll need:
- 1 (16-ounce) box of pasta (penne, rotini, or spaghetti work great)
- 3-4 cups shredded, cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken is perfect here!)
- 1 (10-ounce) can Ro*Tel tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with green chilies)
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 (16-ounce) block Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
- Chicken broth (optional, for thinning the sauce)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now let’s get cooking! Here’s how to make the perfect chicken spaghetti on your stovetop:
1. Prep Your Ingredients
First things first – get everything ready! This recipe moves pretty quick once you start, so having everything prepped makes it way easier.
- Shred your chicken if not already done
- Dice your onion and bell pepper
- Cut the Velveeta into cubes for easier melting
- Measure out your spices
2. Cook the Pasta
Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cook your pasta according to the package directions until al dente (usually about 7-9 minutes). You want it slightly firm since it’ll continue cooking a bit in the sauce
Pro tip Don’t overcook your pasta! Nobody likes mushy pasta, and it’ll continue to soften slightly as it sits in the hot sauce
3. Build Your Flavor Base
While the pasta cooks, it’s time to start building flavors:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat
- Add diced onion and bell pepper
- Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
4. Create the Creamy Sauce
Now for the magic part – the sauce that brings everything together:
- Add the cream of mushroom soup and undrained Ro*Tel tomatoes to your sautéed veggies
- Stir in garlic powder and onion powder
- Add the Velveeta cheese cubes
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir frequently until the cheese melts completely
Important tip: Be super careful here! Velveeta can scorch easily, so keep the heat low and stir frequently. If it starts to stick to the bottom, lower your heat right away.
5. Combine Everything Together
Now it’s time to bring it all together:
- Add your shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to combine
- Drain your pasta and add it to the sauce mixture
- Gently fold everything together until the pasta is evenly coated
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a little chicken broth to thin it out to your desired consistency
6. Serve and Enjoy!
Your stovetop chicken spaghetti is ready to serve! I like to garnish with a little fresh parsley for color and freshness, but that’s totally optional.
Variations to Try
One of the best things about chicken spaghetti is how easily you can switch things up. Here are some of my favorite variations:
Spice It Up
Add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce for some heat. Lauren from Delish suggests adding chili powder to the chicken for a nice smoky flavor with just a touch of spice.
Cheese Options
While Velveeta is classic for its melting properties, you can experiment with:
- Cheddar cheese
- Monterey Jack
- Pepper Jack (for extra spice)
- A blend of Italian cheeses
Add More Veggies
Bulk up the nutritional value with:
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Peas
- Zucchini
Soup Substitutions
Not a fan of cream of mushroom? Try:
- Cream of chicken soup
- Cream of celery soup
- A homemade cream sauce
Tips for Perfect Stovetop Chicken Spaghetti
After making this dish about a million times (okay, slight exaggeration), I’ve picked up some helpful tips:
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Use rotisserie chicken for convenience and flavor. It’s a huge time-saver!
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Don’t rinse your pasta after cooking. The starch helps the sauce stick better.
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Watch your heat level when melting the cheese. Too high and it’ll scorch; too low and it’ll take forever.
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Make it ahead – the sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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Thin as needed – the sauce will thicken as it sits, so have some extra chicken broth on hand to thin it out, especially when reheating leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
I get asked a lot of questions about this recipe, so let me answer some common ones:
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Absolutely! While it’s called chicken “spaghetti,” you can use any pasta shape you like. Penne, rotini, or bow ties work great and sometimes hold the sauce even better than spaghetti.
How do I store leftovers?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The sauce will thicken considerably when cold, so add a splash of milk or chicken broth when reheating.
Can I freeze chicken spaghetti?
Yes! Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The texture might change slightly, but it’ll still be delicious.
What can I serve with chicken spaghetti?
A simple green salad, steamed broccoli, or garlic bread makes the perfect accompaniment. Keep it simple – the chicken spaghetti is rich enough on its own!
Can I use canned chicken?
In a pinch, yes, but fresh or rotisserie chicken will give you much better flavor and texture.
The Velveeta Debate
I know, I know – Velveeta isn’t exactly a gourmet ingredient. But here’s what Stacey from Southern Bite says about it: “There’s just nothing quite like this processed cheese. It melts beautifully and has a tangy flavor that’s hard to replicate.”
Should you make it a regular part of your diet? Probably not. But neither should chocolate cake, and we all still eat that! Everything in moderation, right?
My Personal Chicken Spaghetti Story
I’ll never forget the first time I made this for my family. My kids were going through a picky phase where they wouldn’t eat ANYTHING. I was at my wit’s end and decided to try chicken spaghetti as a last resort. Not only did they clean their plates, but they asked for seconds! It’s been in our regular rotation ever since.
What I love most is how I can sneak extra veggies in, and they don’t even notice because everything is coated in that delicious cheesy sauce. Mom win!
Final Thoughts
Stovetop chicken spaghetti might not be the fanciest meal, but it’s definitely one of the most satisfying. It’s the kind of dish that brings everyone to the table with smiles on their faces. Plus, it’s so easy to make that you’ll have plenty of time to actually sit down and enjoy dinner with your family instead of spending hours in the kitchen.
So next time you’re wondering what to make for dinner, give this stovetop chicken spaghetti a try. I bet it’ll become a regular in your meal rotation too!
Do you have any special additions or tweaks you make to your chicken spaghetti? I’d love to hear them! Drop a comment below with your favorite variation.
How To Make Chicken Spaghetti
- Spaghetti: As the name of the dish implies, the ideal noodle for chicken spaghetti is indeed spaghetti. The long, thin noodles are perfect for picking up the creamy sauce, while still giving a bit of a bite and heft—as opposed to a pasta like angel hair, which pairs better with a lighter sauce.
- Yellow Onion: Onion adds aroma and flavor to the casserole, that, after sauteing and baking, becomes translucent and melt-in-your-mouth soft.
- Red Bell Pepper: Bell peppers have a pleasantly, almost bitter, vegetal taste with a fair bit of sweetness as well, almost like the sweetness of a red tomato, and add a nice bite when raw or cooked. They work especially well here in a dish that is primarily creamy and savory.
- Chicken Breasts: One of the beauties of this recipe is how versatile it is. Though I am opting for chicken breasts here, you would be just as well to substitute them out for chicken thighs, or another protein like mushrooms or other veggies. Similarly, I find if you do stick to chicken, boneless, skinless chicken works best.
- Chili Powder: I’m not using a ton of chili powder here, but the little bit that is tossed in adds a nice smokiness and a hint of spice to the dish that helps elevate it from good to great. This is another ingredient that could be substituted out for another spice like red pepper flakes or cayenne.
- Butter & All-Purpose Flour: This is the base for an innumerable many sauces and for good reason. This simple combination of butter and flour provides the base for our sauce that is easy to adjust by simply adding more flour or liquid respectively. Just be sure not to burn the mixture before adding in the liquid.
- Whole Milk: Whole milk is the best bang for your buck here. We want something with enough fat to bond the sauce, as opposed to another option like skim milk. You could substitute in heavy cream instead, but in my opinion that makes the sauce just a little too heavy.
- Chicken Broth: If you wanted to make this dinner into a vegetarian option, you could substitute this out for vegetable broth—and take the chicken out as well—but I think the nice savory flavor of classic chicken broth brings out even more chicken flavor in the dish while also providing necessary moisture.
- Cheddar: Shredded cheddar cheese is sharp enough to cut through the other flavors here, and also melts very well when baked to create the classic gooey almost-crust on top.
Start off by preheating your oven to 350° and bringing a large pot of salted water to boil. Once the water has come to a rolling boil, add in the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick together and cooks evenly, until al dente. This should take about 7 minutes.
Then, in another large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add in onion and bell pepper to cook. Stir the mixture occasionally as it cooks until the onions have turned somewhat translucent and the whole mixture has softened considerably. This should take around another 7 minutes. Once cooked, transfer the onion and pepper mixture to a plate.
Season the chicken breasts all over with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Then, in the pot that you cooked the onion and bell pepper, cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the chicken has a nice golden brown color to it, then remove the chicken from the heat and similarly set aside.
Once more in the same pot, add in the butter and once melted, whisk in the flour, continually whisking as it cooks for about 1 minute. Then add in the whole milk and chicken broth and stir to combine. Cook this mixture, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened but is still pourable. If your mixture is too dry add in a little bit more liquid. Too wet, sprinkle in some more flour.
To this sauce, add in the spaghetti, vegetables, chicken, and the cheddar cheese and stir to combine. Then transfer this mixture to a baking dish and top with more cheese.
Carefully transfer the dish into the prepared oven and bake the mixture for about 45 minutes until the chicken spaghetti is hot and bubbly. Once cooked, remove the casserole from the oven and top with fresh parsley for a green, herbaceous bite.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
- What is chicken spaghetti? If you didnt grow up with chicken spaghetti, you can think of it as being pretty similar to mac n cheese, but amped up with chicken and spaghetti (duh). This casserole combines chicken breasts, red bell peppers, onion, chicken broth, and a creamy, cheesy sauce for a baked casserole that is perfectly adaptable. Swap out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs or rotisserie, add in even more veggies, or use a slightly thicker noodle shape. Like most of our casseroles, you can really play around here.