Description
This Southern Chicken Spaghetti with RoTel is a comforting and flavorful casserole combining tender shredded chicken, spaghetti, creamy cheese sauce, and zesty diced tomatoes with green chilies. The dish is easy to prepare, perfect for weeknight dinners, and can be baked fresh or made ahead and frozen for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Pasta
- 1.5 pounds boneless, cooked, and shredded chicken breast (or more, if desired)
- 16 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
Sauce
- 2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (21.5 ounces total)
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes & green chilies (RoTel)
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup heavy cream (or milk)
- 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided (12 ounces)
Vegetables
- 1 cup mixed peppers and onions (sautéed if using fresh)
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Gather all ingredients and prepare chicken by cooking and shredding it. If using fresh peppers and onions, chop and sauté them until softened. Break the spaghetti into 2-inch pieces.
- Cook Spaghetti: Boil salted water and cook spaghetti until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, RoTel diced tomatoes and green chilies, and softened cream cheese. Microwave the mixture, stirring every minute, until smooth and creamy.
- Add Cheese: Stir in 2 cups of shredded Cheddar cheese into the sauce until it melts and becomes smooth. If the sauce is too thick, adjust consistency by adding milk or heavy cream as needed.
- Combine Ingredients: Mix the shredded chicken, cooked spaghetti, and sautéed peppers and onions into the cheese sauce until fully incorporated.
- Assemble Casserole: Grease a casserole dish and spoon the mixture evenly inside. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese on top.
- Freeze or Refrigerate: Optionally, cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to freeze for up to 3 months, or refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving to let it set.
Notes
- This casserole can be prepared ahead and frozen for convenience.
- If you prefer a less spicy dish, substitute RoTel with plain diced tomatoes.
- You can swap heavy cream for milk to reduce fat content.
- Use cooked rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
