Description
This Southern Chicken Spaghetti with RoTel is a comforting and cheesy casserole featuring tender shredded chicken, spaghetti, a creamy cheese sauce, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. It’s a flavorful, slightly spicy dish that’s perfect for family dinners and can be prepared 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)
Cheese
- 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 as needed, including breaking spaghetti into 2-inch pieces.
- Cook and Shred Chicken and Sauté Vegetables: Cook and shred the chicken breast if not pre-cooked. If using fresh peppers and onions, sauté them in a pan until softened. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender, then drain and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the condensed cream of chicken soup, RoTel diced tomatoes and green chilies, and softened cream cheese. Heat in the microwave, stirring every minute until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Cheese: Stir in 2 cups of shredded Cheddar cheese into the sauce, mixing until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out by adding a little heavy cream or milk.
- Combine Ingredients: Stir the shredded chicken, cooked spaghetti, and sautéed peppers and onions into the cheese sauce until evenly mixed.
- Assemble Casserole: Spoon the mixture into a greased casserole dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake or Freeze: You may cover the casserole with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to freeze for up to 3 months, or refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking. To bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for 20 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Allow the casserole to stand for 5 minutes before serving to let it set slightly and to enhance flavors.
Notes
- You can substitute milk for heavy cream to reduce richness and calories.
- For added heat, use a spicier RoTel or add cayenne pepper.
- This casserole can be made ahead and frozen, making it ideal for meal prep.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
- Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
