Chicken Spaghetti
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Chicken Spaghetti is an easy, cheesy, make-it-again-soon-please casserole that your whole family will love. We teach you how to make it fresh AND how to prep it ahead to be a freezer meal.
Why Chicken Spaghetti Is a Family Favorite
When I made this chicken spaghetti recipe for the first time last week, my husband ate it for about 5 meals in a row and proceeded to ask me to make it again the next week.
My kids eagerly scarfed it down as well. Tonight’s batch ended up on about every area of exposed skin on my 18 month old, but I take that as a sign he liked it. Needless to say, this recipe is a keeper! It’s a great meal for groups of people too!
While this chicken casserole recipe is baked in a 9×13 dish, I oftentimes split it into two, 8×8 dishes and freeze one for later. More on that soon though!
Ingredients for Chicken Spaghetti
Here’s what you’ll need to make this dish:
- Spaghetti or thin spaghetti noodles – I prefer to use whole wheat.
- Cream of mushroom soup – Use organic soup, if possible, to avoid additives and preservatives.
- Cooked chicken – Use store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Chicken broth or stock – Here is how to make your own.
- Chopped veggies – Chop them finely by hand or in a food processor, if they will throw picky eaters off.
- Cheese – Here’s why you should shred your own cheese.
- Seasonings – You probably have all of these in your pantry.
Ingredients ready? Let’s do this.
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
Now that you know what ingredients you’ll need, watch this short video tutorial that illustrates how easily this chicken casserole comes together…
Step-by-Step Overview of the Recipe
This is a great beginner recipe or weeknight dinner when you don’t have much time. Here’s how to make it step-by-step.
Cook the Pasta
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until al dente (slightly undercooked). Undercooking it keeps it from getting mushy while baking. This is especially important to do if you are going to make this a freezer meal.
While it cooks, preheat the oven and grease the casserole dish(es) with cooking spray.
Chop and Saute the Veggies
While that pasta is cooking, this is also a great time to chop and saute those veggies. Multitasking is your friend for this recipe.
Combine the Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, gently stir together the cooked pasta, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, chopped/shredded chicken, veggies, seasoning, and only 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese.
Now please take note of this: Add in only 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. I always get moving too fast and add it ALL in at this point. You need some to sprinkle over the top so restrain yourself!
Here it is all mixed up. Yum. Or yuck. Not sure.
Place in Casserole Dish
Either divide the mixture between two 8×8 dishes or put it all in one 9×13 dish. Top with remaining cheese. Assuming you listened to my warning above about not mixing in all of the cheese, that is.
Bake the Casserole
Bake in a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes, until the edges are bubbly. If the top begins to get too brown, cover with foil. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve warm.
Can You Freeze Chicken Spaghetti?
In our 15+ years of freezing cooking experience and recipe testing for our cookbooks, we’ve learned that casseroles like chicken spaghetti work very well to freeze. However, make sure to use our pro tips to ensure it comes out tasting just like a fresh meal.
Tip #1: Freeze Before Baking
While you can freeze a casserole after baking, we highly recommend the opposite. Prep the casserole up until the point of baking and then freeze it, if you want the dish to taste fresh after being in the freezer.
Tip #2: Reduce Air Exposure
We always teach that air is the enemy of good freezer meals. So be sure to wrap your casserole very tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap and/or foil. If using an air-tight lid on your casserole dish, we recommend placing a layer of foil over the surface of the casserole, as well. Packaging a freezer meal well will result in a great dinner on the other end of it’s stay in the freezer.
Tip #3: Thaw the Right Way
Lastly, thawing the meal fully in the refrigerator will yield the best results. Give your casserole at least 24-48 hours to thaw completely. Then, when you’re ready to bake it, set it on the counter for about 30 minutes before placing in the oven to help it come up to room temp.
If you want the quick version of how to make it a freezer meal kit, use the following instructions.
How to Freeze as a Meal Kit
u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph {u0022imagePinMetau0022:{}} u002du002du003ernrnYou can either split this large recipe in half or double what you’re already making and freeze one for later. Here’s how:rnrnu003cstrongu003eFreeze for Later: u003c/strongu003eOnce the casserole has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap and/or foil or place an air-tight lid (if you have one) on your baking dish. Squeeze out any excess air and freeze. (These are our u003ca href=u0022https://thrivinghomeblog.com/shop/oxo-freezer-to-oven-dishes/u0022 rel=u0022u0022u003erecommended freezer meal dishesu003c/au003e.)rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph {u0022imagePinMetau0022:{}} u002du002du003ernrnu003cstrongu003ePrepare From Frozen: u003c/strongu003ePlace frozen casserole into the fridge and let thaw for 24+ hours. Bake using the instructions in the recipe below (step 6).rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e
What to Serve with Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph {u0022imagePinMetau0022:{}} u002du002du003ernrnHere are some delicious ideas that would go well with this recipe:rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:list {u0022imagePinMetau0022:{}} u002du002du003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eSimple Side Salad with u003ca href=u0022https://thrivinghomeblog.com/honey-balsamic-vinaigrette/u0022u003eHoney Balsamic Dressingu003c/au003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003ca href=u0022https://thrivinghomeblog.com/texas-toast-garlic-bread/u0022u003eTexas Toastu003c/au003e (aka Garlic Bread)u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003ca href=u0022https://thrivinghomeblog.com/oven-roasted-broccoli/u0022u003eOven Roasted Broccoliu003c/au003eu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003c!u002du002d /wp:list u002du002du003e
Be sure to throw Chicken Spaghetti on your menu plan soon and remember to double it so you can have one in the freezer for later. Done and done!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Chicken Spaghetti
This freezer-friendly Chicken Spaghetti recipe will keep your family coming back for more deliciousness.
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
- 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (preferably organic)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2–3 chicken breasts, fully cooked and chopped/shredded (roughly 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1 small or medium onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s Seasoned Salt or use this DIY recipe
- 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, divided
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish or two 8×8 dishes with cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until al dente (slightly undercooked). When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander over the sink.
- While pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmery, add the bell peppers & onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, gently stir together the cooked pasta with the cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, chopped chicken, sauteed veggies, seasoned salt, cayenne, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.
- Place the mixture in the dish (or dishes) and top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Bake until bubbly around the edges, about 40-45 minutes. (If the cheese on top starts to get too dark, cover with foil.) Let cool slightly and serve warm.
Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1-5 (do not bake). Cover the casserole dishes with a few layers of plastic wrap and foil. Squeeze out any excess air and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw. (Here are three safe ways to thaw freezer meals.) Follow step 6. If it’s still slightly frozen in the middle, you’ll just have to cook it longer than the recipe calls for or defrost a bit in the microwave before baking. Cover it with foil if the top gets too brown in the oven.
Notes/Tips
Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves.
Looking forward to making this!! I’m new to freezer meals! One question though- do you not cook the chicken before adding it in? Thank you!
Welcome, Amy! The recipe calls for “2-3 chicken breasts, fully cooked and chopped or shredded (roughly 3 cups)” in the ingredient list. If you want a good shortcut, one rotisserie chicken usually yields 3-4 cups of shredded chicken. Hope that helps!
I don’t typically leave reviews on recipes, but this exceeded my expectations so thoroughly that I NEEDED to take the time. I made this for the first time last night. Hubby declared, “This needs to go in the permanent rotation.” I haven’t heard that in at least a decade, and I’ve tried a lot of new recipes! I love that I can sneak some veggies in there, even if this isn’t the healthiest meal we eat. I only made half the recipe, and no sides. It fed our family of five, but barely, since both the hubby and I went back for seconds and thirds (the kids are tiny and eat like birds). Definitely regretting not making the full recipe to try it as a freezer meal!
★★★★★
Love this so much! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Andie.
We made this last night. It was delish! We grilled the chicken breasts which added a kick of flavor. We did add less cheese due to some sensitive stomachs in our household but everyone loved it! My husband said he wants this in our normal rotation.
★★★★★
Ooo, great idea to grill the chicken. Glad this made it into your rotation! Thanks for leaving a review, Sara.