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.
Dishes that include veggies, protein, and things like rice or pasta all in one are such a time saver! We have several that are kid-friendly, and quick like Chicken Penne Pasta, Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole, and Easy Chicken Fried Rice.
Needless to say, this recipe is a keeper! It’s a great meal for groups of people too!
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. Or, use our Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup instead.
- 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.
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
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.
Free Freezer Meal Labels
Keep track of freezer meals the easy way with our printable freezer meal labels.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! While melty shredded cheddar is a standard of this kind of casserole, try experimenting using other cheeses, such as Pepper Jack for a little kick of heat, Gruyere for a more gourmet casserole, or even goat cheese or feta cheese crumbles. This casserole is very forgiving, so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.
This recipe calls for cooked and diced/shredded chicken (white or dark meat) as an ingredient. Rotisserie chicken from the store is a smart shortcut. One whole chicken usually yields about 4 cups shredded chicken. Or, you can 1) use our fast cooking instructions in the recipe notes, 2) cook chicken in the Crock Pot, or 3) cook chicken in the Instant Pot ahead of time.
This casserole is a great one to prepare in advance. After prepping but before baking it, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I used bell peppers and onion. But, feel free to swap out any of these for what you have on hand. Finely chopped and sautéed carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips, green beans, and more would work!
Absolutely! Like all our freezer meal recipes, we offer freezing instructions for the best result. We’ve learned that it’s ideal to freeze casseroles like this one before baking so they turn out tasting fresh. After putting the casserole together but before baking it, tightly wrap the dish in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil, pressing out any air. Freeze for up to 3 months.
In my 15+ years of freezer cooking experience, I’ve found that cooking casseroles that are frozen solid can yield sub-optimal results. Oftentimes, they turn out dry and overcooked on the edges while still cold in the middle. The best option is to thaw this casserole completely in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours (or in a pinch use the defrost setting on the microwave) and then bake according to the recipe directions.
What to Serve with Chicken Spaghetti
Here are so tasty side dishes to serve with your casserole:
More Chicken Casseroles to Try
If you like this casserole, you’re sure to love some of these other favorite chicken casseroles:
- Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
- Chicken and Stuffing Casserole (or Turkey Stuffing Casserole)
- Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake
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 (sub: Cream of Chicken Soup)
- 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). Be sure to generously salt the cooking water. 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. Season lightly with salt and pepper as they cook. 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, sautéed 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. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
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.
I have been making this for years, it’s a pioneer woman recipe. The whole family loves it, and great use of leftover roast chicken. I always freeze half also, always nice to add to the freezer meals.
It is a great meal to have in the freezer. Thanks so much for leaving a review Dee!
We don’t like peppers or onions. Is there anything else I can substitute?
Hi Christin. You can sub just about any veggie. We haven’t officially tested anything else, but lots of readers mention various additions/substitutions like spinach, zucchini, and broccoli. This recipe uses broccoli, carrots, and celery and has you saute them a bit before putting them in casserole: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/chicken-and-rice-casserole/ Be sure to let us know what you do use and how it turns out!
Haven’t tried all the recipes yet, but I will
Hope you find some you like Mattie!
I am perplexed by the 5 star rating and the rave reviews. Good for anyone under 6. Way too much spaghetti and couldn’t taste the cheese inside or find much chicken and no veggies. Extremely bland.
Thanks for your honest feedback, Suzan. I did add in some places where you can add more salt and pepper throughout the cooking process, but this is one of those recipes that probably depends on the kind of mushroom soup and chicken broth you use. It has been well-tested by us and users for years and has gotten good reviews from families. But, we totally respect you having a different opinion of it and welcome honest feedback.
I cooked this dish for 5 men that where through hiking the AT. This was a diverse group and everyone loved the dish. This is the third year that I have had a request to cook for our family vacation around Thanksgiving. I have dressed it up by adding cream cheese, smoked sausage, and shrimp.
Ooh, I love those additions Pam! Makes me want to go try it right now! Thanks for taking the time to let others know how you dressed it up. We’re grateful to have wonderful readers who share ideas!
Love this recipe . I added spinach
We are all about sneaking extra veggies in. Love the addition of spinach! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review Lori.
Made this and had plenty to eat for dinner (family of 4), some leftover for lunch the next day and a while other meal to put in the freezer! I also added some diced up zucchini for more veggies. My kids even loved it!
So glad this worked so well for your family! Thanks for sharing the tip on the extra zucchini.
Was great and so easy
We love tasty food that’s easy to make! Thank you for leaving a review Diane.
Can this be made in the Instant Pot? If so, how would you modify the recipe or cooking order? I like cooking pasta dishes in the iPot and wonder if it would work for this recipe. Thanks!
We haven’t tested this one in the IP, so I’m not sure. Sorry!
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.
A family hit! Easy, inexpensive and quick (made even quicker by cooking the pasta in the Instant Pot). My 5 year old declared I should make this every night 🙂
Whoop whoop! We love hearing about recipes that work for the whole family. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Steph.
the recipe is amazing, but one question remains unanswered; can I use normal mushroom cream soup (which is clearly more fluid) instead of canned mushroom cream, because I can’t seem to find such product in Germany (my country of residence)?
Hi Mustafa. Thanks for the question and review. You’re right, fresh cream of mushroom soup won’t be as thick as the canned version. Do you have corn starch? If so, you could add a corn starch slurry to the soup (1 tablespoon water mixed with 1 tablespoon corn starch) to thicken it.
Can I use uncooked chicken in this chicken spaghetti recipe and increase cooking time?
Yes, absolutely. It will cook long enough for it to get done.
Can I use 3 cups of uncooked chicken for this recipe and just extend the cookinbg time?
Yes, just used diced chicken breasts or thighs.