Southern Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel

Southern Chicken Spaghetti is a loved creation that combines the heartiness of pasta with the goodness of chunky tender chicken cooked in a thick cheesy sauce that satisfies and never disappoints. This casserole is a favorite and is requested often. It’s the ultimate comfort food your whole family will love.

Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel is a quick weeknight meal that is simple and full of cheesy goodness. It’s started on the stove and then baked in a casserole dish that fills your home with an aroma that will have everyone running to the dinner table.  This dish makes a lot and unless you are feeding a crowd, you will have leftovers the next day. 

What Is Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel

Rotel Chicken Spaghetti is a delightful Southern recipe and is a true family favorite, perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends when you crave a satisfying meal that’s both easy to make and bursting with flavor.  Chicken spaghetti is a thick, rich, and cheesy baked casserole that includes cooked chicken, spaghetti noodles, Rotel tomatoes, and a cheesy sauce made with cream of mushroom soup, Velveeta cheese, cream cheese, and seasonings. It is started on the stove and finished in the oven. 

Why This Dish Is Fabulous

Chicken Spaghetti is the ultimate weeknight meal due to its convenience and comfort. With simple ingredients, this easy chicken spaghetti recipe is sure to be on your weekly rotation.

Flavor: The depth of flavor from the creamy sauce, cooked chicken, rotel tomatoes, and melty cream cheese and Velveeta cheese makes this the ultimate comfort food for any night of the week.

Simple: This recipe combines simple ingredients to create a mouthwatering dish.

Satisfying: A delicious and filling meal that’s perfect for your family or for entertaining a crowd.

Kid Friendly: Kids love this meal with the spaghetti noodles and the creamy cheesy sauce. 

Pantry Staple: Grab a few things from your pantry, and this meal will come together in minutes.

Feed a Crowd: This recipe makes enough to feed a large family. Feel free to cut this recipe in half if so desired.

For another great weeknight meal, be sure to try my popular Doritos Chicken Casserole. It is always a hit when I make this for the family.

Ingredients For Rotel Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

Chicken Spaghetti requires only a few basic ingredients to be a great dish. It’s versatile and allows for variations to suit your taste preferences. This recipe can easily be cut in half for serving a small crowd. For a complete list of ingredient amounts, please see the printable recipe card below.

• Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenders – The great thing about this recipe is you can use chicken breast or tenders. If you have leftover chicken, use it up or grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to make this meal even easier.
• Butter – I cook the chicken in a little butter.
• Spaghetti Noodles – You’ll want to boil the spaghetti noodles and then drain them before adding to the cheesy mixture. I boil the noodles while the chicken is cooking.
• Rotel Tomatoes—I use either Rotel tomatoes or a generic brand with diced tomatoes and green chilies. Either would work, taste the same, and give the dish a slightly spicy kick.
• Cream of Mushroom Soup—Use the kind of soup you have in your pantry. Most of the time, I use Cream of Mushroom Soup, but I have also used Cream of Chicken Soup, and it was fine.
• Velveeta Cheese – This is easy to find in your local grocery store. I try to catch it on sale or use a brand that is on sale. Cut it into cubes before adding it to the mix.
• Cream Cheese – You’ll only need half a block of cream cheese. Cut it into cubes before adding it to the mix.
• Garlic Powder and Onion Powder – These are the seasonings I use for this recipe. Use what you have or use your favorites.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese – You can never have too much cheese. Shredded cheese is added to the top of the chicken spaghetti before it goes into the oven.

How to Make Rotel Chicken Spaghetti

With just a little bit of prep, you can have this delicious dish in the oven in no time. To cut down on time, use leftover chicken, leftover pasta noodles, or grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

1. In a large pot, cook spaghetti until al dente, following the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, cook the chicken. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add bite-size raw chicken pieces. Cook the chicken for about 10-12 minutes until it is no longer pink.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Add the Rotel, cream of mushroom soup, Velveeta cheese, cream cheese, and seasonings to the skillet with the chicken. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheeses have melted and the ingredients are well combined.
5. Add the cooked spaghetti, stir well, and transfer to the prepared casserole dish, spreading it out evenly. Top with shredded cheese.
6. Bake for about 25 minutes or until it is heated throughout and bubbly.
7. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

*Tip: If your sauce is thicker than you prefer, add some chicken stock or chicken broth to thin a bit before adding the noodles.

For another Southern recipe, try skillet-fried potatoes and onions. They only take minutes to prepare, and the result is fabulous.

The Best Chicken To Use

The beauty of this Southern chicken spaghetti recipe is its versatility. You have several choices when it comes to using chicken for this dish: chicken breast, chicken tenders, leftover chicken, or a rotisserie chicken. If I have several chicken breasts leftover from dinner earlier in the week, I’ll chop them up and throw them in this dish. You might also cook the chicken a day ahead to make the prep work even faster.

How To Store Leftovers

When storing leftover cheesy chicken spaghetti, allow the casserole to cool to room temperature. Then, completely cover the creamy chicken casserole with aluminum foil or plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat leftovers, place back into a 350-degree oven and heat until warm throughout.

What To Serve With Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

This dish is a family favorite and a very simple recipe.  It is a wonderful recipe for busy weeknights; this dish is great to serve on its own, but pairing a few side dishes can elevate the meal. I usually serve this dish with Garlic bread and a side salad.

Recipe Tips and Variations

These tips can help elevate and create a delicious meal for your family. Feel free to change up a few ingredients to suit your taste preferences. Make this easy Rotel chicken spaghetti your new go-to recipe for busy weeknights.

• The cooking time may vary depending on whether you use leftover chicken or pasta.
• Use turkey instead of chicken.
• Add a little sour cream to thin out the cheesy sauce a bit.
• If you don’t have cream of mushroom soup, use cream of chicken soup or cream of celery.
• Add some diced jalapenos or crushed red pepper to the cheesy sauce to add more spiciness.
• If you are not a huge fan of cream of mushroom soup, substitute it for creamy alfredo sauce.
• For best results, serve this dish immediately while the cheese sauce is still warm.

Recipe FAQs

More Great Recipes

Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Cheesy Doritos Chicken Casserole

Chicken Roll Ups

Southern Side Dish Recipes to Try:

Southern Tomato Pie

Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes

Southern Tomato Cracker Salad

Southern BBQ Baked Beans

Southern Desserts:

Southern Buttermilk Pie

Southern Pecan Pralines

Southern Caramel Cake