Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

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This Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti recipe is a speedier, one-pot version of my very popular Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti. This stovetop version will blow you away! It’s faster, uses a lot of the same ingredients, and turns out just as creamy and delicious!

What is Chicken Spaghetti?

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this dish, it is traditionally a creamy and cheese-baked pasta casserole filled with spaghetti, chicken, cream of mushroom soup, bell peppers, green chiles, and a whole lot of cheddar cheese.

Casseroles are great and typically taste amazing the longer they cook, but for this specific recipe, I almost prefer it right out of the pot because it’s at its peak of creamy and cheesy perfection. Plus, you don’t have to cook the entire recipe in the pot and then dirty a 9×13 dish just to bake it a little more with some extra cheese on top (though, there’s nothing wrong with doing it that way…I’m just impatient).

Chicken Spaghetti Variations

• Chicken – chicken cutlets are chicken breasts sliced very thin. You are welcome to take regular chicken breasts and slice them in half lengthwise to get the same effect. OR you can cut your raw chicken into bite size pieces before browning. I just find it easier to cut after they are fully cooked. Feel free to use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken and forgo the whole browning process.
• Alfredo Sauce – I love using the Trader Joe’s brand of alfredo sauce for this recipe but you could easily use another store-bought brand or use homemade alfredo sauce.

How to Make Chicken Spaghetti

For full details on how to make Chicken Spaghetti, see the recipe card down below 🙂

Cook Spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set pasta aside. Replace hot pot to medium heat.

Cook Chicken

Add in oil and swirl to spread across the bottom. Sprinkle chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and brown in oil until fully cooked. Remove from pot and set aside to rest.

Make Sauce

Saute onion and peppers until mostly tender. Stir in green chiles, alfredo sauce, and spices. Pour chicken broth into the empty alfredo jar, replace the lid and shake. Pour contents into the pot.

Toss Together with Cheese

Cut browned chicken into bite-size pieces and add to the pot.

Can I Freeze Chicken Spaghetti?

Go for it! Make a ton and freeze it in portions in airtight containers. This should last up to three months in the freezer.

Reheating Instructions

To reheat, thaw it completely, and then reheat the dish in the oven covered in foil. Covering with foil in the oven keeps the pasta moist. I know, moist… ew, but trust me… because pasta leftovers tend to dry out you could also try adding a couple of tablespoons of milk or chicken stock when reheating.

Storing Chicken Spaghetti

For leftovers, make sure to cover them in an airtight container and refrigerate. Chicken Spaghetti should last for 3-5 days but I think it tastes best within the first two!

Perfect Side Dishes

Like any pasta dish, this Chicken Spaghetti Recipe is great with breadsticks (like these: Craigo’s Breadsticks or Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks), or with a side salad (like these: Caprese Salad with Garlic Balsamic Dressing or Cucumber Salad Recipe).

The salads bring a nice fresh flavor and crunch to the creamy meal while the breadsticks are simply amazing carbs that compliment the Chicken Spaghetti.

More Spaghetti Recipes to Try!

• Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Garlic Chicken & Kale Spaghetti
• 45 Minute Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
• White Chicken Spaghetti
• Lemon Spaghetti

This recipe is a really filling and simple meal that every family member seems to love. Eddie snarfed his two helpings down just fine. Once we told our two older kids to get over the fact that they were just going to have to try bell peppers again ‘for us to really know that they didn’t like them’ they kind of forgot that they were in there and kept shoveling it in.

Overall, this is a recipe that we keep coming back to because of its versatility, ease, and ingredients list.

As per usual, below is the printable recipe.

Enjoy, friends! xo

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Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

This Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti recipe is a speedier, one-pot, stovetop version of my very popular Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti.

servings 6 servings

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb spaghetti
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ salt & pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 lb chicken cutlets*
• ▢ 1 cup yellow onion diced
• ▢ 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• ▢ 1/2 green bell pepper diced
• ▢ 4 oz mild diced green chiles one small can
• ▢ 16.9 oz alfredo sauce Trader Joe’s brand preferred (1 jar)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese grated
• ▢ a few splashes chicken broth or milk, as needed
• ▢ cilantro chopped, optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set pasta aside. Replace hot pot to medium heat.
• Add in oil and swirl to spread across the bottom. Sprinkle chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and brown 2-3 minutes per side in oil until fully cooked. Remove from pot and set aside to rest.
• Saute onion and peppers 4-5 minutes or until mostly tender. Stir in green chiles, alfredo sauce, and spices. Pour chicken broth into empty alfredo jar, replace the lid and shake. Pour contents into the pot.
• Cut browned chicken into bite-size pieces and add to the pot.
• Taste sauce and adjust seasonings as needed. Toss in the spaghetti and grated cheddar cheese until pasta is fully coated in sauce. (As it sits, it will have a tendency to thicken, so as needed, add in little splashes of chicken broth or milk and stir to keep it at the consistency you want before serving.)
• Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Notes

*Chicken cutlets are chicken breasts sliced very thin. You are welcome to take regular chicken breasts and slice them in half lengthwise to get the same effect. OR you can cut your raw chicken into bite size pieces before browning. I just find it easier to cut after they are fully cooked. Feel free to use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken and forgo the whole browning process.

Nutrition

Calories: 728kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 1087mg | Potassium: 627mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 827IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 313mg | Iron: 2mg

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian, Mexican

Keyword: Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti, Chicken Spaghetti, Chicken Spaghetti Recipe