Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

4 from 1 vote

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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!

Fork twirling Chicken Spaghetti on a white plate

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.
chicken spaghetti on a white plate

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.

chicken spaghetti in a 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.

close up of chicken spaghetti

More Spaghetti Recipes to Try!

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

Fork twirling Chicken Spaghetti on a white plate
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4 from 1 vote

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 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

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

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
4 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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19 Responses
  1. Spaghetti with Chicken Recipes Easy to Make

    […] To see details and step by step to make it, please visit the link: Spaghetti With Chicken Recipes […]

  2. Heather

    5 stars
    I Made this recipe recently for my kids ages 8, 6, and 2 year old quadruplets and it was a huge hit!!! Definitely making again!

  3. Nicole

    5 stars
    This had such a depth of flavor or whatever you’d call it! So rich and even reheated well with some cream stirred in. Definitely going to put on our family meal rotation!!

  4. Diana Lindsay

    5 stars
    We loved this dish it has such a good combination of flavors, will be making this dish again. Love your family blog, my husband has business meetings once a year in NYC we love the city but your blog has made our trip completely different. Thank you for sharing your families story, love trying new restaurants, visiting new places and the best one is I now understand when I see kids on their little scooters on the sidewalks always thought what in the world are those parents thinking but now my thoughts are what a great way to get some energy out. Thanks again Lauren!

  5. Katherine Heller Hamm

    5 stars
    Just made this cheesy chicken spaghetti for the first time and it was devoured by my entire family, including my 2 and 4 year olds! I would have never thought to throw those ingredients together with pasta, but man is it delish and so different from any other pasta dishes I make! We also have a newborn so bouns points for the easy prep and gigantic yield so that it’s basically enough for dinner for two nights for our family. This recipe will definitely be making it into our regular rotation 😋

  6. Sam Anderson

    5 stars
    This was superb! I cut recipe in half since it’s only myself and my wife. I added 3 cloves minced garlic, turmeric, and some basil and marjoram too.
    I’ll fix this again soon, guaranteed!!

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