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Full of tomatoes, cheese, juicy chicken, and a kick of heat, Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel is an easy dump-and-bake recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It’s creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor.
Chicken spaghetti with Rotel is great for a comfy weeknight dinner that’s low-maintenance and quick on time. It takes just 15 minutes to prepare, most of which consists of simply dumping the ingredients in a bowl and mixing. The end result is creamy, cheesy, and super flavorful pasta. Whether you’re serving it to hungry teens or a picky five-year-old, it will surely get devoured.
If you love easy chicken dishes and one-pan meals, be sure to check out my One-Pan Marry Me Chicken Orzo, Garlic Parmesan Chicken Rice Casserole, One-Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, or Lemon Parmesan One-Pan Pasta recipes too. You’ll find both decadent and lightened-up pasta recipes that fit any occasion.
Reasons You’ll Love This Chicken Spaghetti
- Quick & easy. Chicken spaghetti with rotel is quick to make (it takes just 15 minutes to put together) and budget-friendly, with a short and simple list of ingredients.
- Creamy & cheesy. Ingredients like cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and shredded cheese give this spaghetti a lusciously smooth and creamy texture. So, so good!
- No Velveeta. A lot of Rotel chicken spaghetti recipes use Velveeta. I skipped it because I like to include as few processed ingredients as possible and I find that freshly shredded cheese results in better flavor and texture.
- Make ahead friendly. Rotel chicken spaghetti is one of my go-to dishes for a sick friend or expecting parents. It reheats well and even freezes well for later enjoyment.
Ingredients You’ll Need & Why
This easy recipe requires just a few ingredients. Here’s an overview; be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Rotisserie chicken – Any cooked chicken will work but starting with a rotisserie chicken keeps things quick and easy. Plus, rotisserie chicken is already seasoned and typically pretty tender and juicy.
- Spaghetti – Other long pasta, like angel hair and fettucine, would also work.
- Chicken stock – Broth works, but stock has more flavor.
- Rotel tomatoes – The can saves you time chopping. Of course, store-brand tomatoes and green chilies work instead. Pick whichever heat level you prefer.
- Cream of chicken soup – The soup makes the creamy base to the sauce while adding lots of flavor.
- Sour cream – To freshen up the sauce and add creaminess.
- Cheese – I used a Mexican blend of shredded cheese that has both cheddar and Monterey.
- Seasonings – Fresh garlic, dried red pepper flakes, Cajun seasoning, seasoning salt, pepper, and dried parsley for garnish.
How To Make Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel
Rotel chicken spaghetti is super easy to make. It makes a great weeknight dinner! The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the pasta. Preheat the oven to 375F. Boil a large pot of water and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions.
- Season the chicken. Add deboned rotisserie chicken to a bowl with 1/4 cup of broth. Coat with Cajun seasoning.
- Make the sauce. Combine the cream of chicken soup, Rotel, sour cream, and spices in a bowl. Microwave the remaining chicken stock until warmed through, then whisk it into the mixture.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the drained spaghetti, chicken, sauce, and half of the cheese to a casserole dish. Toss to coat everything with the sauce.
- Bake. Top with the remaining cheese and parsley. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Recipe Tips & Variations
With a recipe as easy as this chicken spaghetti with Rotel, there aren’t many tips to share. But I do have a few variation suggestions!
- Don’t drain the Rotel. Just dump the entire can into the casserole. The liquid adds lots of flavor and keeps the casserole from being too dry.
- Adjust the spice level. Rotel comes in a few different flavors, from mild to spicy. Any of them work in this recipe! Use the one you prefer.
- Use fire roasted tomatoes. If you’re making this for a little kid palette, fire roasted tomatoes can be used instead of Rotel for an even milder flavor.
- Try it with turkey. Have leftover Thanksgiving turkey? Use it in this recipe!
What Goes With Chicken Spaghetti With Rotel
Rotel chicken spaghetti is a pretty great meal on its own. It’s sometimes fun to add toppings, like salsa, sour cream, avocado slices, or jalapeno on top.
For side dishes, I typically stick with a fresh side salad or some steamed or roasted green veggies, like broccoli or asparagus. A slice of Texas toast or garlic bread is perfect for ensuring every bit of the yummy sauce gets soaked up.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: Follow the instructions to prepare the casserole in an oven-safe disposable pan. Top with cheese as directed. Cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to three months. To bake, fully defrost, then bake as directed. It may take an additional 10-15 minutes of covered bake time since the casserole will be cold.
- Fridge: Store leftover chicken spaghetti with Rotel in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers are good for about 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave with a splash of chicken broth to prevent them from drying out.
Looking for More Chicken Pasta Recipes?
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback!
If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel
Ingredients
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken shredded or chunked
- 12 ounces dry spaghetti
- 1 cup chicken stock divided
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
- 21 ounces cream of chicken with herbs condensed soup (2 10.5 ounce cans)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups shredded cheese Mexican blend or similar
- 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning divided (see my homemade recipe in the notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- dried parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the spaghetti while preparing the rest of the recipe.
- Debone the rotisserie chicken and add chicken to a large bowl. Pour over 1/4 cup chicken broth to moisten the chicken, then sprinkle over cajun seasoning, about 2 tablespoons or enough to evenly coat the chicken.
- In a large bowl, make the sauce by adding cream of chicken, rotel (undrained), sour cream, garlic, 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp seasoning salt, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper. Whisk it together until smooth.
- Heat 3/4 cup of chicken stock in the microwave for 1 minute (or until warmed through), then pour into the mixture and whisk together.
- Into a 9×13 casserole dish, add drained spaghetti, seasoned chicken, sauce mixture, and half the cheese. Mix it all together using tongs to ensure the sauce evenly coats the pasta and that the chicken is distributed evenly.
- Top it off with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with dried parsley. Cover with foil (spray with nonstick spray to prevent cheese from sticking to foil). Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are browned and bubbly.
Notes
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, regular paprika works too
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
I made this yesterday and instead of making the Cajun seasoning using you include with the recipe, I used a Cajun seasoning that I had bought at the grocery store. Bad idea! My Chicken Spaghetti ended up soooo salty and completely inedible. So I made the recipe again and used your Cajun seasoning recipe … I did only use one tablespoon of it on the chicken and another 2 teaspoons in the sauce and completely omitted the salt and red pepper flakes. Turned out delicious – my husband had 3 servings and I also loved it. Definitely making this again! Thanks for another great recipe!
Made this tonight and it was amazing! Big hit!!
can u freeze left overs
I meant * gluten free) cream of chicken soup!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I liked that it uses basic pantry ingredients, yet tastes like a restaurant made it. Substitutions I did- only used 1 can of (gluten free) cream of chicken noodle soup, plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and half the amount of water. I also used 2 T. total of Cajun seasoning and a can of regular diced tomatoes as my kids don’t like much spice. My son has a wheat allergy and so for his I made gf spaghetti pasta!
We LOVED this recipe. It’s extremely comforting and just tastes like a childhood homemade meal. The prep work was super easy too so this is a keeper recipe for us. Next time I may try this was shrimp