Chicken Spaghetti is one of those classic comfort food recipes that never goes out of style. Creamy, cheesy, and packed with tender chicken, it’s the kind of meal that brings everyone back to the table. This easy chicken spaghetti recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, or feeding a crowd without a lot of effort. If you’re craving something warm, familiar, and satisfying, this one always delivers.
Love easy casseroles? Checkout this Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole too!
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What is Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti is a classic Southern comfort food dish made with cooked spaghetti, tender chicken, and a rich, creamy sauce. It’s often baked casserole-style and finished with cheese, making it hearty, filling, and perfect for family meals. While versions vary by region, the goal is always the same—a creamy, comforting pasta dish that’s easy to make and feeds a crowd. It’s especially popular for potlucks, holidays, and make-ahead dinners.
Another couple of my favorite inexpensive yet hearty southern dishes is a nice big pot of Swamp Soup and Southern Cabbage Stew. Both can feed a family for days!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This creamy chicken spaghetti is easy to make, incredibly comforting, and perfect for feeding a hungry family. The sauce is rich without being heavy, the chicken stays tender, and every bite is packed with familiar Southern flavors. It’s a great make-ahead meal, reheats beautifully, and works just as well for weeknight dinners as it does for potlucks or gatherings. If you love simple, no-frills comfort food, this recipe belongs in your rotation.
Looking for other Southern comfort recipes? How about this Fried Catfish Po' Boy!
Ingredients
Meat: For this Chicken Spaghetti Recipe, I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken. However, any shredded chicken will work. Also, if you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, shred that up and use it in this recipe. Smoked Turkey especially works very well, adding a smokey flavor to the dish.
Vegetables: Onion, Celery, Mushrooms, and pimento-stuffed Queen Olives are the vegetables we prefer to use in our family. Heavy on the Olives and Mushrooms if you ask me, but again, get creative!
Liquids: Chicken Stock and White Cooking Wine are the only actual liquids in this Chicken Spaghetti. I also use condensed Cream of Chicken and Cream of Celery Soup. You get a perfectly creamy texture when you boil the pasta in this mixture.
Pasta: Spaghetti noodles are all you'll need. Just be sure to break them in half before boiling them in the chicken stock and soup mixture.
Seasonings and Spices: Kosher Salt and Black Pepper are all you'll need. I used half a teaspoon of each, but I recommend adding them to taste.
Cheese: Shredded Cheddar cheese is the way to go when topping your Chicken Spaghetti. I prefer mild or medium, while my wife prefers sharp. So again, use whichever you prefer.
I think you'll also LOVE these Copycat Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: in a 12" Cast Iron Skillet or another large pan, sauté the onions and celery in melted butter over medium heat until they become tender.
Now add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms have shrunken in size and softened.
Pour the white cooking wine and allow it to simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set the veggie mixture aside.
Step 2: Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a Large Stock Pot and add the cans of condensed cream of Chicken and cream of celery soups. Stir the mixture to break up the condensed soup and bring the mixture back to a boil.
Once the soup is boiling, break the spaghetti noodles in half and add them to the soup mixture. Boil the pasta for about ten minutes until it's softened and tender.
Be sure to stir the pasta frequently; otherwise, they will stick together. You don't want that.
Step 3: Add the sautéd veggies, sliced olives, parsley, salt, pepper, and Chicken into the stockpot. Give it a good stir to ensure even distribution, and thoroughly combine all ingredients.
Step 4: Pour the chicken spaghetti mixture into a well-buttered 9x13 baking dish, top it with shredded cheddar cheese, and cook it at 350°f for 40 minutes.
Once the baking time is complete, turn the broiler on at 550°f and allow the cheese to brown up on top. This step only takes about 3 minutes and is entirely optional.
Expert Tips
Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken makes this recipe faster and adds extra flavor without additional effort.
Cook the spaghetti just to al dente. Slightly undercooked pasta holds up better if the dish is baked, and prevents it from becoming mushy. Unlike when making a more Traditional Italian Spaghetti, I also recommend breaking the noodles in half to make them easier to work with.
Let the casserole rest before serving. Allowing the chicken spaghetti to rest for 5–10 minutes helps the sauce set and makes serving easier.
Don’t skip seasoning the sauce. Creamy dishes need proper seasoning. Taste and adjust salt and pepper before baking.
This recipe freezes well. Chicken spaghetti can be frozen before or after baking, making it great for meal prep.
Need a dessert? These deep-fried cheesecake balls are insanely good!
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Assemble the dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
Absolutely. Freeze tightly covered for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken, or poached chicken all work well.
Reheat covered in the oven at 350°F or microwave individual portions with a splash of milk.
Yes. Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, or peas are great additions.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Chicken Spaghetti (Easy Southern Comfort Food)
Ingredients
- 1 Rotisserie Chicken or Leftover Turkey - shredded
- 1 Stick Salted Butter
- 1 Large Onion - diced
- 4 Ribs of Celery - sliced
- 10 Oz Pimento Stuffed Queen Olives - drained/sliced
- 16 Oz Sliced Mushrooms - white or baby bella
- ½ Cup White Cooking Wine
- 48 Oz Chicken Stock
- 1 Can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1 Can Condensed Cream of Celery Soup
- 1 Lb Spaghetti noodles
- 2 Tbsp. Dried Parsley
- ½ tsp. Kosher Salt - or to taste
- ½ tsp. Black Pepper - or to taste
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese for topping
Instructions
- Shred the Rotisserie Chicken or Leftover Turkey, and then stick it back in the fridge until you're ready to mix it into the spaghetti.
- In a skillet or large pan, sauté the onions and celery in melted butter over medium heat until they become tender.
- Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms have shrunken in size and softened.
- Pour in the white cooking wine and allow it to simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
- In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the cans of condensed cream of Chicken and cream of celery soups. Stir the mixture to break up the condensed soup and bring the mixture back to a boil.
- Break the spaghetti noodles in half and add them to the soup mixture, frequently stirring while the pasta boils; about 10 minutes or until the pasta has softened.
- Add the sautéd veggies, sliced olives, parsley, salt, pepper, and Chicken into the stockpot. Give it a good stir to ensure even distribution and that all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Pour the chicken spaghetti mixture into a well-buttered 9x13 casserole dish, top it with shredded cheddar cheese and bake it for 40 minutes at 350°f.
- Once the 40 minutes is up, turn the broiler on to 550°f to brown parts of the cheese topping. This step is completely optional but only takes about 3 minutes and adds a nice color to the cheese.
- Serve topped with Crushed Red Pepper for an added spice.
Video
Notes
- Breaking the noodles in half is very important. This is more of a chicken spaghetti casserole than the Italian-style spaghetti we are used to. So you'll want the noodles to be shorter.
- Be sure that you are stirring the pasta frequently while boiling it in the soup. This is essential to make sure the noodles aren't sticking together.
- When broiling the chicken spaghetti, keep an eye on it. This should only take a few minutes, and you want to add color to the cheese, not burn it.
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