Spaghetti casserole with chicken and cheese in a white casserole dish next to a wooden spoon with a brown towel behind all on a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Spaghetti Casserole with Chicken and Cheese

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Baking a spaghetti casserole is perfect for a large crowd. Add chicken and cheese to make it extra flavorful for a meal anyone can enjoy.

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Before meeting my husband, I had never had baked spaghetti before. I’d only had it in the traditional way of boiling noodles, pouring on the sauce, and sometimes adding meatballs. But she likes to make a baked version of it, and it’s just as good!

Well, I took that basic concept but wanted to make it cheesy because I love cheese. And instead of meatballs, which my boys won’t always eat, we added some chicken for protein.

The instructions seem long, but it is actually not as complicated as it looks. You only need a stockpot, a casserole dish, and a few mixing bowls to make this meal. Even my picky boys devoured this one, although they did push some of the vegetables off to the side as they ate it.

I like to serve this with a side of cheesy garlic bread or plain homemade white bread to dip in the sauce.

Spaghetti Casserole Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 lbs chicken breast, boneless, skinless
  • 2 cups water
  • 8 oz spaghetti noodles, uncooked
  • 5 oz evaporated milk
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400F.

In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the chicken. Cover and reduce to medium heat to let the chicken and broth simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Cooking in the broth adds flavor to the chicken.

Cooked chicken in broth in a stockpot on a wooden surface

Remove the chicken from the broth and add the water. Return the broth to a boil over high heat and add the spaghetti noodles, cooking until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Spaghetti noodles in broth in a stockpot on a wooden surface

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the evaporated milk and flour together.

Evaporated milk mixture with a wire whisk in a stainless steel bowl on a wooden surface

Scoop the pasta out and transfer it to a medium bowl.

Bring the broth to a boil again and whisk in the evaporated milk mixture. Boil for about 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Remove the stockpot from the heat and whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and salt.

Broth and milk mixture in a stockpot on a wooden surface

Pour the broth mixture into the bowl with the cooked spaghetti and carefully fold it in.

Cooked spaghetti in broth mixture in a stainless steel bowl on a wooden surface

Place the empty stockpot back on the stovetop and melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, until they start to soften.

Cooked veggies in a stockpot on a wooden surface

Remove from the heat and add the pasta mixture back in. Shred the cooked chicken and return it to the pan. Add the tomatoes to the pan, then fold to thoroughly mix everything together.

Cooked veggies, spaghetti, and chicken in a stockpot on a wooden surface

Grease a 9×13 casserole dish and pour in the spaghetti mixture. Top with the white cheddar cheese.

Spaghetti casserole topped with shredded cheese in a white casserole dish on a wooden surface

Lightly grease a piece of aluminum foil (so the cheese doesn’t stick) and cover the dish. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Spaghetti casserole with chicken and cheese in a white casserole dish next to a wooden spoon with a brown towel behind all on a wooden surface (vertical)

Leftovers

As with most casseroles, the leftovers are delicious when reheated! Store extra cheesy chicken spaghetti casserole in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. To reheat, add the casserole to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. If it’s dry, add a splash of milk while heating. Stir often so it doesn’t burn.

Recipe

Originally Published On: July 21, 2021

Last Updated On: August 1, 2023

Spaghetti casserole with chicken and cheese in a white casserole dish next to a wooden spoon with a brown towel behind all on a wooden surface

Spaghetti Casserole with Chicken and Cheese

Baking a spaghetti casserole is perfect for a large crowd. Add chicken and cheese to make it extra flavorful for a meal anyone can enjoy.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course:
Main Dish
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
casserole
|
chicken
|
pasta
|
spaghetti
Dietary Needs:
Egg-Free
|
Nut-Free
Meat:
Chicken/Turkey
Servings: 8
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 lbs chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
  • 2 cups water
  • 8 oz spaghetti noodles (uncooked)
  • 5 oz evaporated milk
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp butter (unsalted)
  • 1 yellow onion (chopped)
  • 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 2 tomatoes (chopped)
  • 4 oz sharp white cheddar cheese (shredded)

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F
  • In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the chicken
  • Cover and reduce to medium heat to let the chicken and broth simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through
  • Remove the chicken from the broth and add the water
  • Return the broth to a boil over high heat and add the spaghetti noodles, cooking until al dente, about 8 minutes
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the evaporated milk and flour together
  • Scoop the pasta out and transfer it to a medium bowl
  • Bring the broth to a boil again and whisk in the evaporated milk mixture
  • Boil for about 2-3 minutes, until thickened
  • Remove the stockpot from the heat and whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and salt
  • Pour the broth mixture into the bowl with the cooked spaghetti and carefully fold it in
  • Place the empty stockpot back on the stovetop and melt the butter over medium-high heat
  • Add the onion and bell pepper, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, until they start to soften
  • Remove from the heat and add the pasta mixture back in
  • Shred the cooked chicken and return it to the pan
  • Add the tomatoes to the pan, then fold to thoroughly mix everything together
  • Grease a 9×13 casserole dish and pour in the spaghetti mixture
  • Top with the white cheddar cheese
  • Lightly grease a piece of aluminum foil (so the cheese doesn’t stick) and cover the dish
  • Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the cheese has melted
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Nutrition Facts
Spaghetti Casserole with Chicken and Cheese
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 371 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 6g30%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 100mg33%
Sodium 1303mg54%
Potassium 789mg23%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 1032IU21%
Vitamin C 34mg41%
Calcium 180mg18%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole FAQs

Why does the casserole need to be covered when cooking?

Covering with foil helps keep the moisture in the casserole, and also prevents the cheese on top from cooking too quickly and burning.

What size casserole dish works best?

I used a 9×13 casserole dish. You can also use a glass baking pan if you have one. If you use a different size, the cooking time will vary.

28 thoughts on “Spaghetti Casserole with Chicken and Cheese”

  4. Amber

    We’ve done a baked spaghetti before but never with chicken. I prefer using chicken anyway so this looks amazing. I’m actually a huge cheese lover too—so it’s perfect.

    Reply
    1. Stephanie

      My best friend’s daughter just learned she has to eat a gluten-free diet, so we’ve been experimenting when they are over. I think gluten-free pasta should work the same in this meal.

      Reply

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