The whole family is going to go crazy for this Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel. This is the easiest pasta casserole and everyone is going to flip for this recipe!
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Why you'll love this recipe
This classic casserole is a family favorite. Mom's love it because it's so simple to make, leftovers heat up great on day two, plus it freezes well! If there are leftovers of course!
I've made this recipe more times than I can count. It's perfect for weeknight meals, potlucks or gifting to a friend. I think it's all the cheesy goodness that makes it so popular!
Anything that's made with simple pantry ingredients gets five stars in my book!
Ingredients
For the exact measurements, scroll to the recipe card.
- Cooked chicken breasts - leftover rotisserie chicken works great for this, you can even use leftover crockpot chicken and gravy. Poached chicken or any leftover chicken.
- Spaghetti - linguine, fettuccini, bucatini - you can even use short pasta if you'd prefer (but then it wouldn't be chicken spaghetti with rotel of course).
- Cream of chicken soup - celery or cream of mushroom soup can be substituted.
- Rotel Tomatoes - Rotel is actually canned diced tomatoes with chilies. It's a little spicy and the perfect combination for this dish. If you can't find it, use canned diced tomatoes combined with 2 tablespoons of canned diced green chilies.
- Cream cheese - for the perfect creamy goodness!
- Shredded cheese - I used Colby, but you can use cheddar, mozzarella or even provolone.
- Evaporated milk - no evaporated milk? Use cream or whole milk instead.
- Ranch dressing - a heaping tablespoon of dry seasoning.
- For a crispy cheesy crust, crunch up Ritz or Goldfish crackers (goldfish are my personal favorite!) You'll need about ½ cup and just crunch them up a bit and sprinkle on the top of the casserole over the cheese.
Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel
Equipment
- 9x13 casserole dish
Ingredients
- 3 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and diced
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles break into 3 pieces
- 21 ounces cream of chicken soup that's two 10.5 ounce cans
- 10 ounces can of RoTel Tomatoes tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 3 cups cheddar cheese
- 10 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon ranch dressing (dry mix)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- Cook the spaghetti noodles in well salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot, combine the Rotel tomatoes (undrained), cream of chicken soup, evaporated milk and cream cheese. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted.
- Add the powdered ranch dressing, shredded chicken and cooked pasta. Mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and top with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through and the dish is hot and bubbly.
- Looking for that golden brown top? Just tuck the Rotel Chicken Spaghetti casserole under the broiler for 3-4 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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Instructions
FAQ's
No, there's no need to cover the casserole while it's baking.
Yes this dish can be made up to three days ahead! Seal with foil and place in the refrigerator. When you're ready to bake it, just preheat the oven and bake as directed. This is such an easy dinner!
If you're short on time, skip baking it in the oven. Personally, I love the baked, crusty, cheesy finish you get from baking.
Deb's tips and variations
To get a golden brown crust, place the cooked casserole under the broiler for 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't get burnt, just golden crispy brown!
- Substitute sour cream for the cream cheese for a more creamy sauce. You can also add bell peppers for more veggie goodness.
- Rotel tomatoes are simply fire-roasted tomatoes, green chilies, lime, and fresh cilantro. If you can't find your own Rotel tomatoes, substitute with fresh salsa.
- Substitute Velveeta cheese for cream cheese if you'd prefer.
Related Recipes
- Monterey Chicken Spaghetti
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Ultimate Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
I'd love to hear from readers who make this recipe. Please leave a comment below!
Marye Audet-White says
You know, I make chicken spaghetti with Rotel ALL the time but I never thought to put Ranch in it. Brilliant! Do you think Cheez-Its would work instead of fish crackers?
Bowl Me Over says
Cheez-Its would be an amazing topping for the Chicken Spaghetti Recipe Marye! Crunchy and cheesy, what's not to love? Enjoy!
Melanie C says
I made this rotel chicken spaghetti tonight, thinking it would be a hit with the kids...and boy was it! When I tell you they were fighting over the last spoonful in the dish I'm not kidding! They told me I have to make this all the time now, lol. I made the recipe exactly as your recipe is written, thank you so much for sharing!
Bowl Me Over says
Fantastic Melanie! Anytime the kids give it two thumbs up makes it a winner in my book. Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed the chicken spaghetti recipe!!
Cynthia Rusincovitch says
This is so much easier than the chicken spaghetti recipe I have been making. I tried it out last night and it was great. I officially have a new recipe for what has always been an easy family favorite.
sharon garofalow says
We eat a lot of spaghetti but I've never made a chicken spaghetti recipe. It looks like such a great easy dish that I know my family would love. Love the idea of adding some crunch to it.
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Sharon! I think your entire family will enjoy this meal. Thanks for stopping by the blog!
Kristen says
I haven't had a chance to run to the grocery store yet this week, and I always have a can or two of Rotel (guilty pleasure, haha!) and pasta in the pantry. I had some chicken that needed to be used, too, so I did a quick Internet search for Rotel chicken spaghetti dishes and stumbled upon this amazing recipe! 10/10 recommend!!! So creamy and full of flavor!
Bowl Me Over says
That's awesome Kristen. This is a great pantry recipe. Glad you enjoyed this meal!
Rita Joy says
Oh, my goodness! I saw this chicken spaghetti recipe on your facebook page and it made my mouth water! I love how you mentioned that spaghetti squash can be substituted for a lower calorie recipe. Since we're working on that (a bit:)) at our house, I'm going to pick up the ingredients for this chicken spaghetti recipe the next time we're at the store. Thank you!
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful! I think you'll really enjoy this easy recipe. The sauce is absolutely amazing. Thanks Rita!
Brandi says
I've been looking for a chicken spaghetti recipe that my kids will eat, and this one is delicious! Getting three picky teens/young adults to agree on any one dish is always an uphill battle, but not with this one! The combination of RoTel, chicken, spaghetti, and cheeses is perfection.
Bowl Me Over says
Thanks Brandi, this easy chicken casserole is one of our favorite recipes. I'm glad it was a hit with the whole family!
Kelley says
What can I use in place of evaporated milk?
Bowl Me Over says
You can use regular milk or half and half. It just won't be as creamy.
Nae says
I don’t like to leave 1 star reviews, but this is my honest opinion.
This dish is very bland, no seasoning, no flavor really. I had to add a ton of seasoning after, sorry this one is a thumbs down for me, taste like hospital food. Not a fan!
Bowl Me Over says
Sorry Nae; hopefully, you'll find other recipes you'll enjoy. Thanks for supporting the blog.
Patti says
I made this for the first time tonight and it was amazing! Thank you for the recipe. The only change I made was that I made it with penne noodles instead of spaghetti, less messy lol I have book marked this page and will definitely be adding this to my rotation
Bowl Me Over says
That's fantastic Patti - I think this recipe is a real keeper too, it's always part of the rotation. Thanks for letting me know!
Cindy says
Can you prepare this without baking and freeze it to take to a friend in need?
Bowl Me Over says
What a wonderful, thoughtful gift! Yes, prepare the casserole, just hold off on putting the extra cheese on the top and take it separately to your friend. It freezes GREAT, you could even portion it out if you'd prefer. I hope they enjoy it, thank you for being so kind and thinking of others.
Joan says
Excellent! We all loved it. Thank you for a great recipe that is easy to prepare.
Linda says
My family loved it, my son-in-law who doesn't like cream cheese or sour cream loved it. I'm making it tonight to take some to my daughter and son-in-law again. Thanks for the recipe.
Bowl Me Over says
Wonderful, it sounds like it was a real hit! It freezes well too Linda if you ever have leftovers. Thanks for sharing and I appreciate your support of the blog!
Leslie says
How many does this feed?
Bowl Me Over says
That information is in the recipe card Leslie. This recipe feeds eight. Enjoy!
Cindy Brooks says
I'd serve a crisp green salad with this. It's looks delicious!
Barbara says
I love this recipe with some hot garlic bread and I always have enough for lunches the next few days.
Melanie says
This sounds so good! I would serve it with a salad and some garlic bread.
theresa says
Hi, I cannot find the dry ranch mix at our local store. We live in a very small area. What would you suggest I replace it with or would it make a big difference if I left it out. Thank you !
Bonnie Blinson says
This recipe has ruined regular spaghetti for me. I give never make it again as long as I can make this Chicken Spaghetti. It is as good as anything served at Olive Garden. Even my daughter loved it.
SHANNON FORSYTHE says
I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY THIS! I'M PLANNING ON SERVING IT WITH TRIPLE CHEESE GARLIC BREAD.