Southern Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti :

Okay, so I’ve been making this Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti for about three years now, and let me tell you—it took me FOREVER to get it right. Like, seriously. The first time I made it, my husband took one bite and politely asked if we had any leftover pizza. Ouch.

But here’s the thing… once I figured out the secret (which I’ll share with you because I’m not mean like that), this became our go-to comfort food. Now my 8-year-old literally asks for “mom’s cheesy spaghetti thing” at least once a week, and my neighbor Carol has asked for the recipe four times. Four! I finally decided to write it down properly instead of texting her random ingredient lists at 9 PM.

The Backstory :

This whole thing started when I was desperately trying to use up some leftover rotisserie chicken. You know how it is—you buy the whole chicken with good intentions, eat half of it the first night, then the rest just sits there judging you from the fridge. I had maybe two cups of picked-off meat that was getting questionable, some random vegetables that needed to be used, and a box of spaghetti that had been in my pantry since… honestly, who knows when.

I think I originally found a similar recipe on Pinterest? Or maybe it was from my coworker’s sister-in-law. Memory’s fuzzy. Anyway, I’ve changed it so much that it’s basically mine now.

The key breakthrough came when I realized—oh wait, I should mention this upfront—you HAVE to cook the spaghetti separately first. Don’t try to do that thing where you add dry pasta to the casserole dish thinking it’ll cook in the oven. Trust me. Been there. It was like eating chewy rubber bands covered in sad cheese.

What You’ll Need :

For the pasta part:

1 pound spaghetti (I use Barilla because it’s what’s usually on sale)
Salt for the pasta water (don’t be stingy)

For the chicken situation:

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (rotisserie is perfect, but I’ve used leftover grilled chicken, baked chicken thighs, whatever)
2 tablespoons olive oil if you’re cooking raw chicken

The vegetable crew:

1 large onion, diced (yellow onions work fine, don’t get fancy)
1 bell pepper, any color really (I usually grab whatever’s cheapest)
2 celery stalks, chopped (my kids hate celery but somehow don’t notice it in this)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or that jarred stuff, I won’t judge)

Spice blend that makes everything magical:

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (start with less if you’re scared of heat)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and black pepper to taste

The saucy, cheesy goodness:

1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup (I know, I know, but it works)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (PLEASE don’t use pre-shredded, it’s covered in weird powder)
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened (leave it out for like 30 minutes before you start)

Optional but highly recommended:

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (makes you feel fancy)
Hot sauce for serving (because some people are never satisfied with the heat level)

The Actual Cooking Part :

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. I always forget this step and then stand around impatiently waiting for it to heat up while my family asks when dinner will be ready. Learn from my mistakes.

Step 2: Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, but—and this is important—stop it about 1 minute before it’s fully done. It’ll finish cooking in the oven, and nobody wants mushy pasta. Drain it and set it aside. Don’t rinse it! That starch helps everything stick together.

Step 3: While the pasta’s cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until they start to soften. The onion should look translucent, not brown. If it’s browning, turn down your heat.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Your kitchen should smell amazing right now. If it doesn’t, you probably forgot the garlic.

Step 4: Add all your spices—paprika, chili powder, cayenne, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir it around for about 30 seconds until it smells toasty. This step makes such a difference, don’t skip it even if you’re in a hurry.

Step 5: Add the chicken and mix everything together. Cook for about 2-3 minutes just to warm the chicken through and coat it with all those beautiful spices.

Step 6: Now for the sauce magic. Add the cream of mushroom soup, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Stir it all together. It’ll look kind of chunky and weird at first—that’s totally normal. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes while you prepare the cheese.

Step 7: Take the skillet off the heat and add the softened cream cheese. Stir until it melts and makes everything creamy. Then add 1.5 cups of the shredded cheddar (save the other half cup for topping).

Step 8: Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss everything together. Or if your skillet isn’t big enough (mine isn’t), transfer everything to a large mixing bowl. Either way, make sure the pasta is completely coated with the sauce.

Step 9: Transfer the whole mixture to a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cover with foil.

Step 10: Bake for 25 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and starting to get golden. If you want it extra crispy on top, turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes, but watch it like a hawk because it goes from golden to burnt really fast.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. I know waiting is torture when it smells that good, but trust me—it’ll be molten lava hot and you’ll burn your tongue.

Things I’ve Learned the Hard Way :

About the heat level: Start with less cayenne if you’re not sure about spice tolerance. You can always add hot sauce at the table, but you can’t take the heat out once it’s in there. I learned this when I made it for my mother-in-law, who thinks black pepper is spicy.

Cheese matters: Seriously, shred your own cheese. The pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that make it weird and clumpy when it melts. Plus, freshly shredded cheese tastes so much better.

Make-ahead tips: You can assemble this whole thing the night before and just pop it in the oven the next day. Add about 10 extra minutes to the cooking time if you’re starting from cold.

Leftovers are amazing: This actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to hang out together. Reheats great in the microwave or oven.

Random Discoveries :

I accidentally used fire-roasted diced tomatoes once instead of regular, and oh my gosh, it was incredible. Now I always use fire-roasted when I can find them.

Also, I’ve thrown in some frozen corn before when I needed to stretch it further for company. Worked perfectly.

And here’s something weird—my kids eat this with ketchup. I don’t understand it, but they’re eating vegetables and protein, so I’m not asking questions.

Final Thoughts :

Look, this isn’t going to win any fancy cooking awards, but it’s the kind of recipe that makes people ask for seconds and then text you the next day asking for the recipe. It’s comfort food that actually comforts, you know?

My neighbor Sarah swears by adding some cream to make it even richer, but honestly, it’s pretty rich already. Maybe try it her way if you’re feeling adventurous.

The whole thing serves about 6-8 people, depending on how hungry everyone is. In my house with teenage boys, it serves maybe 4. Your mileage may vary.

Let me know how yours turns out! And seriously, if you have any tricks to make this even better, I’m all ears. Always looking to improve my game.

Happy cooking! (And may your smoke alarms stay quiet) 😊

Spicy Southern Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole