This easy chicken spaghetti recipe is ready in only 30 minutes! It's made with rotisserie chicken, Rotel tomatoes, Velveeta cheese, and cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups. Wildly popular for its creamy, cheesy, and spicy flavors and texture. This is serious comfort food!
If you love creamy, cheesy pasta dinners like this one, be sure to try my Cajun Sausage Spaghetti—it’s got a spicy kick and comes together in one pot!
Jump to:
- Comments from People Who've Made It
- Why This Recipe Works
- Budget-Friendly Dinner
- Why Make this Crazy Good Comfort Food
- Ingredients for Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
- Substitutions
- Delicious Add-Ins
- What to Serve With It
- How to Make Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Helpful Tips
- More Chicken and Pasta Recipes
- Recipe
- Comments
Comments from People Who've Made It
Here are just a few of the thousands of comments I've received from those who have made my Rotel Chicken Spaghetti. Thanks to all who took the time to leave a review!
- Lillie, "I didn’t have rotisserie chicken so I cut up chicken thighs. This was soooooo good. I’ve made it before without the peppers because my son can’t take them. But this recipe with them is to die for. I had the make myself leave the table!!!!!"
- Linda, "Absolutely loved everything about this recipe! Next time I will use the Rotel with Habanero peppers, but that's just a personal preference. It was delicious!"
- Cassie, "This is probably the best chicken spaghetti recipe I've ever eaten!"
Rotisserie chicken has been a game changer for so many people, including me! It's a time saver because it's already perfectly cooked and seasoned. A couple more recipes of mine that use it (and have a nice spicy kick!) are King Ranch Chicken and Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole.
Why This Recipe Works
I'm excited to share with you this easy family dinner recipe. Most everybody loves spaghetti, especially kids since it's fun to eat.
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti is perfectly versatile! It's a quick and easy skillet dinner, or pour it into a casserole dish, like I do, and enjoy it as a casserole. I've had many people tell me that they top it with bread crumbs and melted butter before baking. How outstanding is that!
The Rotel tomatoes add that classic hint of heat that this recipe is famous for. Thankfully, you can control the heat level by simply using the Original, Mild, or Hot Rotel Tomatoes. Not everybody likes to scorch their tongue, lol. I like the original but my brother likes the habanero Rotel tomatoes. Ouch!
Budget-Friendly Dinner
Most spaghetti recipes are budget-friendly. This particular recipe costs around $21.95 using popular brand names (as of September 2024) and feeds about 8 grown people.
You can lower the cost by using generic or store brands. You don't have to use Rotel tomatoes; use the store-brand diced tomatoes with chilis. Substitute the Velveeta Cheese with the store brand version.
Why Make this Crazy Good Comfort Food
This is a favorite quick and easy dinner that everyone loves. It's definitely southern comfort food. I know that "Velveeta" cheese is not a healthy choice so we don't eat it on a regular basis.
However, when we're craving comfort food and we've been eating healthy and working out on a regular basis, we'll splurge and make an exception for this recipe! Velveeta cheese is the best option for this recipe. It's super creamy and blends great with the noodles and other ingredients.
Ingredients for Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
please scroll down to the printable recipe card for ingredient measurements.
- Rotisserie chicken - I love this easy shortcut! It's already seasoned and cooked, and it's almost always readily available at the grocery store.
- Spaghetti noodles - spaghetti noodles are commonly used but you can use other kinds of pasta (bowtie, penne, linguini).
- Velveeta cheese - this kind of cheese is very creamy and works well for this recipe. Substitute cheddar cheese if desired but see the Recipe Notes if you do.
- Cream of mushroom soup and Cream of chicken soup - these add flavor and make the sauce extra creamy and smooth as silk.
- Rotel tomatoes - add a nice little kick! It's canned diced tomatoes with green chilis and is available at different heat levels. Use mild, regular, or extra hot.
- Chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture - we call this the "trinity" in our house. I like to save time with the frozen version!
- Butter - for sauteeing the trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery).
- Salt and black pepper to taste - we leave the salt out because the soups and cheese are fairly salty!
Substitutions
- Cooked ground beef instead of chicken (a reader told me about this option; use 1 pound).
- Three cups of cooked and chopped chicken breasts, thighs, or chicken tenders instead of rotisserie chicken.
- Instead of the frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery, you can use the fresh vegetables instead. Use about 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped bell pepper, and ¼ cup chopped celery.
- Don't like mushrooms? Use two cans of cream of chicken soup!
- Use queso instead of Velveeta or salsa instead of Rotel tomatoes
Delicious Add-Ins
Thanks to my readers, I've received many recipe additions you may also want to consider. I have not tried these, but they do sound really tasty!
- Baby spinach
- Sliced mushrooms
- Green peas
- Sliced jalapenos
- Smoked sausage
- Top with parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and butter
- Top with crushed, buttered Ritz crackers
What to Serve With It
The recipe makes about 6 generous servings. Serve with rolls or french bread to stretch it even further.
How to Make Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
You can enjoy this right out of the pot on the stove! Or you can pour it all in a casserole dish and finish it in the oven. Easy peasy!
(1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the meat from the Rotisserie chicken and shred or chop into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
(2) Cut the velveeta cheese into squares and set aside.
(3) Boil spaghetti noodles per instructions on the package. Add 1-2 teaspoon salt to water, if desired. Use a large pot to boil spaghetti noodles; at least a 5-quart pot and stir frequently while boiling! Drain the noodles when they are cooked.
(4) While the spaghetti is cooking, add the butter to a 5-quart pot (y'all know I pulled out my favorite Calphalon pot for this) and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the frozen chopped onion, bell peppers, and celery mixture. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
(5) Then add both soups, undrained Rotel tomatoes, cubed cheese, and black pepper. Stir with a whisk until the cheese is completely melted.
(6) Add the cooked, drained spaghetti and the chicken to the pot with the cheesy Rotel mixture. Stir well.
(7) Serve immediately! Alternatively, you could pour the Rotel chicken spaghetti mixture into a large casserole dish and bake uncovered at 350 for 10 minutes to get it nice and hot. However, baking it may thicken it up more. If this happens, add a small amount of milk or chicken broth to create a more creamy texture.
You'll love this spaghetti! And you'll also love these easy spaghetti recipes:
Frequently Asked Questions
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti freezes very well! Make sure it's completely cooled off before placing it into an airtight container (such as a ziptop plastic bag) to prevent ice crystals from forming. Enjoy it again for up to 3 months! When you're ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then heat in a 350F oven (or heat in the microwave on 50% power) until piping hot. You may need to add a little milk if it seems too thick.
There are many great sides that go well with this dish! My first choice would be something light such as a green salad because the casserole itself is very filling. You can stretch the meal further by serving with toasty garlic bread. Or try these delicious Southern Style Green Beans from Soulfully Made.
The leftovers (if you have any leftovers) for this cheesy chicken spaghetti recipe are absolutely fantastic the next day, too. Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I prefer to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. Check out this 18-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids.
I think the quickest way to reheat cold leftovers is to use the microwave. Place the desired amount in a bowl and heat at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and repeat until it's warmed to your liking. You can also choose to reheat in a 350F oven until piping hot. Either way, you may need to add a little milk if it seems too thick.
Helpful Tips
I use a couple of shortcuts that help speed up the prep time, which comes in handy on a busy weeknight when hungry people are looking at you and wondering when you'll ring the dinner bell.
- One short cut is to use rotisserie chicken. Who's the genius that came up with this wonderful, delicious, time-saving ready to eat fully cooked chicken!
- The other short cut is to use the frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery blend. I always have a bag of this stuff in my freezer. I use it in chili, jambalaya, and omelets.
More Chicken and Pasta Recipes
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Recipe
Easy Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
Equipment
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Pasta strainer
- Large (5-qt) pot
- measuring cup
- whisk
- Casserole dish (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 Rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded or chopped into bite-size pieces See the Notes section for alternatives
- 1 lb Spaghetti noodles
- 1 lb Velvetta cheese (cut into cubes)
- 1 can Cream of chicken soup (10.5-ounce can)
- 1 can Cream of mushroom soup (10.5-ounce can)
- 1 can Ro*Tel tomatoes (10-ounce can) undrained (choose your level of heat)
- 1 cup Frozen, chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery blend (use 2 cups if desired)
- ¼ cup Butter
- Salt and black pepper to taste (we leave the salt out because the soups and cheese are fairly salty).
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the meat from the chicken and rough chop into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Cut the cheese into squares and set aside.
- Boil spaghetti noodles per instructions on the package. Add 1-2 teaspoon salt to water, if desired. Use a large pot to boil spaghetti noodles; at least a 5-quart pot and stir frequently while boiling! Drain the noodles when they are cooked.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, add the butter to a 5-quart pot and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the chopped onion, bell peppers, and celery. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add both soups, tomatoes, cubed cheese, and black pepper. Stir with a whisk until the cheese is completely melted.
- Add the cooked, drained spaghetti and the chicken to the pot with the cheesy rotel mixture. Stir well.
- Serve immediately! Alternatively, you could pour the Rotel chicken spaghetti into a large casserole dish and bake uncovered at 350 for 10 minutes to get it nice and hot. However, baking it may thicken it up more. If this happens, add a small amount of milk or chicken broth to create a more creamy texture.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Ashley
This was the closest to what I could remember someone made one time!
I didn’t change anything this time and it was good but it was missing something. I feel like it needed a bit of spice. I’ll figure it out next time. I’m thinking instead of rótele, pico de gallo, with the juice. But other than that it was spot on and I’m glad I found it. Thanks!
MyKitchenSerenity
Thanks, Ashley! I love the idea of using pico de gallo with lime juice! Thanks for letting me know and please follow up with me on how it turned out 🙂
Robin
No where in the instructions does it tell when to add the chicken.
MyKitchenSerenity
Hi Robin. Within the post, it’s in step 6. Within the recipe card, it’s in step 5.
Molly
My husband and I love this recipe!! Do you think this would be a good make ahead and freeze dish? If so, what do you recommend for reheating instructions? Thanks!
Anne Clark
Hi Molly. I’m so glad you and your husband like this recipe. Thanks for letting me know!
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti freezes very well! After preparing the recipe (you can skip the baking step), let it cool completely. Then freeze it in an airtight container to prevent ice crystals from forming (I like to use the freezer ziptop bags). The day before you're ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then pour into a casserole dish and heat in a 350F oven (or heat in the microwave) until piping hot. Add a small amount of milk (1/4 cup +/-) to the spaghetti if it seems too thick. Enjoy!
Pop weyler
Put a twist on it using elbow macaroni. It was the best mac and cheese ever.
Alina
Can it be made with any other cheese(not Velveeta)?
Anne Clark
Hi Alina. You could use cheddar or Mexican blend but you’ll need to add sour cream too in order to get the creamy consistency. I suggest 2-3 cups cheese and 1 cup sour cream.
Thanks for visiting my blog and let me know how it turns out.
Anne
Debbie
Molly,I’ve used them all I think. Yours is by far the best ever…. Thank You for sharing.
Debbie
JOJO
Absolutely delicious!
Anne Clark
Thanks, JOJO!! I’m so glad you liked it
Patricia McFatridge
A friend brought a plate of this to me one time, one bite and I knew I would have to make it for myself! I did and I love it! Thanks for the recipe!
Anne Clark
Thank you for letting me know, Patricia! I'm glad you liked the recipe.