Out-of-this-world Rotel Chicken Spaghetti is a family favorite one-pan meal. Made with tender chicken, tomatoes, and green chilies tossed in a creamy, cheesy sauce, this pasta casserole is taken to a whole new level! This easy-to-make recipe is always a hit at the supper table and potlucks and makes a great freezer meal.
Growing up in the heart of the South, this Rotel Chicken Spaghetti was a staple at our family gatherings. Its creamy, cheesy goodness brings back memories of laughter-filled dinners and cherished moments. Whether it’s Baked Spaghetti or this chicken spaghetti, food that makes you feel good is kind of like a warm hug. One of my family’s favorite comfort foods is my version of Rotel Chicken Spaghetti. It’s on my family’s shortlist of out-of-this-world good things in life.
Why I Make It Without Canned Soup
I grew up making this the old-school way—with canned soup—but over time, I wanted a version that felt a little fresher. My version keeps all the creamy, cheesy goodness but skips the processed stuff. With cream cheese, sour cream, and a can of Rotel, it’s just as comforting (if not more!) and still incredibly easy to make.
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti Ingredients
- Shredded cooked chicken, like rotisserie or leftover baked chicken all work perfectly!
- Spaghetti noodles work best, but feel free to use any other similar pasta.
- Rotel tomatoes and chilies bring flavor and help the sauce come together.
- The creamy sauce is made up of cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
- Cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder are all you need to season the casserole.
- Finish the dip with crushed tortilla chips for a delicious crunch!
Recipe Variations
- Cheese Swaps: Colby Jack cheese or a combination of pepper jack and cheddar cheese works, too!
- Add Veggies: You can add roasted broccoli or mushrooms to power pack this pasta casserole.
- For a lighter version, consider using low-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
Step-by-Step Directions
- Get Set Up – Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil—makes cleanup a breeze!
- Roast the Chicken + Boil the Pasta – Season your chicken (I like to use my Southern Soul House Seasoning), then roast until fully cooked. While that’s in the oven, boil your pasta and drain it once it’s done.
- Stir Up the Sauce – In a large pot, mix the cooked chicken with cream cheese, sour cream, Rotel, and seasonings. Stir until the cream cheese melts into a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Mix It All Together – Add cheddar cheese and the cooked pasta to the pot, then stir to coat the noodles in that creamy goodness.
- Bake It Off – Transfer everything to a baking dish, top with crushed tortilla chips and more cheese, and bake until golden and bubbly. Serve it up warm and watch it disappear!
How Should The Pasta Be Cooked?
You want the pasta to be cooked al dente since it’ll be cooked more in the oven. Cook according to the package but TEST by tasting before the recommended time is up. You want the pasta to be cooked “al dente, ” meaning it should be chewy and not soggy.
Donya’s Tips For Making This Easy Weeknight Dinner
- Use a large pot. Fill it with 4 quarts of water for every pound of pasta. This way, you won’t crowd the pot.
- Season the water with at least a tablespoon of salt; more is fine. This is crucial to having a flavorful dish.
- Bring the water up to a boil and add the pasta. Stir with tongs or a large spoon so that the pasta does not stick together.
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts – cooked and shredded
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 10 ounce cans Rotel tomatoes and chilies
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 block)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place on the pan. Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until done and chicken is no longer pink. To check that chicken is done, use a meat thermometer that registers 160-170 degrees. Remove from oven, and shred using 2 forks.
- While chicken is baking, cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain and set aside.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 11×17 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- To a large pot, over medium-low heat, add cooked chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, both cans of Rotel tomatoes and chilies, cumin, salt, garlic and, onion powder. Stir together until cream cheese is melted. Add-in 2 cups of cheddar cheese and stir. Add cooked pasta and stir together until noodles are coated. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top of casserole with crushed tortilla chips and remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes until heated through and top of casserole is golden brown and cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and serve.
Notes
- Cheese Swaps: Colby Jack cheese or a combination of pepper jack and cheddar cheese works, too!
- Add Veggies: You can add roasted broccoli or mushrooms to power pack this pasta casserole.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes a great freezer meal. To make sure it turns out properly, assemble it, leaving off the crushed tortilla chips and cheese. Cover the casserole with foil and freeze.
You can freeze it for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, just thaw it in the fridge, add the crushed chips and cheese, and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the casserole is hot.
Sure! Make it as directed, and then cover it with foil until you’re ready to serve. Keep it cold and pop it in the oven to reheat it before serving.
Yes! Season the water with at least a tablespoon of salt; more is fine. This is crucial to having a flavorful dish, and it helps keep the pasta from losing its flavor.
Leftover chicken spaghetti can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat it in the microwave or oven.
Serving Suggestions
This is a great one-pan dish that only needs a couple of things to make a complete meal. I like to serve a cool salad alongside it. My favorites are Super Simple Caprese Salad and Tomato Cucumber Salad. Add some warm bread like Garlic Knots or Parmesan Garlic Skillet Rolls for the final touch.
If you need more recipes for a potluck, try these Pineapple BBQ Baked Beans, Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, and my Best Salad For A Crowd.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
If you tried this Rotel Chicken Spaghetti Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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This is always a big hit! Because it’s just my husband and I, I will freeze several containers of it. Its just as good after freezing, as it was when I first made it. Tonight I cut the recipe in half, as I only have one can of Rotel tomatoes and chilies. We will still have left overs!
Thanks for sharing, Shari and for the terrific rating! Plus leftovers are the best. 😉
~Donya
Really LOVED this recipe as is for a general audience. However we prefer a stronger flavor profile with a full pound of spaghetti, so I doubled the spices and added a can or two of medium green chilies. Doesn’t make it spicy hot, merely FLAVORFUL!
We weren’t a fan of the tortilla chips, but then we don’t like breadcrumbs/crackers on casseroles either. If you do I’m sure they’re great!
Pot spaghetti, half size spaghetti, works better for stirring together and serving.
Over all we ADORE this recipe! Try it!
Hey there!
I am so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe, it sounds like you made a wonderful meal! I am a big believer that cooking is all about adjusting recipes to fit your own tastes and preferences, so I’m glad that you made this dish your own, adding green chilies was a terrific idea. Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your experience with this recipe, I really appreciate your support!
~Donya
Love this recipe, easy to make up before the weekend gets here.
Hey there Tony!
Thank you so much for your kind words, I couldn’t agree with you more! This recipe is a great make-ahead casserole to prepare and then save for later, it’s perfect for busy weeknights or anytime life just gets too hectic. I really appreciate your support, if you ever have any questions about a recipe, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask!
~Donya
Made this recipe for supper tonight. The flavor is great but the casserole was a tad dry. Next time I make it I’m only going to use 8 ounces of spaghetti instead of a pound. That should take care of the dryness.
Hey there Pat!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! If you found the recipe to be a bit dry, then lessening the amount of pasta is a great idea for next time. Let me know how everything turns out if you give the dish another go, I hope you enjoy!
~Donya
Thank you .great recipe !Delicious!
I sautéed a chopped medium onion & 2 small garlic gloves instead of powdered
Can’t wait to make it again as my go to recipe for chicken spaghetti that IS out of this world good!
Thank you, Melinda!
This casserole dish was great. Very flavorful, easy to put together and generous portions. I made two pans. One for dinner and one to freeze for another meal. Thanks for sharing. I used to make a dish very similar and had lost the recipe. Glad I saw this recipe. It is yummy.
Hey there Sharon!
Wow, I am so happy to hear that y’all enjoyed this recipe! Making one pan of this casserole for dinner and one to freeze was a great idea, gotta love efficient meal prep. Thank you so much for your kind words and your phenomenal rating, I really appreciate your support! If you ever have any questions about a recipe, please feel free to reach out, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
How many cups of chopped cooked chicken?
Hey there Barb!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, that’s a good question! I use three shredded chicken breasts in this recipe, which comes out to be about 3-4 cups of shredded chicken. I hope this helps, let me know what you think if you end up trying the recipe!
Best,
~Donya
Hi Donya! Thanks for your quick response. I used a rotisserie chicken and 3 cups of shredded chicken was perfect. This is a delicious and easy casserole. My husband raved about it. The rotel with chili’s give it a really nice kick and flavor. I’ll be making this again! I added a 1/2 cup of diced onion but it’s really not needed. Awesome recipe!
Hey there!
Of course, always happy to help out with any questions about a recipe! I am so glad to hear that y’all enjoyed this recipe, rotisserie chicken is usually what I use since it’s so easy. Thank you so much for your phenomenal rating and your support, if you ever have any other questions please feel free to reach out! I hope you’re having a great summer!
~Donya
So goood. I use rotisserie chicken.
Hey there Ellyn!
Rotisserie chicken is absolutely perfect for this recipe, it’s fast, easy and delicious which is what were looking for. Thank you so much for your wonderful rating and your kind words, I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and I really appreciate your support. If you ever have any questions about a recipe, please don’t hesitate to ask!
~Donya
Great recipe .. loved that I DIDNOT have to use plastic cheese or commonly known as Velvetta .. I was also able to split the batch and make a gluten free version for my son’s girlfriend.. it was a hit
Thanks, Kym!
I hear you on that “cheese” and agree 100%.
Have a great day, and thank you so much for the 5 star rating.
~Donya
How could I convert the oven cook time to crock pot?
Unfortunately, I’ve never made this in the crock pot. It’s a casserole so I’m not sure how it would work in the crock pot.
~Donya
Donya, could you please tell me how much chicken, in pounds or whatever, instead of how many chicken breasts. The size of the chicken is all over the map lately and, despite my idea
of more is better, sometimes too much of something will throw a recipe out of whack. (The casserole is too dry)
I am also assuming the Rotel tomatoes and chilies cans are the ones about the size of a soup can? That is the only size they sell in Canada, but I don’t know if there are other sizes.
Love your recipes!
Thanks.
The average weight of 3 chicken breasts is about 2.25 pounds.
I’m not sure why your casserole is dry. Make sure not to drain the Rotel tomatoes and chilies (10 ounce size) so that you use all the juice.
~Donya
Love this! Easy and goes a long ways!
Thanks Jay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and I appreciate the terrific rating!
Very tasty! I cut it in half just for myself and mine was a tad dry. I used all the Rotel including liquid and weighed the spaghetti. Everything else was easy to cut in half. I would just cut back a smidge of spaghetti next time because there will be a next time! I also think the Rotel varies slightly in the amount of liquid in the can. This can seemed to have less than usual. So easy and very good. I did add nacho cheese Doritos on top because that’s what I had instead of tortilla chips. This is a keeper!
Hey there Susan!
Wow! You are so sweet, thank you so much for your kind words and your amazing rating! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, and that you’ll be making it again! I love this recipe, especially for weeknights since it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare. Adding the Doritos instead of corn chips was delicious I’m sure, I will have to try that! Thanks again for all your support, I hope you have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
Hi Pat I’ve noticed a couple comments about casserole being a little dry. You can pour a little chicken broth over the top of casserole to add moisture. I do this a lot with my chicken spaghetti casserole. If you don’t have chicken broth you can use bouillon cubes our granules in heated water. Hope this helps.
Don’t you just love Donya’s recipes ❤️
Could you please tell me how to print the recipe after I have downsized it. Every time I go to print, it reverts to the original amount, not the 6 serving size I am looking for
Hey Donna.
I just tested that option and it worked for me. I scrolled down to the recipe card, moved the serving slider down to 6 then clicked the print button. It came up with the correct amounts and printed beautifully. Sorry that I can’t be of further help.
Have a great day,
Donya