Chicken Spaghetti Casserole loaded with moist chicken, spaghetti noodles, and creamy tomato sauce is the epitome of comfort food. Cheesy, hearty and tasty, it’s sure to be a family favorite!
Pasta and noodles are pantry staples I always keep a good supply of at home. Every time I find them on sale, I make sure I stock up on all the different sizes, shapes and varieties. I love how quickly they cook and how easily they whip up into a fantastic meal, a real lifesaver on busy weeknights!
Although we have a long list of well-loved pasta dishes on regular meal rotation, this chicken spaghetti makes more appearances than most. Loaded with moist chicken, spaghetti, and a creamy tomato sauce, it’s a family favorite for a good reason!
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti Casserole:
Chicken spaghetti is a quick and easy casserole made by briefly cooking spaghetti noodles, shredded chicken, cream of mushroom soup, and crushed tomatoes together in a skillet.
The mixture is then transferred to a baking dish, topped with shredded cheese, and baked in the oven until hot and bubbly.
While you can also use a rotisserie, this recipe calls for poaching the chicken. This delicate cooking technique wherein the chicken is simmered, not boiled, in liquid helps keep the meat moist and juicy.
To keep the noodles from turning into mush, make sure to undercook the pasta about 2 to 3 minutes of package directions as it will continue to cook in the oven.
I prefer a cheesy and gooey topping but feel free to swap the cheese with crushed crackers, tortilla chips or french-fried onions if you like a crunchy texture.
I also like to spice it up with diced green chilies which you can easily replace with diced green bell peppers if you want the added color but not the heat.
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
2 cups uncooked spaghetti noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces (about 7 ounces)
1 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices celery
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed 30% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine broth, salt, pepper, and soup in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add soup mixture to chicken mixture; toss. Divide mixture evenly between 2 (8-inch) square or (2-quart) baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over each casserole. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Makes 2 Casseroles (4 Equal Servings Per Casserole)
7 Pointsplus, 8 Smartpoints
Nutritional Info Per Serving: 261 calories; 7.8 g fat; 34 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbs; 19 g protein; 2 g fiber; 652 mg sodium
