Go Back
+ servings
Chicken Spaghetti with Ro-tel tomatoes served on a white plate with a fork in the pasta.
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Creamy Spicy Chicken Spaghetti With Ro-Tel Tomatoes

Elevate your chicken casserole by combining a cheese sauce with spaghetti, Ro-Tel tomatoes, and tender chicken in this one-pot Spicy Chicken Spaghetti recipe!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course Chicken, Main Course Pasta
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 590kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces Chicken breasts 2 boneless skinless breast (about 6 ounces each)
  • 2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning may use Italian seasoning
  • Kosher salt and Black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter salted or unsalted
  • 1 Yellow onion small - dices
  • 3 Garlic cloves minced
  • 4 Tablespoons All-purpose flour
  • cups Chicken Stock may use chicken broth
  • ¾ cup Milk
  • 4 ounces Cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
  • 10 ounces Ro-Tel Tomatoes may use another brand of diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 8 ounces Thin spaghetti
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
  • teaspoon Red pepper flakes
  • Chopped Parsley garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400℉.

Make the chicken:

  • Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Pat dry and season lightly with salt and pepper and Tuscan seasoning. *see notes
  • In a Brasier or Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes.
    Remove and set aside.
    Once cool enough to handle, dice the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.

Make the sauce:

  • Reduce the heat to medium low. Melt the butter in the same pot and use a silicone spatula to scrape up the chicken bits or tasty fond from the bottom.
  • Add the diced onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the aromatic onion and garlic and toss to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, until it starts to smell toasty and it's medium blonde in color.
  • Whisk in the stock a little at a time. Add the milk next, also a little bit at a time. Mix until well combined and smooth.
  • Now is a good time to heat the water to boiling for the pasta. Cook it one minute less that the package instructions. The pasta will continue to cook in the sauce.
    Drain the pasta.
  • While the water is heating, let the sauce simmer and reduce. Add the softened cream cheese and stir continuously until melted and smooth. Make sure the cream cheese is soft because if it's cold it is more difficult to incorporate it in the sauce.
  • Reduce heat to low and let the base cool a bit. Sprinkle in the shredded cheddar and stir to combine. Take care NOT to add the cheese when the base is very hot, it may cause the sauce to be grainy.
  • If you'd like a thinner sauce, add a little bit of the juice from the diced tomatoes. If you like the sauce as is, drain the juice and add the tomatoes along with the chicken.
    Stir to combine.
  • Stir in the drained spaghetti. If you're not using an oven-safe pot, transfer to a lightly greased 9X13-inch casserole dish.

Bake the chicken pasta:

  • Top with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
    If desired, place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes at 475℉ at the end. Watch closely so you don't burn the cheese.
  • Remove from the oven. Garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh parsley.
  • Serve with a side of Soft Bread Sticks or Garlic Bread with Cheese.

Notes

* You may also use cooked chicken such as the breast meat from a rotisserie chicken. 
  • Make sure the cream cheese is soft when adding it to the sauce in the Dutch oven. Cold cream cheese is harder to incorporate into the sauce. 
  • For a thinner sauce, add a little bit of the juice from the canned diced tomatoes when making the sauce. If you prefer a thicker sauce, simply drain the juice from the diced tomatoes before adding the tomatoes along with the cubed chicken. 
  • If you don’t own an oven-safe pot, transfer the saucy chicken and spaghetti into a lightly greased 9X13-inch casserole dish before topping with cheese and baking. 
  • For a delicious browning to the top of the casserole, place the Dutch oven under the broiler for a few minutes at 475℉ towards the end of the baking time but just watch closely so that you don’t end up burning the cheese topping. 
  • Adding salt to the pasta water will help to flavor the pasta. Only cook the pasta until it’s al dente as it will continue to cook while baking in the oven. 
  • Make extra chicken one day of the week and set about 2 cups aside so that you can whip up this spicy chicken spaghetti in no time for another midweek family meal!
  • Always grate the cheese from a block instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. The freshly grated cheese will taste better and will melt better too. 
  • It’s always a good idea to reserve some pasta water in case you need to add it to the sauce to loosen it or thin it out.
  • Reheating leftovers may require a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
  • You can make this casserole 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge, covered. Sprinkle freshly grated mozzarella cheese over the casserole just before baking. You will also need to add extra time to the baking since the casserole will be cold from storage. 

Nutrition

Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 950IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 331mg | Iron: 2mg