Spicy Southern Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Spicy Southern Chicken Spaghetti Casserole is a hearty, flavorful bake that blends tender chicken, a kick of spice, and a creamy, cheesy sauce all tossed with spaghetti. It’s rich and satisfying without being overly heavy, making it perfect for both weeknights and gatherings. Every bite is comforting, cheesy, and full of Southern-inspired flavor.

Love More Chicken Casserole ? Try My Chicken Wild Rice Casserole or this Chicken Alfredo Tater Tot Casserole next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This casserole is the ultimate comfort food, pairing tender chicken with a creamy, cheesy sauce and just the right amount of spice for a satisfying kick. It’s easy to adjust the heat level, making it a crowd-pleaser whether you love bold flavors or prefer something milder. Warm, hearty, and full of Southern charm, it’s a dish that always leaves plates clean and bellies full.

Print

Ingredients

For the Casserole:

• 1 lb spaghetti, cooked and drained
• 1 lb chicken tenders, cooked and chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 12–16 oz Velveeta cheese (I use the whole 16 oz – go big or go home!)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes with chilies
• 1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (whatever’s in your fridge works)
• Salt and black pepper

For the Topping:

• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
• Fresh parsley if you want it pretty
• Red pepper flakes for heat lovers

What if you don’t have everything: Grab rotisserie chicken instead of tenders. Cream of mushroom soup works if that’s what you’ve got. Cut the hot sauce in half if your family can’t handle heat like mine can’t.

Why These Ingredients Work

I learned the hard way that regular cheddar just doesn’t cut it here – Velveeta melts into this silky sauce that coats every noodle perfectly without getting grainy like other cheeses do. The Rotel juice is pure gold – don’t you dare drain it because that’s where all the flavor lives. I tried making this with fresh tomatoes once and it was so bland my teenage son actually complained, which should tell you something!

Essential Tools and Equipment

Get out your big pasta pot, a decent-sized saucepan for the cheese stuff, and a 9×13 baking dish. You’ll need a wooden spoon, measuring cups, and a knife for chopping chicken. Nothing fancy here – just regular kitchen stuff.

How To Make Spicy Southern Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Get everything ready first

Cook your spaghetti like the box says but pull it off a minute early. Drain it good. If you’re using raw chicken, cut it up, season with salt and pepper, and cook it in a pan with some oil until it’s done. Takes about 6-8 minutes. Chop it into chunks.

Make the cheese sauce

Spray your saucepan so cleanup’s easier, then melt the butter on medium heat. Dump in the Velveeta, that whole can of Rotel with the juice, cream soup, milk, hot sauce, and cumin. Stir this mess constantly until the cheese melts and it looks smooth. Don’t walk away or it’ll burn.

Taste and fix it

Try your sauce and add salt and pepper if it needs it. Remember there’s already salt in the cheese and soup, so don’t go crazy.

Mix everything up

Stir your pasta and chicken into the sauce until every piece is covered. Looks pretty good right now, doesn’t it?

Put it in the pan

Grease your 9×13 dish and dump everything in there. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, then the breadcrumbs. This makes it look fancy and adds crunch.

Bake it

Stick it in a 350°F oven for about 25-30 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top is golden and the sides are bubbling. Your kitchen will smell amazing.

You Must Know

Spicy Southern Chicken Spaghetti Casserole is a creamy, cheesy comfort dish with a kick of heat from Rotel tomatoes and green chiles. It’s made with tender shredded chicken, spaghetti noodles, cream soups, and plenty of melted cheese, then baked until bubbly and golden. This Southern classic is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or make-ahead meals.

Personal Secret: I always let my Velveeta sit on the counter for thirty minutes before cooking – my neighbor taught me this trick after I ruined two batches with lumpy sauce!

Critical Timing: Cook that pasta just barely tender because it keeps cooking in the oven, and nobody wants mushy noodles floating around.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Cheese Melting Disaster Prevention: Keep your burner on medium heat and stir constantly – I burned my first attempt because I walked away for two minutes to fold laundry.
• Spice Control: Start with one tablespoon of hot sauce and taste it. My kids made me remake this once because I got heavy-handed with the sriracha.
• Breadcrumb Game Changer: Mix your Panko with melted butter first – it browns so much better and tastes like restaurant quality.
• Sauce Consistency Fix: If it gets too thick, splash in more milk bit by bit. I learned this after serving what looked like cheesy concrete to my dinner guests.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Add Some Veggies: Throw in diced bell peppers or corn if you want more stuff in there.

Different Meat: Ground beef works instead of chicken. So does turkey or even leftover shrimp.

Heat Levels: Use mild Rotel if your family’s wimpy about spice. Want it hotter? Add pepper jack cheese and more hot sauce.

Fresh Herbs: Some thyme or oregano mixed in tastes really good if you have it.

Make-Ahead Options

I make this every Sunday for the week ahead because it reheats perfectly in the microwave. You can put the whole thing together Saturday night, stick it in the fridge, and just pop it in the oven Monday after work – dinner’s done in thirty minutes.

The freezer version saved my life when I had surgery last year. My sister made three of these, wrapped them up tight, and I had comfort food ready whenever I needed it.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Different Pasta: Penne or rotini work fine if you don’t have spaghetti. Even egg noodles taste good.
• More Cheese Please: The difference between 12 oz and 16 oz of Velveeta is real. More cheese means creamier casserole.
• Leftover Magic: This stuff heats up great in the microwave. Add a little milk if it looks dry.

Serving Suggestions

This feeds everyone plenty, but cornbread goes great with it. A simple salad helps cut through all that cheese. Green beans work too if you want vegetables.

Sprinkle some parsley on top to make it look nice. Keep those red pepper flakes nearby for people who want extra heat.

I hope this saves your weeknight dinners like it saved mine – my family requests this at least twice a month now, and I’m not complaining because it’s so easy to throw together!

How to Store Your Spicy Southern Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

In the Fridge: Cover it up and it keeps for 4 days. Microwave portions with a splash of milk so it doesn’t dry out. You can reheat the whole dish in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes covered.

In the Freezer: Wrap it tight and freeze up to 3 months. Let it thaw completely before heating it up.

Don’t Leave It Out: Two hours max on the counter or it’s not safe to eat anymore.

Allergy Information

Has: Dairy, gluten, eggs in the pasta

No Gluten: Use gluten-free pasta and check your breadcrumbs.

No Dairy: This recipe is basically all cheese, so dairy-free versions won’t taste the same at all.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

What if I don’t have Velveeta? Regular cheddar gets weird and grainy. Try mixing cream cheese with sharp cheddar if that’s all you’ve got.

My sauce is messed up – too thick or thin? Too thick? Add milk slowly. Too thin? Let it cook a bit longer or add more cheese.

Can I skip the Rotel? Sure. Use regular diced tomatoes with a chopped jalapeño instead. Or just leave tomatoes out completely.

Why is my pasta mushy? You cooked it too long before putting it in the oven. Pull it off the stove while it still has a little bite to it.

Can I make two of these? Yes! Use two pans or one giant roasting pan. Add 10-15 more minutes in the oven.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your family loved this Southern comfort food classic!