Description
A creamy, cheesy chicken spaghetti casserole made with Velveeta, cream cheese, Rotel tomatoes, rotisserie chicken, and two types of cream soup. Topped with melted cheddar and baked until golden and bubbly. This easy, crowd-pleasing dish is perfect for potlucks, game day, or family dinners.
Ingredients
For the Cheesy Sauce:
- 16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed (the secret to that smooth, never-grainy sauce)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed (bring to room temperature for easier melting)
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup (one standard can)
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup (adds depth and earthiness)
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (do NOT drain – you want all that flavorful liquid!)
- ½ cup milk (whole milk works best for extra creaminess)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Casserole:
- 16 ounces spaghetti (regular or thin spaghetti both work great)
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (about one large chicken)
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded (for that golden, bubbly topping)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil. Set it aside—you’ll be ready to fill it before you know it.
Pro Tip: I like to prep my casserole dish first thing so I’m not scrambling later with a pot of hot pasta and sauce. Everything moves fast once you get going!
In a large skillet or pot over medium heat, combine your cubed Velveeta, cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, the entire can of Rotel (liquid and all!), milk, onion powder, garlic powder, and shredded rotisserie chicken. Stir everything together gently and let it melt slowly. This takes about 8-10 minutes, and you’ll want to stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Watch as it transforms from a chunky mess into a smooth, dreamy, slightly spicy sauce.
While your sauce is melting, get a large pot of salted water boiling. Cook your spaghetti according to the package directions, but aim for al dente—that means it still has a little bite to it. It’ll continue cooking in the oven, so you don’t want it mushy now. Drain it well and set it aside.
Transfer your drained spaghetti into the greased casserole dish. Pour that gorgeous cheesy chicken sauce right over the top, then use a big spoon or spatula to mix everything together really well. You want every strand of spaghetti coated in that sauce, and the chicken distributed evenly throughout. Don’t be shy about getting in there and mixing—this is comfort food, not fine dining!
Sprinkle that shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the entire top of your casserole. Be generous! This creates the golden, bubbly top layer that makes everyone’s eyes light up when you bring it to the table.
Slide your casserole into that preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. You’re looking for the cheese on top to be melted, golden, and bubbling around the edges. The whole thing should be heated through and looking absolutely irresistible.
Pull that beautiful casserole out of the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving. I know it’s hard to wait, but this little rest lets everything set up just slightly so it’s not soup when you scoop it.
Notes
Don’t rush the sauce melting process—keep your heat at medium and be patient. If you crank up the heat to speed things along, the cheese can break and get grainy, or worse, stick to the bottom of your pan and burn. Low and slow wins this race. Stir occasionally and give those cheeses time to melt into something smooth and gorgeous.
If you’re short on time, you can assemble this entire casserole earlier in the day and keep it covered in the fridge. Just add about 5-10 extra minutes to the baking time since it’ll be going in cold. I do this all the time when I’m bringing it to a potluck—I make it in the morning, refrigerate it, then bake it when I arrive.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes + Cool Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American