Description
A hearty, family-friendly casserole featuring spaghetti, chicken tenders, and a creamy cheese sauce with Rotel tomatoes, topped with golden breadcrumbs and melted cheese. Perfect for weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd.
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
Instructions
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.
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.
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.
Stir your pasta and chicken into the sauce until every piece is covered. Looks pretty good right now, doesn’t it?
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.
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.
Notes
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.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American