Rotel Chicken Spaghetti (Easy Recipe)

Rotel chicken spaghetti is hearty, creamy, and cheesy, with a little bit of a kick. It’s southern comfort food at its best! 

What’s not to love about this dish?

First, it’s incredibly delicious. You can’t go wrong with pasta, cream sauce, chicken, and cheese. 

Second, it’s easy to make. Thanks to rotisserie chicken and Rotel tomatoes, there’s barely any effort required!

Third, one recipe can feed a crowd. Minimal effort, maximum results.

Fourth, it’s super budget-friendly! The ingredients are inexpensive and are already most likely available in your pantry.

So, if delicious, simple, and economical is what you’re looking for, you already know what to do. 

Rotel Chicken Spaghetti with Velveeta

Rotel chicken spaghetti is one recipe you won’t want to miss.

It’s a Southern dish that consists of pasta and a cream sauce. It has chilies and chicken and, like any good Rotel recipe, lots of cheese on top.

While the cream and cheese make the dish super-rich and decadent, the addition of tomatoes and green chilies balances it out very well.

Loaded with carbs, protein, fat, and vegetables (tomatoes and chilies count, right), this dish is a complete meal on its own.

Ingredients

• Cream Of Mushroom Soup: It serves as the base of the pasta sauce. I like using cream of mushroom because it adds such a meaty and woodsy flavor to the dish. Any kind of condensed soup will work, as well, though.

• Chicken Broth: To saturate the sauce and add an extra layer of chicken flavor.

• Can of Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilies: Why slice and dice tomatoes and chilies when you can just open a can of Rotel? Pick from mild, regular, or hot, depending on the level of heat your taste buds can handle.

• Spaghetti: Or any kind of pasta, cooked to al dente.

• Chicken: Rotisserie is ideal, but you can also cook raw chicken if you like.

• Velveeta Cheese: It’s not the healthiest of cheeses, but I love how creamy and melty it gets!

• Salt And Pepper: To taste.

How to Make Rotel Chicken Spaghetti 

Follow these steps to make Rotel chicken spaghetti:

1. COOK PASTA. Follow the instructions on the package, but undercook it by 1 to 2 minutes.

2. PREPARE CHICKEN. If raw, season the chicken with salt and pepper or fajita seasoning. Then, grill or pan-fry it in butter. Chop or shred a rotisserie chicken or freshly cooked chicken once it’s cool.

3. MAKE THE SAUCE. Combine the mushroom soup, chicken broth, and Rotel.

4. ASSEMBLE. Add the cooked spaghetti to a greased dish. Top with the chicken and the sauce. Finish with cubes of Velveeta on top.

5. BAKE. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Then, serve as is or toss until the noodles are well-coated. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Chicken Spaghetti

Some tips to remember:

• Tips for the pasta. You can leave the noodles full-size or break them into smaller pieces. The dish will work with either. The main thing is to slightly undercook it, as it will continue to cook as the dish bakes.

• Accidentally overcooked the pasta? Rinse it in cold water. It should stop it from cooking further, or at least slow down the process.

• Salt the pasta water generously. Add about 1-2 teaspoons of salt per 1 quart of water. The pasta will only absorb a little bit, giving it a nice, subtle flavor.

• Use leftover rotisserie chicken. While freshly cooked chicken is fine, leftovers will save you a ton of time. Simply discard the bones. Then, shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

• Don’t boil the chicken. If you’re cooking the chicken yourself, grill or pan-fry it. These methods will result in tastier, juicier meat than boiling. Also, season it beforehand for more flavor. Finally, avoid chicken breasts for this recipe. Opt for thighs or tenders instead.

• Don’t be too picky while assembling. It doesn’t matter if you layer them nicely or toss them all in the dish together. It’ll taste delicious either way.

• Make-ahead instructions. Assemble the layers and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bake as instructed but with an added 3-5 minutes to the baking time.

Variations

This isn’t a fixed recipe you have to follow to the tee. The fact that it’s impossible to mess up gives so much room for customization!

• Use turkey instead. Got leftovers from Thanksgiving? Swap the chicken for turkey.

• Pack it with protein. Add bacon, ham, and other deli meats you have on hand in with the chicken.

• Use your favorite cheese. You don’t have to stick to Velveeta. Any good-melting cheese will suffice. Use cheddar, mild cheddar, Pepper Jack, etc. Just be sure to grate it yourself for maximum melt.

• Tweak the heat. You can make this dish as fiery or as mild as you like by choosing a different variety of Rotel. They have everything from mild to hot, hot, hot! 

• Raid the fridge for other mix-ins. Ingredients like black beans, green chilies, and corn will give your pasta more character.

• Vary the soup and/or pasta. Instead of mushroom soup, you can use cream of chicken or vegetable. Furthermore, you can use whatever kind of pasta you like best.

How to Store Chicken Spaghetti

Allow the chicken spaghetti to cool completely first.

To Store: Store leftovers in an air-tight container, or cover the dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To Reheat: Reheat small portions in the microwave for 1 minute, or until warmed through. To reheat an entire casserole, do so in a 350-degree-Fahrenheit oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Can You Freeze Rotel Chicken Spaghetti?

Certainly! In fact, this dish freezes beautifully.

Allow the spaghetti to cool completely. Cover the dish (be sure to use a freezer-safe dish) with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes.

In case the dish dries up, stir in heavy cream to moisten it back up.

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