Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
You don’t even have to boil the pasta, cook the chicken, or sauté the vegetables for this easy Dump-and-Bake Chicken Spaghetti! Just stir all of the raw ingredients together, and you’ll have a family-friendly dinner that’s ready for the oven in just 10 minutes.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients for Dump-and-Bake Chicken Spaghetti
- How to Make Baked Chicken Spaghetti
- Baked Spaghetti Recipe Tips
- Baked Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe Variations
- What to Serve with Homemade Chicken Spaghetti
- Prep, Storage, and Make-Ahead Tips for Baked Chicken Spaghetti
- More Easy Dump-and-Bake Recipes
- Baked Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
I have yet to meet a child who doesn’t love a creamy pasta dinner. Add some chicken and fresh vegetables, and you’ve got a complete meal in one dish (and you don’t even have to think about the sides)!
My goal was to take the classic Chicken Spaghetti casserole and turn it into a simplified weeknight dinner for the whole family using my favorite dump-and-bake method. Y’all, this turned out perfectly! Let me share the details…
First of all, my dump-and-bake recipes obviously save you prep time in the kitchen. But what’s even better? As the pasta cooks in the dish, it releases starches that thicken the sauce, so you get this rich, creamy baked chicken spaghetti without adding too much extra flour or butter. I’m a sucker for a can of Campbell’s Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup in my casseroles, though! It adds easy flavor and texture that makes this dish the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients for Dump-and-Bake Chicken Spaghetti
Below is an overview of the ingredients needed to make easy and delicious baked chicken spaghetti. As always, the complete ingredients and directions can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken Broth: I prefer low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt levels in this recipe.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Cambell’s Cream of Mushroom is my go-to for a quick and creamy sauce.
- Uncooked Spaghetti: the dried, uncooked pasta cooks to a perfect al dente texture in the oven.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast: for an easy minimal-prep recipe. You can also use precooked, leftover, or rotisserie chicken.
- Petite Diced Tomatoes: for the perfect pop of flavor and color. Swap out with a can of Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chilies for a little kick.
- Onions & Green Bell Pepper: these fresh vegetables bulk up the dish and add savory flavor.
- Garlic: the perfect aromatic.
- Salt: to enhance the flavors of the dish.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: for an extra creamy, cheesy sauce.
- Optional garnish: fresh parsley for presentation.
What other kind of chicken can I use in dump-and-bake chicken spaghetti?
If you’re in a pinch, you can use another kind of chicken in this recipe. The tender diced chicken breasts cook perfectly when cut to the right size. Use canned shredded chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken for a shortcut. Or, if you have leftover chicken from another recipe, toss that into this chicken spaghetti bake! The cooking time won’t change, but the creamy cheese sauce will help keep cooked chicken tender and moist while baking.
How to Make Baked Chicken Spaghetti
The whole point of easy dump-and-bake dinners is maximum flavor with minimal effort! The best parts are bare-minimum prep, no cooking multiple separate ingredients, and a one-dish meal. This is a mild, kid-friendly dish that all 3 of my boys gobbled right up! Here’s how to make this easy chicken spaghetti recipe.
- Whisk together the chicken broth and cream of mushroom soup.
- Add the rest of the ingredients—dried spaghetti, diced raw chicken, veggies, and cheese.
- Dump the mixture into a prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 40 minutes, covered, on 425 degrees, stirring halfway through.
- Top with cheese and bake until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with parsley, serve, and enjoy!
Can I cook the spaghetti before mixing in the other ingredients?
Boiling the spaghetti noodles will cut down the cooking time slightly, but it might lead to overcooked pasta — so watch the pot carefully! You’ll want to boil the pasta a few minutes shy of al dente. This way, it will continue to cook while the casserole bakes, absorbing the delicious creamy sauce.
Baked Spaghetti Recipe Tips
- You will need to break the spaghetti into pieces before you add it to the casserole. Otherwise, it won’t fit in the dish! Don’t be afraid to get in there and use your (clean) hands to mix and break the pasta, and make sure that most of your ingredients are submerged in the liquid.
- Don’t be alarmed if it seems like there is a lot of liquid in the dish! Your pasta will absorb much of the liquid as it cooks…right up until the very end. Even when the pasta is tender, and you’re ready to remove the cover for the final few minutes of baking, you will still have quite a bit of liquid in the dish. That’s fine! It will thicken up while it’s uncovered, and it will continue to thicken after it comes out of the oven.
- Make sure that you don’t overcook the pasta, or it will become gummy and mushy.
- Don’t forget to stir the pasta halfway through the baking time and a couple of more times as it’s finishing in the oven. Regular stirring allows the pasta and other ingredients to cook evenly and ensures that the noodles don’t stick together.
Baked Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe Variations
- Swap out the cream of mushroom soup for a can of cream of chicken soup. Want an even creamier sauce? Try adding cream cheese or sour cream into the mix!
- Use whole wheat pasta instead of regular — it won’t change the baking time!
- Experiment with different kinds of cheese. Shredded mozzarella cheese or a shredded Italian blend would be perfect in this baked chicken spaghetti recipe. For more richness, try cubed Velveeta cheese or sharp cheddar cheese instead of mild. Of course, grated Parmesan cheese on top of the casserole is a classic with spaghetti.
- My children garnish their bowls of pasta with extra grated cheddar on top. Because you can never have too much cheeeeeeeese, right?!
- If you prefer a spicy kick of heat to your Chicken Spaghetti, feel free to add a dash of crushed red pepper, more garlic, some hot sauce, or even just a bit of extra salt and pepper at the end. (If you don’t want to spice up the whole dish, you can always season individual portions with red pepper flakes when serving.)
What to Serve with Homemade Chicken Spaghetti
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread or Easy Baguette
- Wedge Salad, Mixed Greens with Mustard Vinaigrette, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Roasted Green Beans, Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Cabbage, or Roasted Carrots
Prep, Storage, and Make-Ahead Tips for Baked Chicken Spaghetti
- Make-Ahead: Because dump-and-bake dinners are made with raw ingredients, it’s quite easy to mix all the ingredients (minus the dried pasta) ahead of time and freeze so you can make this family favorite any time! Simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze. The next time you want baked chicken spaghetti, thaw the ingredients, mix in the dried spaghetti, and bake.
- Prep the diced veggies ahead of time: The onions and peppers can sit in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days, and you’ll spare a few minutes of prep time.
- Storing Leftovers: Leftover chicken spaghetti will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Chicken spaghetti freezes well, so go ahead and toss any leftovers in the freezer and store for up to 3 months.
More Easy Dump-and-Bake Recipes
If you’ve tried this Chicken Spaghetti or any other recipe on The Seasoned Mom, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! You can follow me on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and on Twitter!
Baked Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, NOT diluted
- 6 ounces uncooked spaghetti broken into small pieces
- ½ lb. uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite-diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
- Optional garnish: fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together chicken broth and condensed soup until smooth. Add the uncooked spaghetti, uncooked chicken, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ½ cup of the cheese. Stir (or use your hands) to combine everything together.2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, NOT diluted, 6 ounces uncooked spaghetti, ½ lb. uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite-diced tomatoes, drained, ½ cup diced onion, ½ cup diced green bell pepper, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish, using your hands or a wooden spoon to gently press all of the ingredients into an even layer. You might need to break the pasta into smaller pieces in order to get as much of it as possible in the liquid. It doesn’t have to be perfect, though! Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time.
- Uncover; stir again. At this point, you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then, move on to the next step.
- Top with remaining ¼ cup of cheese.¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake, uncovered, for 5-10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted, chicken is cooked through, and pasta is tender. Give the pasta another stir, and then allow the dish to rest for a few minutes before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken a bit as it sits.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.Optional garnish: fresh parsley
I made this yesterday and the whole family loved it! Healthy and delicious recipe, I will definitely make it again!
Wonderful! So glad to hear that, Olivia! Thank you! 🙂
Just made this and it came out beautifully. I didn’t put any cheese in the casserole, and the sauce was still creamy and delicious. Stirred in a big handful of fresh spinach before topping (part of) the casserole with cheese for the last 5-10 mins. Happy family!
Wonderful! Thank you so much, Anne!
Grilled chicken spaghetti dish is easy and attractive. Very detailed recipe. Very delicious and nutritious food.
Any alternative the rhe canned soups like mushroom or condensed cream of chicken.
Hi, Jasmin! I haven’t tested this recipe with any other ingredients; however, I know that some readers like to use homemade condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soups in recipes like this. There are many different recipe options out there for these homemade substitutes, so feel free to do a quick Google search and see if any of those might work for you. 🙂
Hello Blair, what do you recommend I use instead of chicken here for a vegetarian alternative?
Hi, Bee! You could either use a can of drained, rinsed beans (such as white beans/navy beans, pinto beans, or chickpeas), or you could bulk it up with additional veggies. “Meaty” vegetables like diced eggplant or sliced mushrooms are good options, too. If you’re using those vegetables, I would suggest sauteeing them in olive oil to release some of their liquids and soften them first. 🙂
This is a terrific recipe. Made it for dinner tonoght. Wasn’t sure how the ingredients would do!e together, but I went ahead and made it and I am so happy that I did! Wil make this often and will try other recipes from Blair. Try it, you won’t t e sorr. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi, Judith! Thank you for taking the time to leave a note. I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!
I have not made this yet but plan to. I was wondering what you would think of using canned chicken? Looking forward to trying it.
Hi, Kimberly! I think the canned chicken would work great in this casserole. Hope you enjoy!
I didn’t have a few of the ingredients so had to improvise, but it turned out delicious, and my husband, who never has seconds, had seconds of this! I doubled the recipe, used more chicken, the only canned diced tomatoes I had were Rotel with green chilies, the only vegetables I had was a bag of frozen Deluxe Stir Fry vegetables, and I used a lot more cheese. Weird recipe, but delicious!
Glad you were able to make it work with what you had, Cindy. Thank you!
This sounds delicious but I try to eat wheat-fre. Any suggestions?
Hi, Gina! I’m not very familiar with wheat-free eating, so I don’t have any specific suggestions. I would imagine that you could make the dish with rice noodles or another wheat-free noodle, but you may need to adjust the overall cooking time.