Chicken Spaghetti with saucy noodles and satisfying bites—great warm or chilled for lunches and picnics.
Creamy Chicken Spaghetti That Packs for Lunch (and Pleases Dinner Guests)
A saucy, cheese-studded bake that turns ordinary spaghetti and shredded chicken into a brilliant make-ahead meal—delicious hot from the oven or cold in a lunchbox.
Think of this as comfort-food spaghetti revised for real life: strands of pasta coated in a silky, soup-and-milk custard, pockets of shredded chicken in every forkful, and sharp cheddar pulling it all together. It solves the eternal weeknight question—what’s easy enough for tonight but worth saving for tomorrow—and it’s forgiving enough to stand up to packing for lunches or spreading out on a picnic blanket.
The method is deliberately straightforward: cook the spaghetti just shy of soft so it keeps a bite after baking, poach or use leftover chicken for tender shreds, and sauté onion, red pepper and garlic until they’re fragrant and sweet. Condensed cream-of-chicken soup, whole milk and a couple of eggs create a rich, saucy binder, while butter and olive oil add depth. A generous handful of sharp cheddar melts into molten pockets of tang across the casserole.
The finished dish is all about texture—silky sauce clinging to long noodles, meaty threads of chicken, bright pops of frozen peas and caramelized edges from a 9x9 bake. It slices cleanly when chilled (perfect for lunchboxes) and comes back to life with a quick reheat; warm it until bubbly for that irresistible golden top.
Make this when you want one recipe to do double duty: a cozy family dinner with minimal fuss and tidy leftovers that travel well. Shortcut ideas: swap in rotisserie chicken, use a favorite pasta shape instead of spaghetti, or double the batch and freeze portions for an easy future meal.
Ingredients
How to Make Chicken Spaghetti
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x9-inch (or similar) baking dish and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just al dente (about 8 minutes); drain and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, poach the chicken: place the chicken breasts in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (about 12–15 minutes); remove, let rest 5 minutes, then shred with two forks.
- Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, add chopped onion and diced red pepper and cook until softened (4–5 minutes); add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- In a large bowl whisk together the condensed soup, milk, eggs, smoked paprika, parsley, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Add the drained spaghetti, shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, frozen peas, and 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar to the bowl; toss thoroughly so the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the top, cover with foil and bake 20 minutes; remove foil and bake another 8–10 minutes until edges are bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
- Let the casserole rest 10 minutes before slicing into 4 portions. Cool completely before refrigerating for up to 4 days or freeze in portions for up to 2 months; reheat covered in a 350°F oven or microwave until hot.
Recipe Card
Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken Spaghetti with saucy noodles and satisfying bites—great warm or chilled for lunches and picnics.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x9-inch (or similar) baking dish and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just al dente (about 8 minutes); drain and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, poach the chicken: place the chicken breasts in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (about 12–15 minutes); remove, let rest 5 minutes, then shred with two forks.
- Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, add chopped onion and diced red pepper and cook until softened (4–5 minutes); add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- In a large bowl whisk together the condensed soup, milk, eggs, smoked paprika, parsley, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Add the drained spaghetti, shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, frozen peas, and 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar to the bowl; toss thoroughly so the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the top, cover with foil and bake 20 minutes; remove foil and bake another 8–10 minutes until edges are bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
- Let the casserole rest 10 minutes before slicing into 4 portions. Cool completely before refrigerating for up to 4 days or freeze in portions for up to 2 months; reheat covered in a 350°F oven or microwave until hot.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 58
- Saturated Fat
- 12
- Sodium
- 1000
- Fiber
- 4
- Unsaturated Fat
- 18
- Protein
- 52
- Fat
- 29
- Cholesterol
- 190
- Trans Fat
- 0.1
- Calories
- 750
- Sugar
- 7