Texas chicken spaghetti is a creamy baked pasta casserole made with cooked chicken, spaghetti, tomatoes with green chiles, and plenty of melty cheese. It shows up at church suppers, family gatherings, and weeknight dinner tables all over Texas.
A Note From My Kitchen
There are a million recipes for chicken spaghetti on the internet. Some use cream of mushroom soup, cream cheese, or sour cream as the base, while others would never dream of adding canned soup or processed cheese.
I say make the version you love. For this one, I skip the canned soup, but I am absolutely not above the cheesy goodness that comes from a block of Velveeta.
Hello, queso?
~ Holly ❤️
This is part of my Forks in the Road: Recipes From Across America series, where week by week, I'll explore the foods and flavors of America and recreate the most popular recipes from all 50 states.
What is Texas Chicken Spaghetti?
Chicken spaghetti is a Southern-style baked pasta dish, and the Texas version usually leans into bold, creamy, cheesy flavors with tomatoes and green chiles.
A lot of versions use cream of mushroom soup, but this recipe skips the canned soup and builds the sauce with butter, flour, chicken stock, Rotel, Velveeta, and cream.
For this version, I also add roasted poblano and jalapeño peppers. The poblano gives the casserole a little smoky flavor without making it too spicy, and the jalapeño adds just enough heat to keep things interesting.
Let's Gather Up the Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this Texas chicken spaghetti casserole. The exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below, but this will give you a quick look at what each ingredient brings to the dish.
- Shredded cooked chicken - A rotisserie chicken works great here, or you can poach a whole fryer if you want homemade stock for the sauce.
- Spaghetti - Cook it just to al dente since it will keep cooking in the oven.
- Butter
- Poblano pepper - Adds a mild smoky flavor without a lot of heat.
- Jalapeño - Adds a little kick. Remove the seeds for less heat.
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Flour
- Chicken stock
- Rotel tomatoes - Gives the casserole that classic tomato-and-green-chile flavor
- Velveeta cheese - Melts smoothly into the sauce and gives it that creamy queso-style texture.
- Heavy cream - Rounds out the sauce and makes it extra rich.
- Shredded cheese - Sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or mozzarella all work.
Now Let's Get Cooking
Preheat the oven (or airfryer) to 400℉
Roast, peel, and dice the peppers.
This is so simple to do in my Ninja Foodi 10 in 1. I just place the peppers in the air fryer basket, drizzle with a little olive oil, and set the broil function to 15-20 minutes. Flip about halfway through.
I LOVE my Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Pressure Cooker Combo. It's seriously one of my favorite kitchen tools, especially for RV living. When you're cooking in a small space, having one appliance that can do it all-pressure cook, air fry, steam, bake, broil, and more-is a total game changer. It saves space, cuts down on clutter, and allows me to create just about anything without hauling out a bunch of gear.
Tips for success: You could also use the broiler on a conventional oven, but the air fryer is so convenient and easy, especially when you are cooking in your RV kitchen.
Once they are charred all the way around, place them in a bowl and wrap them with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to sweat for about 20 minutes. This makes them easy to peel. Remove the seeds and dice.
Add a generous amount of salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until it's al dente according to package directions.
You want it to be a little firmer than usual because it will continue to cook in the oven.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions. Season with salt and saute until they have softened (4-6 minutes). Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or so, then add the diced poblano and jalapeno peppers.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the softened vegetables and stir to incorporate. Cook for one or two minutes. Now, slowly add 2 cups of chicken stock, stirring with a whisk to keep the mixture from getting clumpy. Add 1 can of Rotel and the Ranch seasoning. Stir until the sauce starts to thicken.
Add 8 ounces of cubed Velveeta cheese. Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the cheese to melt, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes.
Stir in ½ cup of heavy cream and simmer for a few more minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and black pepper at this point.
Add the cooked spaghetti and shredded chicken into the sauce and mix until everything has been combined.
Pour it into a 9x12 glass casserole dish and top it with 8 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Bake it in the 400℉ oven for 10-15 minutes or until it starts to bubble and the cheese has melted on top.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.
What to Serve with Chicken Spaghetti
This casserole is rich and cheesy, so I like serving it with something fresh or simple on the side.
A crisp Caesar salad is always a good choice, and garlic bread or Cheddar Bay Biscuits make it feel like a full comfort-food dinner. If you want something lighter, roasted green beans, a simple side salad, or sautéed zucchini would all work well.
And to round it all out, serve a Southern Possum Pie for dessert!
Cooking for Two?
This is actually one of those casseroles that works really well for a smaller household. The full recipe makes a generous 9x12 pan, but if you're cooking for two, you can use the smaller-batch recipe card below.
The smaller version gives you enough for dinner and a little leftover for lunch without filling your refrigerator with casserole for the rest of the week.
You can also make the full recipe and divide it between two smaller baking dishes. Bake one now and freeze the other for another night.
Scroll down for the smaller-batch version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this casserole freezes well. Prepare it in a freezer-safe dish, tightly wrap it with foil or plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until the cheesy sauce is hot and bubbly. It tastes even better the next day.
This version skips the canned soup and uses a homemade creamy sauce made with chicken stock, Rotel, Velveeta, and heavy cream. The roasted poblano and jalapeño give it a little Texas-style kick without making it too spicy.
Absolutely! Prepare the casserole up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bake as directed when ready to serve for a convenient meal prep option.
Store any leftover casserole tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or reheat the entire dish in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
Yes. If you prefer the classic shortcut version, you can use cream of mushroom soup in place of part of the homemade sauce. I'd start by replacing the flour, chicken stock, and heavy cream with one can of cream of mushroom soup and a little extra chicken broth as needed to loosen the sauce.
That said, this recipe skips the canned soup and uses butter, flour, chicken stock, Rotel, Velveeta, and cream to make a smoother homemade sauce with a little more control over the flavor.
If you are enjoying my Forks in the Road series, check out more of the classic recipes I have adapted from around the United States.
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Texas Chicken Spaghetti Casserole with Rotel and Velveeta
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker/ Air Fryer optional
- Glass casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken shredded
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1-2 poblano peppers (depending on size) seeded , small dice
- 1 small onion small dice
- 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 can Rotel
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed so it melts easier
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- Optional: fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉
- Roast, peel, and dice the peppers. This is so simple to do in my Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 using the broil function.I just place the peppers in the air fryer basket, drizzle with a little olive oil, and set the broil function to 15-20 minutes. Flip about half way through.
- Once they are charred all the way around, place them in a bowl and wrap them with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to sweat for about 20 minutes. This makes them easy to peel. Remove the seeds and dice.
- Add a generous amount of salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until it's al dente according to package directions. You want it to be a little firmer than usual because it will continue to cook in the oven.
- In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions. Season with a little salt and saute until the onions have softened (4-6 minutes). Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or so. Add the roasted poblano and jalapenos.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the softened vegetables and stir to incorporate. Cook for one or two minutes. Now, slowly add 2 cups of chicken stock stirring with a whisk to keep the mixture from getting clumpy. Add 1 can of Rotel. Stir until the sauce starts to thicken.Add 8 ounces of cubed Velveeta cheese. Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the cheese to melt, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes.Stir in ½ cup of heavy cream and simmer for a few more minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and black pepper at this point.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and shredded chicken into the sauce and mix until everything has been combined. Pour it into a 9x12 glass casserole dish and top it with 8 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Bake it in the 400℉ oven for 10-15 minutes or until it starts to bubble and the cheese has melted on top.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.
Notes
Cooking for two? I included a smaller-batch recipe card below.
Texas Chicken Spaghetti Casserole with Rotel and Velveeta for Two
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- 1 poblano pepper roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
- ½ small onion finely diced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for pasta water
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- ½ packet Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix about 1 ½ tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ can Rotel tomatoes about 5 ounces
- 4 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 to 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- Optional: chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Roast, peel, seed, and dice the poblano pepper. You can do this under the broiler or in the air fryer using the broil function until the skin is charred. Place the pepper in a covered bowl for about 15-20 minutes so it can steam, then peel off the skin and dice.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened, about 4-6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the diced roasted poblano.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, then add the Rotel and ranch seasoning. Stir until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Add the cubed Velveeta and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir occasionally until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Stir in the heavy cream. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and shredded chicken to the sauce. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Pour the mixture into a greased 8x8 baking dish. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted on top.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired.
Notes
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Samantha says
I love this twist on the usual Chicken Spaghetti. The peppers added a little something that I always felt was missing from other recipes. This one is a keeper for sure.
Sheila says
I love that you scaled this recipe down for two. I hate wasting food, but we are not huge fan of leftovers. This recipe was the perfect amount for me and my husband to have dinner and lunch the next day.
Holly Coppedge says
I am trying to do that with all of my recipes Sheila. It is a challange cooking for two. I'm glad you are finding value in it too. 🙂