Texas Chicken Spaghetti Casserole with Rotel and Velveeta
A Texas favorite that combines tender chicken and pasta in a creamy, cheesy sauce with just the right kick from Rotel tomatoes and poblano peppers. This recipe is great for potlucks, Sunday supper, and family dinners. Easy to make ahead for busy weeknights and freezer-friendly!
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.