This Chicken Spaghetti Bake is a cozy family meal filled with tender chicken, fresh broccoli and spaghetti in a creamy homemade sauce, topped with cheese and baked to perfection! Perfect for get togethers, potlucks or a make ahead freezer meal.
Comfort food is my family's favorite and this cheesy and creamy pasta dish is comforting, hearty and so satisfying. Plus, it is a perfect meal to prep ahead and just pop in the oven when you're ready for dinner.
Chicken Spaghetti Bake Ingredients
- Spaghetti
- Cooked Chicken Breast
- Broccoli
- Butter
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- Garlic Cloves
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Chicken Broth
- Milk
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Substitution Suggestions:
- Spaghetti: Almost any pasta cut will work for this recipe for example: thin spaghetti, egg noodles, fusilli, cavatappi, penne, rotini and elbow macaroni are all good options.
- Cooked Chicken Breast: Cooked rotisserie chicken, leftover cooked chicken, cooked chicken thighs will all work.
- Broccoli: You can replace broccoli with your favorite vegetable: cauliflower, frozen peas or green beans can all be used.
- Mushrooms: these are used to replicate the canned cream of mushroom soup flavors, but if you are not a mushroom fan feel free to leave them out.
- Chicken Broth: Vegetable broth or bouillon mixed with water can be used.
- Milk: I prefer to use 2% cows milk, but any unsweetened milk can be used.
- Shredded Cheese: Use your favorite! Any cheese flavor that you love will be delicious with this recipe.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Bake
- First step is to get some water boiling to cook the pasta and cook the chicken if needed.
- Next, in a large sauce pan sauté the onions and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Then, stir in the flour, salt and black pepper and cook for a minute.
- Slowly stir in the broth followed by the milk constantly stirring.
- Bring to a low boil and cook until thickened, about 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Next, stir in shredded mozzarella and 1 cup of cheddar a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until cheese is completely melted.
- Stir in the sour cream.
- Once the pasta is cooked and drained, pour the sauce over the spaghetti and mix well.
- Add the cooked chicken and fresh broccoli and stir to combine everything.
- Add it all to a lightly greased deep 9x13 casserole dish.
- Top the casserole with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 375°F oven uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
Make Ahead Instructions
Make Ahead: To make this casserole ahead of time, prepare it following the directions but don't bake it. Once the casserole is prepared cover it with a tight fitting lid or a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Refrigerate the casserole up to 4 days. On the night you want to enjoy it, pull the casserole out and let it come to room temp while the oven preheats to 375°F. Remove the cover or plastic wrap and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake another 10-20 minutes until warmed through and cheese is melted.
Freezer Meal: This is great casserole to make as a freezer meal. Prepare the casserole and place it in a freezer safe casserole dish or aluminum foil pan. Tightly cover the casserole so no air can get in. Then, label and date the dish. Freeze the casserole for up to 4 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the casserole overnight in the fridge. Pull the casserole out of the fridge and let it come to room temp while the oven preheats to 375°F. Remove any cover and then cover the casserole with aluminum foil. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake another 10-20 minutes until completely warmed through and cheese is melted.
Storing Chicken Spaghetti
Storing Leftovers: Store any leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers can also be frozen. Add the cooled casserole to freezer safe containers or foil pans. Cover tightly and freeze.
Reheating leftovers: If leftovers are frozen, thaw them overnight in the fridge. Then heat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven covered with foil until warmed through.
What to Serve with Chicken Spaghetti Bake
This dish is already a complete meal because it has protein, vegetables and pasta. However, like every other parent I try and get my kids to eat as many vegetables as possible so I always serve a small green salad along side pasta dishes as well as my Easy Peasy Garlic Bread.
More Family Friendly Pasta Casseroles:
- Cheesy Spaghetti Bake
- Baked Rigatoni Casserole
- Cheeseburger Casserole
- Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells
- Baked Penne
- Chicken and Noodles
- Manicotti with Meat Sauce
- Mexican Lasagna
Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 4 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast, about 2 pounds
- 3 cups broccoli
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 oz mushrooms, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a deep 9x13 casserole dish.
- Cook spaghetti to al dente according to package directions. Cook chicken if needed.
- In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. About 3-4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Cook for another minute.
- Slowly stir in the chicken broth, stirring constantly.
- Then slowly stir in the milk.
- Bring to a low boil and boil until thickened, about 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the shredded mozzarella and 1 cup shredded cheddar a little at a time, make sure each addition is melted before adding more.
- Then stir in the sour cream.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked and drained spaghetti and stir it together.
- Stir in the cooked chicken and broccoli.
- Add the pasta to the prepared casserole dish.
- Top the casserole with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese.
- Bake casserole for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.
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