This Chicken Spaghetti Casserole recipe is the best comfort food casserole recipe! It’s a good dinner recipe for cozy winter nights, and it’s one that the whole family typically enjoys too. Watch the video showing you how to make this Chicken Spaghetti Casserole, then scroll to the bottom of this post and print out the recipe so you can make it at home.

chicken spaghetti casserole in a white dish just out of the oven

When I asked Facebook fans the other day about the possibility of me posting a new casserole recipe, I received an overwhelming response. It seems that there are a lot of casserole-lovers out there! I live in San Diego – not really the Casserole Capital of America. People here eat grilled chicken, tofu hot dogs and salad with no dressing. Casseroles are among the evils that aren’t spoken here in SoCal.

Whatever. I eat casseroles. Must be because all of my distant Swedish relatives live in Minnesota, where comfort food is more welcome. It’s in my genes. And probably my jeans too. The good news is that I lightened up this Chicken Spaghetti Casserole recipe as much as I thought I could.

chicken spaghetti casserole in a white casserole dish

This is quite the cheesy casserole, and I mean that in a good way. It’s hard to lighten up on cheese since low fat cheeses do not tend to melt nicely, so I charged straight ahead and used full-fat cheese for this recipe.

Don’t worry, you’ll see the calorie count in the end (which is actually not too terribly bad).  And you can always use low fat cheese, if you prefer.

ingredients displayed for chicken spaghetti casserole- pasta, cream of mushroom soup, tabasco, cheese, onions, mushrooms, chicken

What ingredients do you need for Chicken Spaghetti Casserole?

Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe. Yep, we’re doing something I rarely do on my recipe site: using Cream of Mushroom Soup. If that scares you, grab my homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe to use instead. If you use my homemade soup, you may not need to add much milk since it’s not a “condensed” version of cream of mushroom.

pasta boiling in water in a pot

How to Make Chicken Spaghetti Casserole:

Boil the pasta, just so it’s kinda al dente (still has a slight bite to it).

melting butter in a skillet

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan.  Just a tablespoon. We don’t need a whole stick or anything like that since we’re just going to sauté the veggies in it.

sauteing vegetables in a skillet to make chicken spaghetti casserole

Cook the veggies in that melted butter, just until they’re a little bit softened up. Here’s where you can get creative. If you don’t like my choice of veggies (or more importantly, if your family refuses to eat certain veggies), change it up and add in what you’d like.

measuring cup pouring into a bowl to make sauce for chicken spaghetti casserole

Mix nonfat milk with fat-free cream of mushroom soup.

pouring sauce into vegetables in a skillet to make the sauce for chicken spaghetti casserole

Pour that sauce into the veggies.

making sauce for chicken spaghetti casserole in a skillet

Mix it up.

adding cheese to the sauce for chicken spaghetti casserole in a skillet

Add cheese.  I use extra sharp cheddar because I like that it gives a little extra bang of flavor.

sauce in a skillet for chicken spaghetti casserole

It melts into the sauce nicely.

making chicken spaghetti casserole in a skillet

Mix in chopped, cooked chicken and the pasta.

adding tabasco sauce to chicken spaghetti casserole

Add some tabasco for flavor. And salt and pepper…

making chicken spaghetti casserole in a skillet, ready to pour it into a red and white casserole dish

Pour it into a greased baking dish.

chicken spaghetti casserole in a white casserole dish ready for the oven

It looks pretty, doesn’t it?

cup of shredded cheese in a white measuring cup above a casserole

More cheese.  I chose Monterey Jack.

chicken spaghetti casserole in a red and white casserole dish ready for the oven

Sprinkle it on the top.

chicken spaghetti casserole in a white dish just out of the oven

Bake it for a half hour or so, and it comes out all bubbly and hot and melty.

single serving of chicken spaghetti casserole in a red bowl garnished with fresh parsley

Dish it up and eat!

If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you’ll find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below. It’s definitely not “really” a weight watcher kind of recipe, but if you’re on that sort of a diet and you feel like splurging, at least you know the details and can plan for it. I’m a firm believer in eating what you want on a diet (normal stuff in moderation). That’s what I did with this recipe. I like to have my one serving, and that’s it! Big side salad to go with. Perfect, and it is filling and satisfying too!

The Best Casserole Recipes:

chicken spaghetti casserole in a white dish just out of the oven
4.74 from 26 votes

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

This casserole is pure comfort food. It's worth the extra half-hour at the gym!
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.
  • Cook pasta according to package directions, but only cook it until it's al dente (you still want a little bite to it). Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  • Melt butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, celery and bell peppers. Cook until the vegetables have softened, 4 to 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix milk and soup until smooth. Add this mixture to the vegetables in the pan. Stir in cheddar cheese. Continue to heat the mixture until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Add in chicken, pasta and tabasco, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle Jack cheese on top.
  • Bake for 35 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and golden brown.

Notes

  • *If you are counting WW points, prepare this recipe with reduced-fat cheeses.
  • *If you're trying to figure out a serving size for this casserole, simply use a knife to divide the pan into 6 equal servings. There's your serving size (it's pretty substantial)!
  • *Leftovers of this casserole are great for a couple of days after making it.
  • *Turn this casserole into a day-after- holiday meal by adding leftover turkey instead of chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 327kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 492mg, Potassium: 455mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 685IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 273mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.74 from 26 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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116 Comments

  1. Kathy says:

    The whole family really liked this dish. I put it all together the night before, then just put it in the over when I got home from work.
    The only thing I had do different was to cook it a little longer.

  2. tuyen says:

    Tried making this last night and loved it. Thanks!

  3. Jenny (VintageSugarcube) says:

    Only one complaint; I could eat that entire casserole dish by myself. And I wouldn’t share it with anyone!

  4. Nichole says:

    I also meant to put on my comment, that I put a bag of steamed broccoli in mine to add something green to it! My husband loves it, just made this last night!

  5. Veronica says:

    This was a hit in my house. I made it last night and it was so good. Follow the instructions and it came out perfect.

  6. Patty says:

    This was super good. Make a huge meal. I was going to ask about freezing but someone answered my question. Casseroles and an extra meal doesn’t get better than that.

  7. Ellen in VA says:

    I usually double this and freeze at least half of it. It makes a great dish for a covered dish supper or to take to the family when someone dies. Every time I take it anywhere one or two people asks for the recipe!

  8. sandy says:

    I love casseroles and I live in San Diego! BUT…..I grew up back East. 🙂
    This recipe looks very good.

  9. The Elegant Eggplant says:

    this looks absolutely delish!! Such a fun, modern take on casserole.

  10. themacaronqueen says:

    I love hearty food that will fill my stomach. Will definitely try this recipe.