Description
Spicy Southern Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole with heat, cheese, and comfort in every bite – a crowd-pleasing favorite!
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz (450g) spaghetti, broken into thirds
- 3 cups (375g) cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
- 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
- 1 medium onion (about 1 cup/150g), finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper (about 1 cup/150g), diced
- 1–2 jalapeños (2–3 tbsp/30-45g), seeded and minced
- 3 cloves garlic (1 tbsp/9g), minced
- 1 can (10.5 oz/298g) cream of chicken soup
- 1 can (10 oz/283g) diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 8 oz (226g) Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 2 cups (226g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
- 1 tsp (5g) cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp (6g) smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (15g) fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Season generously with salt – it should taste like seawater. Add your broken spaghetti pieces and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes or 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain well but don’t rinse – that starchy coating helps the sauce adhere better to your pasta.
- Step 2: Create Your Flavor Base In a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook until softened and beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Toss in your diced bell peppers and continue cooking for another 3 minutes until slightly softened. Now add your minced jalapeños (adjust quantity based on how spicy you want your **Spicy Southern Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole** to be) and garlic, cooking just until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- Step 3: Build Your Sauce Pour in your chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits – that’s pure flavor! Add the cream of chicken soup, diced tomatoes with green chilies (with their juice), and stir until well combined. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Season with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
- Step 4: Make It Cheesy Remove the pan from heat and add the cubed Velveeta and 1½ cups of the shredded cheddar, reserving the remaining ½ cup for topping. Stir continuously until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth and velvety. Fold in your cooked chicken until well coated in the cheesy sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed – this is your last chance to perfect the flavor!
- Step 5: Assemble And Bake Add your cooked spaghetti to the chicken-cheese mixture, tossing gently but thoroughly to ensure every strand is coated. Transfer everything to your prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup cheddar cheese over the top. Bake uncovered in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top has melted and begun to turn golden in spots.
- Step 6: Finish And Serve Remove your **Spicy Southern Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole** from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving – this helps the casserole set and makes it easier to portion. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro just before serving for a bright finish that cuts through the richness.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 485 calories per serving
- Sugar: 5 grams
- Sodium: 1070 mg
- Fat: 24 grams
- Saturated Fat: 11 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 42 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 25 grams
- Cholesterol: 90 mg