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spoonful lifted from casserole

Southern Chicken Spaghetti

This easy Southern chicken spaghetti turns cooked chicken into a creamy, cheesy baked casserole with Rotel tomatoes and chiles, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, and crispy fried onions. Instead of canned cream soup, I use intentional seasonings to build standout flavor in every bite. It's an easy comfort-food dinner and a delicious way to use leftover chicken.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Baking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Soul Food, Southern Food
Servings: 10
Calories: 407kcal
Author: Shaunda Necole • The Soul Food Pot®

Equipment

  • Large pot for cooking spaghetti
  • Large pot or saucepan for the chicken mixture
  • Colander
  • 9×13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chicken cooked, seasoned chicken, shredded or chopped
  • 8 oz spaghetti noodles uncooked
  • 6 water to boil the spaghetti
  • ¼ cup red onion diced
  • 20 oz tomatoes Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (two 10-oz. cans; I use mild)
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened (whipped preferred)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded, for topping
  • 1 cup fried onions

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  • Shred or chop the cooked, seasoned chicken into bite-size pieces. Measure 3 cups and set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • In a large pot or saucepan over low heat, combine the cooked chicken, red onion, undrained Rotel, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir gently until the cream cheese melts and the mixture is creamy and combined.
  • Stir in 2 cups of cheddar cheese and the crispy fried onions.
  • Gently fold in the cooked spaghetti until the noodles are evenly coated.
    serving bowl preparing Sourthern chicken spaghetti
  • Transfer the chicken spaghetti to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar evenly over the top.
    unbaked Southern spaghetti casserole, overhead process shot
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is completely melted and beginning to turn golden.
    hands holding finished casserole
  • Serve warm and enjoy!
    spoonful lifted from casserole

Video

Notes

🥄 Shaunda's shortcut: Start with cooked, seasoned chicken. Leftover chicken works beautifully here and means one of the biggest parts of dinner is already done.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 443mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1226IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 1mg

❤️ Shaunda's Soul Food Standard

Created and tested by Shaunda Necole, creator of The Soul Food Pot® (real cook, real kitchen). Rooted in African American culinary traditions, with modern shortcuts that never sacrifice flavor or legacy. No AI-generated instructions. Every measurement, timing note, and technique is written, cooked, and verified by Shaunda, with make-it-your-way guidance so you can cook confidently with the tools you have.

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