Homemade chicken spaghetti casserole is a great, cheesy casserole that will become a family favorite. Tender chicken with tasty homemade marinara sauce mixed with spaghetti then baked until bubbly and golden brown.
Introduction
I have tried other baked spaghetti recipes before, but the recipes always had too much pasta that was mushy. And most of them used a jar of sauce or cream sauce. They were just wrong.
I started with my wonderful chicken marinara with few changes. I then undercooked 8 oz of spaghetti a bit. Mixed in some grated Parmesan and topped with some mozzarella and more grated parmesan.
It is then baked until browned. It came out perfect in about 25 minutes.
My Rating
A very strong 4 with the potential of being somebody's favorite recipe.
🐓Chicken
The recipe as written has you cooking your own chicken using skinless boneless chicken breasts, but you can you other chicken. Pre-cooked shredded rotisserie chicken is fine. You need 2-3 cups.
🍝Pasta
I like my pasta to have a bit of "body." read that as not overcooked and mushy. Even cooked to al denta, it can turn mushy when baked in sauce. I suggest cooking a little short of the al denta instructions for the pasta you use.
You don't have to use spaghetti. Use the pasta you want. I do not suggest using whole wheat or gluten-free pasta since they tend to fall apart in recipes like this.
🥣Sauce
You need about 4 cups of marinara sauce for this recipe as written. If you have a jar or other sauce, feel free to use it, but you will love mine, and it is not that much work.
My normal garlic marinara has some crushed red pepper, but it is optional here.
I like to add some cheese to the sauce in casseroles so it will hold together better and add a bit of taste.
📖Italian Casseroles
Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage
Spicy Parmesan Chicken Alfredo
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
Trim, pat dry, and dice two medium chicken breast. About 1-1 ½ pounds. You can use pre-cooked chicken, and you will need 2-3 cups.
Chop a medium onion.
When the oil is hot, add 2-3 cloves of garlic, the chicken and the onion. Cook until chicken is done and cuts easily with a wooden spoon. About 8 to 9 minutes. Break apart any large pieces of chicken. If using precooked chicken, then don't add the chicken until the onion is translucent.
Add two 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes, and one 6 oz can tomato paste, 2 teaspoons dry basil (or 2 tablespoons fresh basil), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional), ½ teaspoon oregano. Simmer over low heat while you cook the pasta.
Cook 8 oz of pasta according to instructions on the box for al denta or a bit less.
Add ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese to the sauce and mixed well. Mix the sauce into the pasta and move to the casserole dish.
This fits nicely in a 2 ½ quart size, which is about 8X12 inches. Top with ½ cup each of mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese. You may cover and refrigerate at this point.
Bake until sauce is bubbling and top brown. About 25 minutes for me. Longer if you had refrigerated the dish.
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📖 Recipe
Baked Chicken Spaghetti
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Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts - medium cut into 1 inch cubes
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 2-4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 onion - medium diced
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 6 oz tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons dry basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoons crushed pepper - optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
- Pat dry, trim, and dice two medium chicken breast. About 1-1 ½ pounds. You can use pre-cooked chicken, and you will need 2-3 cups.
- Chop a medium onion.
- When the oil is hot, add 2-3 cloves of garlic, the chicken and the onion. Cook until chicken is done and cuts easily with a wooden spoon. About 8 to 9 minutes. Break apart any large pieces of chicken. If using precooked chicken, then don't add the chicken until the onion is translucent.
- Add two 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes, and one 6 oz can tomato paste, 2 teaspoons dry basil (or 2 tablespoons fresh basil), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional), ½ teaspoon oregano. Simmer over low heat while you cook the pasta.
- Cook 8 oz of pasta according to instructions on the box for al denta or a bit less.
- Add ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese to the sauce and mixed well. Mix the sauce into the pasta and move to the casserole dish.
- This fits nicely in a 2 ½ quart size, which is about 8X12 inches. Top with ½ cup each of mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese. You may cover and refrigerate at this point.
- Bake until sauce is bubbling and top brown. About 25 minutes for me. Longer if you had refrigerated the dish.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- You can use pre-cooked chicken. You will need 2-3 cups and add it to the sauce when you add the tomatos.
- You can decrease your work and use pre-made sauce. You need about 4 cups. But you will love my sauce.
- Vary the cheese any way you want.
- An easy recipe to cut in half and bake in a 1 ½ quart dish.
- You can refrigerate for a couple of days before cooking if you want. It will take a few minutes longer to cook since it is going in cold.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and can be frozen for 3-4 months.
TO ADJUST THE RECIPE SIZE:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
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Originally Published September 29, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Beverly
Do I have to bread my chicken
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Beverly,
Welcome to the blog.
No, not breaded.
Dan
Steve Armistead
What a great dish, thank you! I added a handful of roughly chopped mushrooms, which added another layer of flavor. Wonderful recipe, wow!
Tammy
Was wondering do you cover it when baked. And removed last 5mins, or just baked uncovered?
DrDan
Uncovered until nicely brown which will be 20-25 minutes.
Dan
Marbeli
Hi I have a question how long do I have to refrigerate it before I baked it???
DrDan
There is no refrigeration needed but before going in the oven, if you want to delay cooking you may refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Zainab
Hi, this looks awesome. Can I skip the baking part and just serve plated spaghetti with the sauce poured over?
DrDan
Yep, it would taste good. The baking does give it something extra though.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Angie
I just made this today . It was very good!
I used a rotisserie chicken and I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you!
Georgeann
I cooked just as the recipe called for... so good! My husband's favorite thing is chickend parmesan but this was just as good and easier to make and store.
DrDan
I always forget about this recipe. I have to do it a bit more.
DrDan
Chris
Baked spaghetti, chicken or otherwise, always makes me happy. Odd thing is my kids don't care for it (although they love regular spaghetti) so we don't make it often. Can I just have some of yours? ha ha
Sharon @ Red Poppy | Pink Peony
Hi DrDan: I just came across your blog when searching for slow cooker recipes for 2. I've only been on your site a few minutes now, but everything looks great and I will definitely be visiting often and trying these recipes! Thank you!
Dr Dan
Since everything is precooked, you can somewhat cook it like you want. 350 but increase the time by a few minutes. Or 375 and about the same time. If you are not sure your chicken was fully cooked then take it to an internal temp of 165 plus. Mine was 170 with a nicely browned top (350 convection for 25 minutes). Please note ovens can vary so don't cook by time alone.
ReaderWoman
Loving your recipes - you use a convection oven for this baked spaghetti? What would be the cooking time for a conventional oven?
What's Cookin Stacey??
Sounds so good! Will have to give it a try this week! Love your blog!