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A portion of Chicken Spaghetti on a fork.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti with Homemade Cream Sauce

This cheesy chicken spaghetti is the ultimate comfort food! Made from scratch with a creamy homemade sauce—no canned soup needed—this dish is rich, cheesy, and packed with flavor. It’s one of my go-to meals for sharing with friends who could use a little extra love and care. Whether it’s dropped off as part of a meal train or served around your own table, you’ll be seeing clean plates in no time.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lb total), cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 16 oz spaghetti, broken in half
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 3 teaspoons chopped jarred garlic)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth (I make from bouillon; Better Than Bouillon makes a very flavorful broth)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar (or Colby Jack) cheese, divided
  • 2 cups half and half (or heavy cream for extra richness)
  • 1 can (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel), drained
  • salt and pepepr to taste

Method
 

Cook the Pasta
  1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  2. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
Preheat Oven & Prepare Dish
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray a 9x13” baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Sauté Onions & Garlic
  1. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
  2. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for about 3 minutes until onions are soft and fragrant.
Cook the Chicken
  1. Add chicken to the skillet, seasoning with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  2. Cook until the chicken is just cooked through (avoid overcooking, as it will continue to cook in the sauce and oven).
Make the Creamy Sauce
  1. Sprinkle flour over the chicken mixture and stir to coat. Slowly add 1 cup of broth, stirring constantly to keep the sauce smooth.
  2. Gradually pour in the remaining broth, stirring continuously.
  3. Stir in half and half (or heavy cream) and bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Let the sauce thicken slightly, then stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese. Continue to cook until the cheese is fully melted.
Combine Everything
  1. Turn off the heat and stir in drained diced tomatoes with green chiles.
  2. Mix in the cooked spaghetti until fully coated in the sauce.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Assemble & Bake
  1. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish.
  2. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese evenly over the top.
  3. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Rest & Serve
  1. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes to set up before serving.

Video