My mom used to make this every time someone in the neighborhood had a baby or got sick. She’d bake two – one for them, one for us. Eventually I asked her for the recipe and now I’m that person showing up at people’s houses with a casserole dish.
It’s basically everything good about comfort food in one pan. Creamy, cheesy, filling, and you can eat leftovers for days.
How This Became My Go-To
First time I made this was after my son was born. We had no energy to cook, living off takeout and cereal. My friend dropped this off and it was like the clouds parted. Something hot and homemade that just needed to be reheated? Life-changing.
Been making it ever since for anyone going through stuff. New parents, people moving, someone recovering from surgery. Show up with this and some paper plates and you’re basically a hero.
Plus it’s ridiculously easy. If you can boil pasta and open some cans, you can make this.
Why It Works
It’s one of those recipes where everything just comes together. Pasta, chicken, creamy soup mixture, lots of cheese. Nothing fancy or complicated.
The soup base makes it foolproof. You’re not trying to make some delicate cream sauce from scratch that might break. Just mix canned soups with sour cream and chicken broth. Done.
And it feeds a crowd. One 9×13 pan serves six people easy, maybe eight if you’ve got sides. Leftovers reheat perfectly in the microwave.
What Goes In
Spaghetti – 12 ounces, which is most of a box. Could use any pasta really but spaghetti’s traditional.
Cooked chicken – 2 cups shredded. Use a rotisserie chicken from the store and save yourself the trouble. Or leftover chicken, turkey, whatever.
Cream of mushroom soup – One can. The regular size, 10.5 ounces.
Cream of chicken soup – Another can, same size.
Chicken broth – 1 cup. Could use stock, doesn’t matter.
Sour cream – 1 cup. Don’t use the light stuff, it gets weird when baked.
Cheddar cheese – 1 cup shredded. Sharp cheddar has more flavor.
Mozzarella – 1 cup shredded. This makes it stretchy and gooey.
Onion – Half a cup chopped up.
Green bell pepper – Half a cup. Could skip if you hate bell peppers.
Garlic – 2 cloves, minced. Or use the jarred stuff.
Seasonings – Salt, black pepper, paprika. Basic stuff.
Butter – Just a tablespoon for cooking the veggies.
Putting It All Together
Turn your oven to 350 degrees. Get that going first.
Boil your spaghetti like the box says. Don’t overcook it – you want it al dente because it’ll cook more in the oven. Drain it and set it aside.
Get a big skillet going on the stove. Melt your butter in there over medium heat. Throw in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until the onion’s soft and everything smells good, maybe 5 minutes.
Grab a huge bowl – like your biggest mixing bowl. Dump in both cans of soup, the chicken broth, and the sour cream. Stir it all together until it’s smooth. Doesn’t have to be perfect but you don’t want chunks.
Add your shredded chicken to the soup mixture. Then add those cooked veggies from the skillet. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix it all up.
Dump your cooked spaghetti into the bowl and toss everything together. Make sure the pasta’s coated with that creamy mixture.
Grease up a 9×13 baking dish. Pour the whole spaghetti situation in there and spread it out.
Top it with both cheeses. Just sprinkle them all over the top. Don’t be stingy.
Stick it in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. You want the cheese melted and bubbly. If the top starts getting too brown, cover it with foil.
Let it sit for a few minutes when it comes out. Cutting into it right away makes a mess.
Things I’ve Figured Out
Use rotisserie chicken. Life’s too short to poach chicken breasts for a casserole. Grab one of those cooked chickens from the grocery store and shred it up. Takes five minutes.
Don’t skip the veggie sauté. Raw onions and peppers in a casserole get weird. Cook them first.
Mix the soup base well. Those condensed soups can be lumpy. Stir until everything’s combined or you’ll have weird pockets of concentrated soup flavor.
Let the pasta cool a bit before mixing it with the soup mixture. If the pasta’s too hot, it can make things watery.
Cover with foil if needed. If your cheese is browning too fast but the inside isn’t hot yet, tent some foil over the top.
Making It Different
Basic recipe is solid but you can definitely customize it.
Want it spicy? Add some diced jalapeños with the veggies or mix in some hot sauce.
Could throw in some frozen peas or corn for more vegetables. Just mix them in frozen, they’ll cook in the oven.
Bacon makes everything better. Cook some up, crumble it, and sprinkle on top with the cheese.
My neighbor uses cream of celery soup instead of cream of mushroom. Says she likes it better. Haven’t tried it but probably works fine.
For a crunchier top, mix some crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over the cheese before baking.
Could swap the chicken for turkey. Good way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.
Best Ways to Serve It
I usually just scoop it onto plates and call it done. It’s a complete meal in itself.
But if you want sides:
- Simple green salad cuts through the richness
- Garlic bread for soaking up extra sauce
- Steamed broccoli or green beans
- Sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper
This is definitely stick-to-your-ribs food. Nobody’s leaving the table hungry.
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers keep in the fridge for about 4 days. Cover the pan with foil or transfer to containers.
Reheats great in the microwave. Single serving takes maybe 2 minutes. Stir it halfway through so it heats evenly.
Can also reheat portions in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. Cover with foil so it doesn’t dry out.
Freezes well too. Make two pans, bake one and freeze the other unbaked. Or freeze leftovers in portions. Good for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking or reheating.
When to Make This
Perfect for:
- Taking to someone who needs a meal
- Sunday dinner with the family
- Using up leftover chicken
- Feeding teenagers who eat everything
- Potlucks and church suppers
- Meal prep for the week
Not great for:
- Impressing your foodie friends
- Hot summer days when you don’t want the oven on
- When you’re watching calories
Real Talk
This isn’t health food. It’s got canned soup, sour cream, and a pound of cheese. If you’re on a diet, save this for your cheat day.
But sometimes you need something warm and comforting that doesn’t require much effort. This is that dish.
Make it on a Sunday. Eat it all week. Freeze half for later. However you do it, you’ll be glad you’ve got it.
Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 can 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream full-fat
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
- In a large bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and sour cream. Whisk until smooth.
- Add shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, salt, pepper, and paprika to the soup mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add cooked spaghetti to the mixture and toss until pasta is evenly coated with sauce.
- Transfer spaghetti mixture to prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
- Sprinkle cheddar and mozzarella cheeses over the top.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. If cheese browns too quickly, cover with foil.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time
- Don’t overcook pasta – it continues cooking in the oven
- Can substitute turkey or ham for chicken
- Add-ins: diced jalapeños, frozen peas, crumbled bacon, sliced mushrooms
- For crunchy topping: mix crushed crackers or panko with melted butter, sprinkle over cheese
- Can be assembled ahead and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking
- Freezes well – freeze unbaked or freeze leftovers up to 3 months
