This Chicken Spaghetti Bake is a high protein family favourite that practically cooks itself. It's creamy and cheesy and made by just dumping everything in one baking dish - no boiling pasta required. Such a great way to use up leftover chicken too.
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This chicken spaghetti bake is the kind of weeknight comfort food that is going to be a staple on your meal plan. When I say my family inhaled this, I mean it was gone in minutes and everyone was disappointed that there wasn't more!
It is SO simple to make, as it uses leftover chicken (you could cook it fresh). Everything goes into one baking dish, including the dry spaghetti, so you skip the extra pot and the draining step entirely.
The pasta cooks in chicken stock and canned tomatoes while the cream cheese and Parmesan melt into an incredible creamy sauce. All finished off with bubbly melted cheese on top.
This baked chicken spaghetti is also a brilliant "use what you've got" recipe. Leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken, or meal-prepped shredded chicken all work, and you can add vegetables, spice, or extra herbs without changing the method.
Looking for more spaghetti recipes? Why not try our delicious Garlic Prawn Spaghetti, easy Greek Spaghetti or our speedy 15 Minute Garlic Spaghetti?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Spaghetti - We used regular spaghetti as we find it cooks quicker. Wholewheat spaghetti often needs a little more liquid. If you use it, keep an extra splash of stock nearby and add it when you stir at the 35-minute mark if it looks dry. You could also use a protein spaghetti to boost the protein.
- Chicken - This uses leftover chicken (from our roast dinner). If you didn't have leftovers, then you could follow our Air Fryer Chicken Breast or Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipes.
- Seasoning - Italian seasoning and some extra freshly crushed garlic. If you wanted this chicken spaghetti bake spicy, add some red chilli flakes along with this.
- Stock - Chicken or vegetable stock. Have you tried making your own Chicken Stock?
- Canned tomatoes - If you are making this for kids, then I would recommend using ones that are diced quite small so they blend into the creamy sauce more. We love Mutti Tomatoes.
- Cheese - Cream cheese and Parmesan to go in the spaghetti mixture and then mature cheddar for the melty top.
Variations
Vegetables - Add 1-2 cups of quick-cooking vegetables right into the dish before baking. Things like baby spinach, finely chopped/grated courgette (zucchini), sweetcorn, peas, chopped peppers, mushrooms or grated carrot all work well. If you add mushrooms or courgette, expect a slightly looser sauce because they release water.
Spicy "arrabbiata-style" - Add chilli flakes, a pinch of cayenne, or a spoonful of chilli paste. A little smoked paprika also works well with the cheddar topping.
Mexican baked chicken spaghetti - Swap Italian seasoning for taco seasoning in this chicken spaghetti recipe. Then add a handful of sweetcorn, and stir in chopped jalapeños if you like heat. Finish with cheddar as written, then serve with crushed tortilla chips, spring onions (scallions), and a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.
Pesto chicken spaghetti bake - Replace half the Italian seasoning with 2-3 tablespoons pesto. I like sun-dried tomato pesto.
How To Make Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Prep: Preheat your oven to 190°C/170°C(fan)/375°F/Gas 5. Prepare the stock.
- Step 1: Put the spaghetti into a baking dish large enough for the length of spaghetti.
- Step 2: Add the chicken, garlic, Italian seasoning, cream cheese and Parmesan on top of the spaghetti.
- Step 3: Add the tomatoes and pour over the stock.
- Step 4: Mix the sauce, being careful not to break the spaghetti. Cover tightly with foil. If your foil isn't tight, the pasta can cook unevenly. Press the foil down snugly around the rim so the dish steams properly.
- Step 5: Put into the preheated oven and cook, covered for 35 minutes.
- Step 6: Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheddar over the cooked spaghetti. Return to the oven, uncovered for 5 minutes.
Chicken Spaghetti Bake Meal Prep and Storage
Make-ahead - You can assemble everything in the baking dish (everything except the cheddar topping), cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you bake it from cold, plan to add about 5-10 minutes to the covered baking time, then finish with cheddar as usual.
Leftovers - Store cooled portions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta will continue to absorb sauce as it sits, so it may look thicker the next day.
Freezing - This is best frozen after baking and cooling. Portion it into freezer containers so it thaws and reheats quickly, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge for the best texture.
Reheat - Microwave portions with a small splash of stock or water, stirring halfway through so it heats evenly. For a larger amount, reheat covered in the oven at 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4 until hot, adding a little stock if it looks dry. If you want the top cheesy again, sprinkle a little fresh cheddar over before the final few minutes.
Dannii's Top Tips
- I know Italians are going to hate me for saying this, but if you dish isn't big enough, you may want to break your spaghetti in half.
- We used a 35x23cm glass baking dish.
- The magic here is the ratio of liquid to pasta. As long as the spaghetti is mostly submerged and the dish is tightly covered with foil, the steam and stock do the work you'd normally do on the hob. The cream cheese softens and emulsifies into the cooking liquid, and the Parmesan adds salty depth and helps thicken the sauce as it rests.
- Leave the dish to rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Not only does it help it to cool down a bit, but it allows the sauce to thicken and cling to the pasta instead of looking soupy.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The dry spaghetti cooks in the stock and tomato juices as long as it's covered tightly with foil.
If your pasta still isn't cooked after 35 minutes (every oven cooks differently), stir well, add an extra splash of hot stock (start with 60ml/¼ cup), cover again, and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Pasta thickness and dish size can change timing slightly.
Yes, but shapes vary in how they absorb liquid. Penne or fusilli can work, though you may need a little extra stock and a good stir midway. Spaghetti is the most predictable because it cooks evenly when tucked under the liquid.
More Chicken Pasta Recipes
If you've tried this baked chicken spaghetti, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Ingredients
- 250 g (9 oz) Spaghetti
- 500 ml (2 cups) Chicken stock
- 160 g (5.5 oz) Cooked chicken - shredded
- 2 Garlic cloves - crushed
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 70 g (0.25 cup) Light cream cheese
- 30 g (0.33 cup) Parmesan - grated
- 400 g (14 oz) Chopped tomatoes - canned
- 50 g (0.5 cup) Light mature cheddar - grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190°C/170°C(fan)/375°F/Gas 5. Prepare 500 ml Chicken stock.
- Put 250 g Spaghetti into a baking dish large enough for the length of spaghetti.
- Add 160 g Cooked chicken, 2 Garlic cloves (crushed), 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 70 g Light cream cheese and 30 g Parmesan on top of the spaghetti.
- Add 400 g Chopped tomatoes and pour over the stock.
- Mix the sauce, being careful not to break the spaghetti.
- Cover tightly with foil. If your foil isn't tight, the pasta can cook unevenly. Press the foil down snugly around the rim so the dish steams properly.
- Put into the preheated oven and cook, covered for 35 minutes.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle over 50 g Light mature cheddar. Return to the oven, uncovered for 5 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- I know Italians are going to hate me for saying this, but if you dish isn't big enough, you may want to break your spaghetti in half.
- We used a 35x23cm glass baking dish.
- The magic here is the ratio of liquid to pasta. As long as the spaghetti is mostly submerged and the dish is tightly covered with foil, the steam and stock do the work you'd normally do on the hob. The cream cheese softens and emulsifies into the cooking liquid, and the Parmesan adds salty depth and helps thicken the sauce as it rests.
- Leave the dish to rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Not only does it help it to cool down a bit, but it allows the sauce to thicken and cling to the pasta instead of looking soupy.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Stacy says
This is a waste of time and ingredients. So starchy, with a really bad texture. Like the worst pasta you ever got at the worst restaurant ever. Sorry, it's a no
Dannii Martin says
Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy it Stacey. However, I feel like something must have gone wrong during your preparation as this is a firm family favourite that we regularly make. The texture will be different, as it is a baked spaghetti dish so it will be different from just eating freshly cooked pasta in the pan. If you saw the FAQs, it says "If your pasta still isn't cooked after 35 minutes (every oven cooks differently), stir well, add an extra splash of hot stock (start with 60ml/¼ cup), cover again, and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Pasta thickness and dish size can change timing slightly." So if you didn't like the texture, it sounds like you needed to cook it longer that the post states, as every oven cooks differently. I hope that helps.