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The BEST Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti From Scratch

This is the easiest, most delicious cheesy chicken spaghetti recipe you will ever try! It's creamy and loaded with flavor, thanks to onion, garlic, pancetta, and two types of cheese!

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 786 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces spaghetti noodles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked diced chicken
Homemade Cheese Sauce
  • ¼ cup salted butter
  • 1 cup diced white onion
  • 1 cup diced pancetta
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces Velveeta cheese see notes
  • 2 cups shredded aged cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • one 284 ml can diced tomatoes and green chiles DO NOT DRAIN!!
  • pepper to taste (this rarely needs salt!)
Topping
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Grease a deep-sided 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  2. Cook the spaghetti in a large stock pot according to the package directions to al dente. You want to cook the noodles until they are just soft on the outside but still have some toothsome texture on the inside. Once the pasta is done, drain it and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Place in the prepared 9x13 pan and toss with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together if desired.
Homemade Tomato Cheese Sauce
    Cup of Yum
  1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan on medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft and translucent. Add in the pancetta and saute until heated through and sizzling. Add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the flour mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to ensure the flour doesn't stick.
  2. Slowly and rapidly whisk the chicken broth into the flour mixture, making sure to whisk to ensure that there are no lumps. Once the broth has been added, keep whisking and add in the cream. Keep cooking on medium heat, whisking, until the white sauce has thickened, around 3-4 minutes.
  3. Turn the heat to low and stir in the Velveeta. Stir until it's mostly melted, then add the 2 cups of grated old sharp cheddar and the sour cream. Keep stirring until the cheese sauce is smooth and creamy. Make sure that all of the different cheeses have melted completely. The cheese sauce will be thick at this point. Add only black pepper to taste, as this rarely needs salt.
  4. Once the cheese sauce is smooth, add the tomatoes JUICE AND ALL to the cheese sauce and mix in until combined, then stir in the chicken.
  5. Pour the cheese sauce over the spaghetti in the pan and stir gently to combine all of the ingredients and coat the spaghetti noodles completely with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle with the cheese for the topping and place in the oven.
  6. Cover the casserole with tinfoil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until heated through and bubbling at the sides. If you want the cheese to brown, remove the foil and broil for 5-7 minutes to brown the top, watching it carefully.
  7. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes then serve hot.

Notes

  • Make this ahead of time and wrap it in tinfoil and refrigerate until the next day.
  • Baking this with the tinfoil on helps this to not dry out in the oven while baking!
  • If you don't want to use Velveeta, use another cup of shredded cheese instead. You WILL lose all the creaminess though! 

Nutrition Information

Calories 786kcal (39%) Carbohydrates 44g (15%) Protein 36g (72%) Fat 52g (80%) Saturated Fat 26g (130%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 15g Trans Fat 0.3g Cholesterol 154mg (51%) Sodium 1172mg (49%) Potassium 449mg (13%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 1389IU (28%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 514mg (51%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 786

% Daily Value*

Calories 786kcal 39%
Carbohydrates 44g 15%
Protein 36g 72%
Fat 52g 80%
Saturated Fat 26g 130%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 15g 75%
Trans Fat 0.3g 15%
Cholesterol 154mg 51%
Sodium 1172mg 49%
Potassium 449mg 10%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 1389IU 28%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 514mg 51%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.