Creamy Monterey Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
This recipe delivers a comforting, cheesy Monterey Chicken Spaghetti Casserole that is perfect for weeknight dinners. You get tender chicken, spaghetti, and a rich, creamy sauce baked until bubbly.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 55 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1 cup French fried onions (for topping)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until it is al dente. Drain the pasta well and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, drained diced tomatoes with green chiles, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix these ingredients until they are well combined.
- Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese into the chicken mixture.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the bowl and gently fold everything together until the pasta is evenly coated in the creamy sauce.
- Transfer the entire mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Monterey Jack cheese over the top of the pasta mixture.
- Distribute the French fried onions evenly over the cheese layer. If you want extra browning, drizzle the melted butter over the onions.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the casserole is hot throughout and the topping is golden brown and crisp.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before you serve it.
Notes
- For a tangier flavor, substitute the diced tomatoes with green chiles for 1/2 cup of Rotel.
- If you want to make this a one pot chicken pasta, cook the chicken in the same pot you use for the sauce base before adding the cooked spaghetti.
- To keep the sauce creamy and prevent it from becoming greasy, use full-fat dairy products like sour cream and cream of chicken soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 14
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 95