Healthy Baked Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Craving something different? Indulge in the creamy and savory delight of baked chicken spaghetti, a comforting meal that’s perfectly cheesy and packed with veggies.
It’s always a good idea to sneak vegetables into your family dinner recipes. And that’s exactly what we did with this easy baked chicken spaghetti.
Rather than using traditional spaghetti noodles, we used veggie noodles instead. And the best part is that they’ll never know the difference when cheese is involved. Trust us. Even our picky kids were oblivious.
This dish is creamy, it’s cheesy, it’s the ultimate comfort food. It’s also one of our favorite main dishes that also can be served as a pasta side dish. And the leftovers taste just as delicious. taste just as delicious.
Plus, it’s so easy to prepare, which is a win-win in our household when we’re so short on time. Packed with lean protein, whole grains, and plenty of vegetables, this comforting chicken pasta bake is a perfect balance of flavors and textures, making it a family favorite.
What is a Pasta Bake?
A pasta bake is any type of pasta mixed with any type of sauce. And then all placed into a casserole dish to be baked. It’s typically mixed with a protein and/or vegetables and topped with cheese.
You can prep the dish in advance and bake it the day of serving. Thus, making it a quick and easy dinner option the whole family will love. They can be served as pasta side dishes or main pasta dishes.
Chicken spaghetti bakes are one of the most popular pasta bakes. They are also often referred to as chicken spaghetti casserole or chicken spaghetti baked.
Ingredients and Tools Needed
Veggie spaghetti noodles — We prefer using veggie spaghetti noodles or whole-grain spaghetti noodles for added health benefits. You can opt for any type of pasta. We used regular spaghetti pasta since it’s kid-friendly. But ziti, rotini, macaroni and other shapes will work! Just avoid angel hair pasta since it does not hold well to baking.
Shredded cooked chicken — This is the perfect recipe to use your leftover rotisserie chicken or simply cut up some skinless chicken breasts for an even healthier option.
Shredded cheeses — We go the gourmet route by using Stella 3-Cheese Italian Blend (of asiago, parmesan cheese and romano cheese). Shredded cheddar cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese are also great substitutes.
Low-sodium chicken broth
Flour — To thicken the sauce
Reduced-fat plain cream cheese — Or opt for a vegan brand. This one is actually our favorite. If you don’t care about going the healthy route, sub the cream cheese with heavy cream.
Unsalted plant butter — Any butter also works fine.
Chopped small onion
Green bell pepper
Diced tomatoes — For a saucier chicken casserole, sub with marinara sauce.
Minced garlic
Italian seasoning
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Grated shredded cheese — For the topping
Avocado oil cooking spray — Or olive oil
This chicken pasta bake recipe requires minimal tools! You’ll only need a casserole dish or baking dish, a large pot, and a large skillet! Nothing says easy quite like minimal dishes to clean afterwards.
How to Make Baked Chicken Spaghetti
1 — Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 9×13″ casserole dish with avocado oil cooking spray.
2 — Cook the veggie spaghetti noodles until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3 — In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and bell pepper. Sauté until softened and fragrant for about 4-5 minutes.
4 — Stir in the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and minced garlic and cook for another minute. Then, add in the flour.
5 — Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring.
6 — Next, add the shredded cheeses and cream cheese, and stir well until completely melted. Remove from heat.
7 — Combine the diced tomatoes, cooked veggie noodles, and shredded chicken into the cheese sauce mixture. Toss until well combined.
8 — Transfer the chicken spaghetti mixture to the lightly greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the grated shredded cheese evenly over the top. Garnish with a dash of the Italian seasoning or parsley.
9 — Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Feel free to pack as many veggies as you can. Whether that’s diced zucchini, halved cherry tomatoes, corn, spinach, red pepper, mushrooms or roasted carrots, the more the merrier for making a healthy baked chicken pasta. Just make sure that all the vegetables are cooked until tender.
- Adjust the thickness of the cheese sauce according to your preference. If you like a thicker consistency, simmer the sauce a bit longer. We used chicken broth for a lighter option, but you could add in marinara sauce.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a hint of heat or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Adjust the seasonings to suit your taste preferences.
- For a more browned crispy top, broil until lightly browned during the last 2-5 minutes of the cook time.
How to Store Leftover Chicken Spaghetti
Keep leftovers sealed airtight in a covered container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave at 1 minute or on the stovetop. You can also pop it right back in the oven to 350 degrees.
Feel free to freeze the chicken pasta bake in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. But be sure to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating for easy warming.
How to Make Pasta Bake Ahead of Time
As mentioned, pasta bakes are great recipes to meal prep for since you can make it ahead of time.
First, follow the instructions on assembling the pasta bake. However, instead of putting it in the oven, cover the casserole with foil after it has cooled to room temperature.
Then, store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Because the dish has been refrigerated, you may need to increase the baking time by an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
More Dinner Ideas
As with all classic pasta dishes, serve this easy spaghetti recipe with a side salad, large bowl of soup or toasted garlic bread knots! For more quick dinner recipes, check out a few of our favorites from the archives below —
- Low Carb Pizza
- Best Easy Meatloaf
- Easy Orange Chicken
- One Sheet Rosemary Baked Lemon Chicken
- Cacio e Pepe Pasta
Baked Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Equipment
- Casserole dish or baking dish
- Large pot
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 10 oz veggie spaghetti noodles or whole-grain noodle of your choice
- 2 cup shredded cheese of any kind and blend
- 2 cup shredded cooked chicken
- 1/4 cup unsalted plant butter
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 3 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 1/4 cup cream cheese reduced-fat plain
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup grated shredded cheese for topping
Nutrition
Notes
- Serves 6-8 people.
- Keep leftovers sealed airtight in a covered container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave at 1 minute, on the stovetop or pop back in the oven at 350F.
- Freeze the leftovers in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating for easy warming.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 9×13" casserole dish with avocado oil cooking spray.
- Cook the veggie spaghetti noodles until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and bell pepper. Sauté until softened and fragrant for about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and minced garlic and cook for another minute. Then, add in the flour.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring.
- Add the shredded cheeses and cream cheese, and stir well until completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Combine the diced tomatoes, cooked veggie noodles, and shredded chicken into the cheese sauce mixture. Toss until well combined.
- Transfer the chicken spaghetti mixture to the lightly greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the grated shredded cheese evenly over the top. Garnish with a dash of the Italian seasoning or parsley.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.
This post is sponsored by Stella Cheeses. Thank you for supporting the brands we love! Love this recipe? Have questions or a review? Leave a comment below.
Don’t forget to share your baked chicken spaghetti with us on Instagram. We always love seeing all of your creations! For more quick and delicious recipes, find them all right here.
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