Amazing 25 Minute Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Name: Amazing 25 Minute Creamy Chicken Spaghetti
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 ounces spaghetti or angel hair pasta; 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced; 1 tablespoon olive oil; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup sliced mushrooms; 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained; 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of chicken soup; ½ cup milk; 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional); 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

By anna Boncoeur On August 27, 2025

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Hello there! I’m Anna, a passionate food lover who thrives on sharing simple and flavorful chicken recipes to make everyday cooking easier and more joyful. If you’re tired of complicated dinners after a long day, you are in the right place! Today, we are diving headfirst into pure comfort food satisfaction with my go-to **Creamy Chicken Spaghetti**. Seriously, this dish comes together faster than you can decide what to watch on TV—we’re talking under 30 minutes from start to finish!

This isn’t your grandma’s heavy casserole; this is bright, cheesy, and uses tender pasta swimming in the richest sauce you can imagine, thanks to a little help from canned tomatoes that pack a flavor punch. My goal is to get this incredibly satisfying **Creamy Chicken Spaghetti** on your table tonight. Get those pots ready; we’re making magic fast!

Table Of content

Essential Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

When you’re aiming for a lightning-fast dinner, the right ingredients make all the difference. Because this **Creamy Chicken Spaghetti** moves so quickly, having everything prepped and ready to go is my number one rule. We aren’t doing any major chopping while the sauce is simmering, trust me! We need great building blocks for that amazing cheesy coating.

Here’s what you’ll need for four satisfying servings. Keep this list handy, and let’s check our pantry!

The full rundown is below, but I want to highlight a few key components before we dive into the assembly line.

Ingredient	Quantity
Spaghetti or Angel Hair Pasta	12 ounces
Cooked Chicken Breast, diced	2 cups
Olive Oil	1 tablespoon
Unsalted Butter	2 tablespoons
Garlic, minced	3 cloves
Sliced Mushrooms	1 cup
Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, undrained	1 can (10 ounces)
Cream of Chicken Soup	1 can (10.5 ounces)
Milk	½ cup
Shredded Cheddar Cheese	1½ cups
Smoked Paprika	½ teaspoon
Red Pepper Flakes (optional)	¼ teaspoon
Chopped Parsley	2 tablespoons
Salt and Pepper	To taste (½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper plus more)

Pasta and Protein Base

For the pasta, I highly recommend using standard spaghetti, but if you want it even faster, angel hair works wonderfully. Just watch it closely so it doesn’t overcook! You need 2 cups of cooked chicken breast, diced. If you’re prepping this ahead, just shred or dice your leftover roast chicken. If you are cooking it fresh, remember we need it to hit that safe 165°F internal temperature before we add it to the sauce later.

Building the Creamy Sauce

This is where the comfort truly starts! We build the flavor on butter and garlic—don’t skip the garlic, it’s essential. The richness comes from a combination of cream of chicken soup (the ultimate shortcut!) and milk. The cheese has to be real cheddar, shredded by you if possible, because those pre-shredded bags have anti-caking agents that can make your sauce a little grainy. We want smooth!

Flavor Enhancers and Garnish

We’re keeping the spice profile simple but effective. Smoked paprika gives us a wonderful depth that tastes like it simmered for hours, even though it hasn’t. If you like a little kick, toss in those red pepper flakes! Finally, the parsley isn’t just for looks; that fresh green brightness cuts through the richness perfectly, so don’t skip it!

Equipment Needed for Perfect Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Since this recipe moves so quickly, having your tools ready is half the battle won! You don’t need a huge arsenal of gadgets, which is why I love it for busy nights.

Make sure you have these items handy:

A large pot for boiling the spaghetti.
A large, deep skillet for building the sauce.
Measuring cups and spoons (don’t eyeball the soup!).
A colander for draining the pasta.
A wooden spoon or spatula for stirring everything together.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Okay, let’s get cooking! Since this is a stovetop wonder, we need to multitask efficiently. The pasta takes about 10 minutes, so we use that time wisely to get the chicken ready and start the sauce base. Remember, speed requires focus!

Cooking the Pasta and Preparing the Chicken

First things first: get a big pot of water boiling. Add a generous pinch of salt—we season the pasta itself! Toss in your 12 ounces of spaghetti or angel hair and cook it according to the package directions until it’s perfectly al dente. That means it still has a tiny bit of bite left in the center. Drain it well and set it aside; don’t rinse it!

While that pasta is boiling away, grab your large skillet. Add the tablespoon of olive oil and heat it over medium heat. Take your 2 cups of diced chicken, sprinkle on that salt and pepper (about half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of pepper), and toss it in. You only need to cook this for about 3 to 4 minutes. We aren’t cooking it raw here, just heating it through and giving it a little golden sear. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it hits that safe 165°F internal temperature before you scoop the chicken out and set it aside on a clean plate.

Creating the Flavorful Sauce Base

Now we move right into that same skillet—don’t wipe it out! Melt those 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. As soon as it’s foamy, toss in your 3 minced cloves of garlic and the 1 cup of sliced mushrooms. Sauté these until the mushrooms get soft and the garlic smells incredible—usually about 3 or 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic; it goes from fragrant to bitter FAST!

Next up is the liquid magic. Pour in the entire can of diced tomatoes with green chilies—don’t drain them, we need that juice! Add the can of cream of chicken soup, the half cup of milk, that half teaspoon of smoked paprika, and those optional red pepper flakes if you want some heat. Stir everything together really well. Let this simmer gently for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.

Finishing the Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Turn the heat down to low. This is critical for a smooth sauce! Start adding your 1½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese, a handful at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is completely melted before adding the next batch. Keep stirring until the sauce is silky and uniform. Wow, the smell in here is fantastic!

Once the cheese is perfectly melted, it’s time to bring it all home. Add the cooked spaghetti back into the skillet along with the heated chicken pieces. Use a sturdy spoon or tongs to toss everything vigorously until every single strand of pasta and every piece of chicken is totally coated in that gorgeous, cheesy sauce. This only takes a minute or two.

Serve it up immediately! This **Creamy Chicken Spaghetti** is best hot right off the stove. Finish each plate with a sprinkle of that fresh, chopped parsley. Enjoy your incredibly quick comfort meal!

Tips for Success with Your Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Even though this is a super easy recipe, there are a few little secrets I’ve learned over the years that guarantee perfection every time you make this **Creamy Chicken Spaghetti**. It’s all about handling the heat and the cheese correctly!

First tip: Don’t rush the cheese! I mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. When you add the cheddar, make sure your heat is low. If the sauce is too hot, the cheese will seize up and become oily or stringy instead of beautifully creamy. Add it slowly and stir until it melts completely before turning up the heat again.

Second, manage your pasta water. If you find your sauce is just a little too thick after tossing everything together, don’t just dump in cold milk! Instead, scoop out about half a cup of that hot, starchy pasta water before you drain the spaghetti. A splash of that starchy water stirred into the sauce thins it out perfectly without diluting the flavor.

Third, about that leftover chicken: If you are using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, make sure you heat it gently in the olive oil just until it’s warm throughout. You don’t want rubbery chicken mixed into your soft pasta! It should reach that 165°F mark for safety, even if it was cooked before.

Finally, if you want to turn this into a delightful baked dish—which is great for leftovers or meal prep—just transfer the finished, saucy spaghetti to a greased casserole dish. Top it with an extra handful of cheese and pop it into a 375°F oven for about 15 minutes. It gets bubbly and golden around the edges. Perfection!

Simple Variations for Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Once you master the basic recipe, this **Creamy Chicken Spaghetti** begs to be customized! It’s such a forgiving base that you can easily swap things in and out based on what you have in the fridge. Keeping meals interesting is key to avoiding dinner burnout, right?

For vegetable swaps, mushrooms are great, but you can definitely substitute them with sautéed onions or maybe some frozen peas tossed in right at the end with the chicken, just to give it a pop of color. If you want to amp up the flavor without adding more spice, try mixing in a tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning when you add the paprika.

If cheddar isn’t your absolute favorite, try using Monterey Jack for an even silkier melt, or mix half cheddar and half mozzarella for that great cheese pull. Don’t be afraid to experiment; that’s how the best family recipes start! You can find more inspiration for quick chicken meals on our Pinterest page.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Oh, leftovers! This **Creamy Chicken Spaghetti** is genuinely good the next day, but pasta tends to soak up sauce in the fridge, so the texture changes a bit. Don’t worry, we have easy fixes for that! You want to store this properly to keep it tasting fresh.

Transfer any leftovers into an airtight container as soon as they are cool enough to handle. You can keep this in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days max. It’s important not to leave it sitting out at room temperature for too long because of the dairy and chicken.

When it comes time to reheat, the microwave is your friend, but you must add moisture back in. A splash of milk or even plain water stirred into the portion before heating will help loosen that sauce right back up. Heat it in short bursts, stirring between each one, until it’s steaming hot all the way through. Here’s a quick look at the storage details:

Storage Method	Duration
Airtight Container (Refrigerator)	3–4 Days
Freezing	Not Recommended (due to texture change after thawing)

Answering Your Questions About Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

I always get so many great questions when I post a new quick chicken recipe, and this cheesy pasta is no exception! People want to know how to make it work for their family schedule, and I’m happy to share the little tricks I’ve picked up. I hope these answers help you make this dish perfectly every time!

Can I use different types of chicken in this Creamy Chicken Spaghetti?

Absolutely! While diced cooked chicken breast is what the recipe calls for to keep it fast, you can certainly use raw chicken. If you do use raw chicken, make sure you cook it thoroughly in the skillet first—and I mean *thoroughly*. Use your thermometer to confirm it reaches 165°F internally before you remove it. If you’re using thighs instead of breast meat, they work great too; they just might take a minute or two longer to heat through.

How can I make the sauce thicker or thinner for my Creamy Chicken Spaghetti?

This is all about milk control! If your sauce ends up thinner than you’d like after you mix in the pasta, turn the heat to low and let it gently simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes; the steam will cook off some of the liquid. If it’s too thick—maybe you added too much cheese or cooked it down too much—just stir in an extra tablespoon or two of milk or, even better, that reserved starchy pasta water until it loosens up to your liking. That starch helps emulsify everything beautifully!

Nutritional Estimate for Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Now, I have to give you a little disclaimer here: because we are using real cheese and butter, these numbers are just estimates based on the standard ingredient amounts listed above. Don’t stress too much about the exact count; just enjoy the comfort this **Creamy Chicken Spaghetti** brings to your table! This estimate is based on 4 servings.