Easy Chicken Spaghetti {with a Twist!}
Jump to Recipe
This chicken spaghetti recipe features a decadent sauce and tender chicken breast chunks. It’s a fast meal (ready in 30 minutes or less!), making it an amazing weeknight meal. This chicken spaghetti recipe also includes my secret ingredient, which adds a burst of flavour to every bite!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick and Easy – This simple chicken spaghetti recipe is so quick, you won’t even have time to finish a podcast episode. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, making it a great weeknight meal. Plus, the leftover pasta reheats well, so you can make extra for lunches during the week.
- Inexpensive – It comes out to about £1.72 per serving, so it’s a cheap option for mealtime.
- Family Favorite – Cheesy, creamy, flavourful, and comforting, your family won’t be able to stop at one serving!
- Crowd Pleaser – With its bold flavours, this chicken spaghetti casserole from scratch is a real crowd pleaser. Whether you’re whipping up dinner for the family or hosting friends and in-laws, everyone will be asking for the recipe!
- Healthier than the old-fashioned version: Most old-fashioned chicken spaghetti recipes include ingredients like Velveeta and canned soup. This healthy homemade version is made with no Velveeta, no Rotel tomatoes, and without canned soup. It’s even made without tomatoes (canned), making this a healthier meal option.
Make your week extra cosy with these spaghetti recipes: The Easiest Marmite Pasta, Simple Spaghetti al Limone, and Fast Chorizo Carbonara.
Chicken Spaghetti Vs. Chicken Tetrazzini
While both chicken spaghetti and chicken tetrazzini are creamy chicken and spaghetti recipes, a few characteristics set them apart. Spaghetti chicken has a creamy, cheesy tomato sauce, while tetrazzini is made with bechamel sauce or a similar white cream sauce. Additionally, tetrazzini is typically baked in a casserole dish, while this recipe for chicken spaghetti is cooked in a pan.
Ingredients
The ingredients that make this Chicken Spaghetti recipe fantastic are the following:
Chicken Breast Chunks – This one-pan chicken and spaghetti gets a good amount of its flavour and protein from the juicy boneless skinless chicken breasts. If you don’t have chicken, this recipe would also be delicious with pork chunks or seafood, like shrimp.
Spinach – If I can sneak some veggies into a recipe, I will! Because of the flavourful, cheesy sauce, it’s easy to include veg like wilted spinach or green beans without the kids noticing. This helps boost the nutrients of the cheesy chicken spaghetti dish.
Gochujang – I consider this my best chicken spaghetti recipe because of the secret ingredient – gochujang. This Korean condiment adds a deliciously spicy, sweet, savoury, complex taste to the pasta.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Here are some fun variations and adaptations to try when making this chicken spaghetti!
Substitute gochujang with hot honey – If you can’t find gochujang at the store, add a small amount of hot honey for a similar sweet, spicy taste. It doesn’t have the same complex flavour, but this swap is still absolutely delicious in the recipe. If you prefer heat without the sweetness, try adding some red pepper flakes or green chilies.
Add veggies: The bold, cheesy sauce makes it easy to hide veggies for extra nutrients. Try tossing in chopped onions, green bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, or peas.
Dairy-free: To make this pasta recipe dairy-free, use dairy-free cream and parmesan instead. You’ll still get a deliciously rich, creamy sauce.
Gluten-free: For a gluten-free version of this cosy pasta and chicken cooked recipe, use gluten-free spaghetti noodles. Some brands of gochujang include gluten, so be sure to double-check the container before purchasing.
Vegetarian: To make this recipe for chicken spaghetti vegetarian, simply leave out the chicken breast. If you want a higher protein dish, consider using vegan or vegetarian chicken strips in this recipe.
How to make chicken spaghetti
- Cut the chicken breasts into chunks and season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken chunks in a large frying pan with 1tbsp of olive oil over high heat for around 6 minutes or until browned and cooked through (Image 1).
- Set the chicken aside and deglaze the pan with a splash of water, then add the rest of the olive oil and diced onions to the frying pan. Fry over medium heat for 4 minutes and season with salt and pepper. While the onions cook, add your pasta to boiling salted water and cook until al dente (Image 2).
3. Once the onions have softened and browned, add the garlic, tomato puree, and gochujang to the frying pan with the onions (Image 3).
4. Stir all the ingredients in the pan together and continue to cook for 4-5 more minutes, adding around 200 ml of pasta water after that time (Image 4).
5. After the 4-5 minutes, add the spinach and cream to the pan and stir to combine (Image 5).
6. Once the spinach has wilted a bit, add the cooked chicken back to the pan (Image 6).
7. Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan of sauce and chicken along with a few ladles of pasta water (Image 7).
8. Stir and toss the pasta until incorporated, adding additional pasta water if necessary. Top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil (Image 8).
Keep the spaghetti theme going with these recipes throughout the week: The BEST Roasted Brussels Sprout Pasta, Easy Creamy Gochujang Pasta, and Easy Caramelized Shallot Pasta.
Tips for the best result
- Season the pasta water heavily with salt.
- Allow the tomato puree to darken whilst frying- this gets rid of the slightly raw/metalic taste.
- Season in stages to ensure the best flavor.
- Fry the chicken over a high heat quickly to get a nice colour without overcooking.
Make Ahead Instructions
There are a few ways you make this chicken spaghetti dish as a make ahead recipe. To cut down on time, prep and cook the chicken the day before or use pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken.
You can also turn this recipe into a chicken spaghetti bake. Add the ingredients to a baking pan, including pre-cooked chicken, veg, and noodles. Then, cover tightly and set in the fridge overnight. It can last in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking. When you’re ready to enjoy this recipe, preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F and bake for about 35 minutes, or until it’s bubbling around the edges.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken spaghetti is delicious enough on its own. But, if you want to stretch it out a bit more, you can serve it with a salad or a side of garlic bread. I also enjoy serving it with fresh bread, so you can sop up any extra sauce.
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Refrigerator – The leftovers from this chicken pasta recipe make excellent lunches throughout the week. Once the recipe cools, add it to airtight containers and keep in the fridge. They should last for up to 4 days.
Freezer – Let the chicken spaghetti cool completely. Then, pack it into an airtight container. I recommend adding plastic wrap or a freezer bag around the container to help keep freezer burn away. The leftovers should stay good in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Reheat – I recommend reheating cooked spaghetti leftovers on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, as you may need to add a little bit of cream to revive the sauce consistency. If you’ve frozen your leftovers, let them thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
If your cheesy noodle casserole without Velveeta cheese is dry, you likely have too much pasta. Be sure to follow the measurements in my chicken spaghetti dish for the best results.
I prefer to use parmesan cheese or pecorino Romano for the best flavour. However, you can feel free to experiment with shredded cheese, like shredded cheddar cheese or shredded mozzarella. Or, add cream cheese or sour cream for a richer consistency and taste.
You can absolutely add veggies to this recipe. I’ve included spinach already, but items like mushrooms, bell peppers, and peas also work well in this dish.
You can absolutely use store-bought rotisserie chicken. Since most come pre-seasoned, the flavour of the recipe will change slightly. However, it will help cut down on the prep time.
If you want to bake this recipe in the oven, you can cover it for part of the time. I recommend taking the foil off about 5-10 minutes before the dish is done so the top gets nice and golden brown.
Yes, you can use ground chicken instead of chicken breast. Make sure to pan-fry it first until there is no visible pink. Then, follow the recipe instructions below.
Yes, you can make this Easy chicken spaghetti recipe in the slow cooker or Crock Pot. Add a little bit extra liquid (chicken broth, chicken stock, or water) than the recipe calls for to help the noodles cook. Toss in the other ingredients and cook on low for about 4-6 hours. Make sure you leave the cream out until the last few minutes to avoid curdling the sauce.
Boost the protein by adding a meat-based main like: Juicy Baked Pork Steak, Easy Baked Flounder Recipe, or Air Fryer Leg of Lamb.
If you tried this Chicken Pasta Recipe, it would mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Easy Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken breast, sliced into small chunks (£4.32)
- 1 onion, diced (£0.10)
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (£0.39)
- 400 g spaghetti (£0.29)
- 100 g spinach (£1.00/2= £0.50)
- 100 ml cream (£1.15)
- 50 g parmesan, finely grated (£1.35)
- Fresh basil, torn to serve (£0.52)
Cupboard Essentials
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp gochujang
- 4 tbsp tomato puree
- Salt
- Pepper
Method
- To a large frying pan over a high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and fry for around 6 minutes, or until browned and cooked though.
- Set the chicken aside and deglaze the pan with a splash of water. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil, along with the onion. Season with salt and pepper and fry over a medium/low heat for 4 minutes.
- During this time, add the spaghetti to heavily salted boiling water. Set your timer to the packet time minus 2 minutes.
- Next, add the tomato puree, gochujang and garlic. Fry for 4-5 more minutes, then add around 200ml of pasta water.
- Add the spinach, cooked chicken and cream into the pan and stir to combine. Transfer the undercooked spaghetti into the pan and loosen with a few ladles of pasta water whilst stirring to incorporate.
- Add two thirds of the parmesan and stir using tongs, adding more pasta water if necessary. Serve into bowls and top with an extra sprinkle of parmesan, fresh basil and a crack of black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- Generously salt the pasta water.
- Season throughout the cooking process. Adding seasoning in stages helps build depth and ensures a well-balanced final flavor.
- Sear the chicken quickly over high heat = nice sear, no overcooking.
- Let the tomato purée cook until it deepens in color. Allowing it to darken slightly as it fries helps eliminate any raw or metallic taste.
Nutrition
Leave a comment and a rating!
- Weekly meal plans with a £20 budget
- 150+ exclusive recipes
- Personal dashboard
- Exclusive step by step videos
- Shopping list tools
- Advert Free experience
Comments