Creamy crockpot chicken spaghetti is a cheesy, comforting family dinner: chicken breasts slow-cooked in cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup with Rotel tomatoes, cream cheese and Italian seasoning, then shredded and tossed with spaghetti and melted mozzarella and cheddar. It takes 15 minutes of prep and serves 6.
How to make it: Stir the soups, Rotel, cream cheese and Italian seasoning in a greased slow cooker and nestle in the chicken. Cook on LOW for 4 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Shred the chicken, cook the spaghetti al dente, and stir both back into the sauce with the cheese. Cover and cook 30 minutes more, until melty and creamy.
Why You’ll Love It
- Creamy and cheesy: two soups, cream cheese and two cheeses.
- Mostly hands-off: the slow cooker makes the sauce and cooks the chicken.
- Mild Tex-Mex kick: Rotel tomatoes with green chilies add flavor without much heat.
- Family-sized: 6 generous servings.
What Makes Chicken Spaghetti Creamy?
The combination of condensed cream soups and cream cheese. As the chicken cooks, the soups thin out with the chicken’s juices and the tomato liquid, and the cream cheese melts into a smooth, rich sauce. The shredded cheese stirred in at the end makes it extra creamy and cheesy, and the pasta soaks up the sauce in the last half hour.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts: 1 1/2 pounds, boneless and skinless, shredded after cooking.
Cream soups: one 10.5-ounce can each of cream of chicken and cream of mushroom.
Rotel: one 10-ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained.
Cream cheese: 4 ounces, cubed.
Italian seasoning: 2 tablespoons.
Spaghetti: 12 ounces, cooked al dente on the stove.
Cheese: 2 cups of shredded mozzarella and cheddar blend.
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Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 10 ounces Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend
How to Make Creamy Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti
1. Prepare the crock pot. Crock Pot Preparation: Start by thoroughly spraying the inside of your Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray. This helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup easier.
2. Add the soups. Soup Base: Pour the cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups into the Crock Pot, creating the creamy base for your dish.
3. Season. Adding Seasonings and Cheese: Stir in the Rotel tomatoes, cubed cream cheese, and Italian seasoning until everything is well combined and the cream cheese is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
4. Add the chicken. Insert Chicken: Place the chicken breasts into the Crock Pot, making sure they are fully submerged in the soup mixture for even cooking.
5. Slow cook. Cooking Time: Cover the Crock Pot with the lid and set it to cook on LOW for 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F.
6. Remove the chicken. Chicken Handling: Once the cooking time is up, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the Crock Pot and place them on a cutting board.
7. Cook the pasta. Pasta Preparation: Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until it reaches an al dente texture.
8. Shred. Shredding Chicken: Use two forks to shred the cooked chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
9. Combine. Combining Ingredients: Return the shredded chicken to the Crock Pot. Drain the cooked spaghetti and add it to the Crock Pot as well. Stir until the spaghetti is thoroughly coated with the creamy sauce.
10. Add the cheese. Final Addition of Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend into the Crock Pot. Stir again to ensure the cheese is evenly mixed into the dish.
11. Finish cooking. Final Cooking Phase: Place the lid back on the Crock Pot and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dish is creamy and smooth.
12. Serve. Serving: Serve the Creamy Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti hot, and enjoy the rich, comforting flavors!
Common Chicken Spaghetti Mistakes
- Overcooked pasta. Cook it al dente; it keeps softening in the sauce.
- Cooking the pasta in the slow cooker. Dry spaghetti turns gummy; boil it separately.
- Dry chicken. Keep the breasts submerged and don’t cook far past the 4 hours on LOW.
- Thick sauce. Add a splash of milk or broth if it’s too thick once the pasta goes in.
- Letting it sit too long. Serve soon after the cheese melts; the pasta keeps absorbing sauce.
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken?
Yes. Make the sauce in the slow cooker and heat it on LOW until hot and smooth, then stir in about 3 to 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken with the cooked spaghetti and cheese. Cook just until everything is hot and the cheese has melted. It’s a quick shortcut when you don’t have hours to slow cook.
Variations
- Velveeta: swap some of the shredded cheese for cubed Velveeta for a smoother sauce.
- Peppers and onions: add diced bell pepper and onion with the soups.
- Spicy: use hot Rotel and add red pepper flakes.
- Other pasta: penne or rotini hold the sauce well.
- Bake it: spoon it into a dish, top with more cheese and broil until golden.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk or broth, stirring, until hot, to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with garlic bread, a green salad or steamed broccoli.
More creamy chicken dinners: slow cooker creamy ranch chicken, creamy garlic chicken, creamy chicken rice casserole, oven-baked 3-ingredient creamy chicken, smothered cheesy sour cream chicken and creamy baked Amish chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes chicken spaghetti creamy?
Cream soups and cream cheese, plus shredded cheese stirred in at the end.
What’s the secret ingredient in great chicken spaghetti?
Rotel tomatoes with green chilies; they add flavor and a gentle kick to the creamy sauce.
What are common mistakes when making chicken spaghetti?
Overcooking the pasta, cooking it in the slow cooker and letting the dish sit too long.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Add it shredded with the cooked spaghetti.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Keep the chicken submerged, cook the pasta al dente on the stove and serve it soon after the cheese melts. If you try it with Velveeta or hot Rotel, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Creamy Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti
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Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 10 ounces Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies undrained
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 2 cups shredded blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Crock Pot Preparation: Start by thoroughly spraying the inside of your Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray. This helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup easier.
- Soup Base: Pour the cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups into the Crock Pot, creating the creamy base for your dish.
- Adding Seasonings and Cheese: Stir in the Rotel tomatoes, cubed cream cheese, and Italian seasoning until everything is well combined and the cream cheese is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Insert Chicken: Place the chicken breasts into the Crock Pot, making sure they are fully submerged in the soup mixture for even cooking.
- Cooking Time: Cover the Crock Pot with the lid and set it to cook on LOW for 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F.
- Chicken Handling: Once the cooking time is up, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the Crock Pot and place them on a cutting board.
- Pasta Preparation: Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until it reaches an al dente texture.
- Shredding Chicken: Use two forks to shred the cooked chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
- Combining Ingredients: Return the shredded chicken to the Crock Pot. Drain the cooked spaghetti and add it to the Crock Pot as well. Stir until the spaghetti is thoroughly coated with the creamy sauce.
- Final Addition of Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend into the Crock Pot. Stir again to ensure the cheese is evenly mixed into the dish.
- Final Cooking Phase: Place the lid back on the Crock Pot and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dish is creamy and smooth.
- Serving: Serve the Creamy Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti hot, and enjoy the rich, comforting flavors!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
