Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Rotel and Velveeta Cheese
This creamy chicken spaghetti with Rotel and Velveeta cheese is the ultimate comfort food and perfect, easy dinner! Creamy Velveeta cheese and Rotel tomatoes are combined in a cheesy sauce that’s tossed with spaghetti and rotisserie chicken. It’s cheesy goodness the whole family with love!
Five Star Review…
“This is the recipe I’ve been making for years. My 5 kids are grown and all live away from me but whenever they come home this recipe is what they ask for!”
– MELISSA
What makes this chicken spaghetti so special?
Sometimes you just want creamy, cheesy comfort food, but waiting for a casserole to bake feels like too much! This chicken spaghetti with Velveeta comes together on the stovetop in just 30 minutes, no casserole dish required!
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious chicken spaghetti recipe with Rotel and Velveeta cheese:
INGREDIENT NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS
Chicken: Leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken work great to make this meal quick and easy. But you can also cook boneless skinless chicken breasts in a pan or in the air fryer!
Rotel: The Rotel brand is my go-to, but any diced tomatoes with green chilies is just fine. There are several different versions of Rotel tomatoes including fire-roasted, Mexican-style, mild, and extra hot. Use your favorite!
Cheese: Velveeta is vital for this for that silky smooth creaminess. But the other cheese?! Feel free to use whatever you like! I love mozzarella because it melts so well, but cheddar, Monterey Jack, fontina, provolone or Parmesan are all great choice.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SPAGHETTI WITH ROTEL AND VELVEETA: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Melt butter, and add chopped onions. Cook 2-3 minutes until onions are soft. Then add flour. Cook one minute more, stirring often.
Step 2: Add milk and chicken stock. Whisk so no lumps form. Cook until bubbling and sauce begins to thicken.
Step 3: Stir in cheeses and Rotel. Cook until cheese is melted.
Step 4: Add spaghetti and chicken and toss until everything is completely coated in the sauce.
CASEY’S TIPS
- Cheese: If you let the cheeses come to room temperature before adding to the sauce, they will melt easily into the sauce. You can do this by just taking the cheese out of the fridge first thing, and leaving it out until you are ready to use it (10-15 minutes is about all you need).
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Leftovers are fantastic the next day! Just add a splash of chicken stock or milk to help loosen up the sauce when reheating.
Casey’s Top Tip: After the cheeses melt into the sauce, taste, and add salt ONLY if needed. The rotisserie chicken and Velveeta have a good amount of salt, so you might find no additional salt is needed.
RELATED…
If you crave creamy, delicious pasta comfort food, don’t miss my creamy garlic parmesan chicken pasta, and this creamy Cajun spaghetti!
How to Serve
- Green salad: Balance the richness of the dish with something fresh! Try a crisp green salad like this simple arugula salad or this classic tossed green salad.
- Garlic Bread or Texas Toast: You can never go wrong with a buttery slice of garlic bread or crispy Texas toast...perfect for soaking up that cheesy sauce!
- Roasted veggies: Add a healthy, colorful side like roasted green beans, steamed broccoli, or sautéed zucchini to lighten things up and sneak in some veggies
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know your thoughts this chicken spaghetti with Rotel and Velveeta by leaving a star rating below or sharing it on Instagram!
Thank you! ~ Casey
Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel and Velveeta
Ingredients
- 16 oz. spaghetti noodles other pasta works, too!
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped about 1 cup
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes or other brand of diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 4 oz. Velveeta cheese at room temperature if possible (See Note 1)
- 1 cup chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 cup milk full fat or low fat is fine!
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder or garlic powder
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded rotisserie chicken or this perfect baked chicken works great!
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese work great, too!
- fresh parsley, green onions, Parmesan cheese all optional, for topping
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil spaghetti to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Cook: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Then add onions and cook 2-3 minutes until soft. Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook for 1 minute more, stirring often.
- Add and simmer: Add milk and chicken stock and whisk so no lumps form. Bring to a boil then reduce to low heat and cook 2-3 minutes until thick and bubbly. Stir in garlic powder or onion powder.
- Add cheeses and Rotel: Add Velveeta cheese, mozzarella and Rotel. Stir until cheese melts into the sauce.
- Finish: Add in chicken and spaghetti and toss until everything is well-coated with the sauce.
Notes
Casey’s Tips
- Cheese: If you let the cheeses come to room temperature before adding to the sauce, they will melt easily into the sauce. You can do this by just taking the cheese out of the fridge first thing, and leaving it out until you are ready to use it (10-15 minutes is about all you need).
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Note: cooked chicken should not be stored for more than 4 days.
- Reheating: Leftovers are fantastic the next day! Just add a splash of chicken stock or milk to help loosen up the sauce when reheating.
Loved this receipt. Sure to please anyone at your table.
so delish for a quick meal. Sending some to my Pastor and his wife…”she’s from Texas”
I’ve been making this recipe for YEARS and can make it in my sleep! The Velveeta gives it that silky smooth, comfort food creaminess! I hope you love it as much as we do! XO ~ Casey
This is one of my kid’s favorite pasta dishes! I hope you llove it as much as we do! XO ~ Casey
This recipe looks good i cannot have the velveeta cheese and i nwver know what 2 substitute it with.
can u help with that
Hi Sharon! You can stir in a cup or so of freshly grated sharp cheddar, jack on fontina in place of the Velveeta! Just stir it in during Step 5 instead of the Velveeta:) XO
My was to dry for me. So I will go and buy alfredo sauce to add to it.
IF ITS TO DRY ADD A LITTLE MILK
This is the recipe I’ve been making for years. My 5 kids are grown and all live away from me but whenever they come home this recipe is what they ask for. If I have a craving for this I can’t make a small amount, I usually send out a text that I’m making it an invite friends over. I’ve never tried to freeze it. Has anyone tried? I’d be interested to know how the pasta held up. Also I have cooked my pasta in the chicken broth and built it from there. Turned out good,
We made this with whole wheat spaghetti noodles. It’s a mild, cheesy taste. I like that there isn’t too much velvetta in it, just enough to make it cheesy. I felt like the recipe called for more noodles than needed, so we had some left over. Overall the whole family liked it!
Hi, loved this, made 1/2 but when is best time to put in the rotel. Was not sure, added with chicken. Thanks Chris
Hi Chris! You add the Rotel in with the cheeses (Velveeta and mozzarella), but adding it in with the chicken sounds like it would work too! Glad you enjoyed it! xo
I started to droll just by looking at the photos 🙂 Great combination of ingredients, all the flavors I love are in. I’m sure my kids will love your spaghetti recipe a lot too. Thanks for sharing.
I love how simple and creamy this is! Loads of flavor but so easy.
I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend! My family is going to love this!
I made this tonight but I feel like it’s missing something. I don’t know if it’s some other seasonings or something else.
My husband (the picky one) liked it though.
I have 6 kids so we are very busy during the week. I am always on the lookout for easy recipes to make for dinner. This one is perfect!
Love the combination of ingredients you have used in making this spaghetti. SO flavorful and delicious.