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Monterey Chicken Spaghetti

Monterey chicken spaghetti is a creamy chicken pasta bake with spaghetti tossed in a smooth soup-and-sour-cream sauce, then baked until bubbly. It’s topped with a golden Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese crust with bacon and green pepper pieces throughout.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 585
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 3 cup cooked chicken, shredded
Spaghetti
  • 12 oz spaghetti, cooked and broken in half
Cream soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
Broth and dairy
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup sour cream
Chiles and bacon
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles, drained
  • 8 bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
Vegetables and seasonings
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 0.5 onion, diced
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste Use to taste.
Cheese
  • 2 cup shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese blend, divided
Garnish
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and heat the oven
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Keep it ready so the pasta mixture can go in right after it’s tossed.
Make the creamy sauce
  1. Whisk together the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, sour cream, and garlic powder until smooth. Stop whisking once the mixture looks even with no streaks.
Assemble the casserole
  1. Combine the cooked spaghetti, shredded chicken, soup mixture, green chiles, bacon, bell pepper, and onion; toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly so the creamy sauce clings to the noodles.
  2. Spread the mixture into the prepared dish and top with the cheese blend. Distribute the cheese evenly so it melts into a golden crust.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is golden. You should see active bubbling around the edges and a browned top.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish with fresh parsley. Let it sit briefly so slices hold together when scooped.

Notes

Pro tip: If your cooked chicken is very dry, fold it into the sauce mixture for 10-15 seconds before combining with the spaghetti so everything stays creamy. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days; reheat in the oven at 325°F until warmed through. Freezing is best avoided due to the sour cream texture after thawing. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat sour cream and a reduced-fat cheese blend (the bake still gets a golden top).