My Rotel chicken spaghetti is a crave-worthy version of the classic comfort food recipe, y'all. Seasoned chicken breast pieces cook down with the Cajun trinity. Then, old-school Velveeta cheese, half-n-half and GF cream of mushroom soup are added to the pot. Once melted and intermingled into ooey gooey deliciousness, cooked GF noodles are stirred in right before baking to browned, bubbly deliciousness. Perfect for those days when you need a stick-to-your-ribs meal, this easy casserole gets rave reviews from the first to last bite. Yep and yay...
I'm an 80s Girl, Living in a Grown Up Post-Modern World...
I grew up in the 80s, when life was much simpler and easy to navigate. I think of those days often. Especially when I hear an old favorite song, see an 80s celebrity on TV, or catch a glimpse of an 80s-era family picture tucked away in a drawer.
Oh, how I miss those days, y'all! I miss my carefree youth, and all the laughs that came along with it. I didn't know it then, but I also miss NOT having a cell phone, a laptop, a tablet and two TVs that are smarter than I am! Yep! I miss the simpler days gone by. You know, when people actually talked to each other in person. And were never, ever interrupted by ring tones, beeps and eerie, where-in-the-world-is-that-coming-from vibrations.
I've recently spent a bit of time reminiscing about the 80s in an awesome Facebook group that I found. We talk about 80s TV shows, movies, fashion and frame-of-mind. It's been great participating in the group threads. And, a blast to read the funny comments that I relate to all the way down to my soul.
So, when the need for a mostly pantry meal arose the other day, I remembered Rotel chicken spaghetti. If you've never heard of it, it's simply chicken, Rotel tomatoes with green chilis, Velveeta cheese and cream of mushroom soup made into a sauce, then baked with pasta.
I honestly have no idea who came up with Rotel chicken spaghetti. Or when this stroke of genius hit them. But since Rotel came out in the early 1960s, I'm pretty sure that this recipe was around in the 80s, and that my recent 80s fascination revival sparked the craving. So, I whipped up a batch my way. It's got the Cajun trinity, of course, y'all. And other ingredients that you likely already have on hand.
It's so, soooo good, y'all. And kids love it, too. So, this easy Rotel chicken spaghetti with Velveeta should go on your radar for those days when you want something easy, super delish, and oh sooo filling.
How to Make Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
Start the Rotel chicken spaghetti by gathering all of the necessary ingredients:
Then, set the seasoned chicken breast pieces aside, and put the water on to boil for the noodles:
Now, cook the seasoned chicken and Cajun trinity veggies down just a bit. We're not really going for brown here, just cooked through and soft:
Add the garlic, and cook down just a minute more:
Now, stir the cubed cheese, Rotel tomatoes, GF cream of chicken soup and seasonings into the pot:
And cook down for another few minutes until the cheese has melted, and all of the other ingredients are well-combined:
Finally, stir the cooked GF noodles into the sauce, and bake in the preheated oven:
And that's it y'all!
The first thing you notice is the delicious cheesy sauce. Although there's a whole lot of Velveeta in here, it honestly doesn't taste like Velveeta. The sauce has the creaminess and richness that the famous processed cheese is known for, but the GF cream of mushroom soup really 'marries' the cheese. And this union creates its own unique flavor that just keeps you going back for bite after bite after bite.
Next, you turn your attention to the melt-in-your-mouth chicken and the luscious GF spaghetti noodles. Then, the pops of Rotel tomatoes with green chilis hit the roof of your mouth, then trickle down to your tongue for a final zesty finish.
Yes, this Rotel chicken spaghetti recipe is straight-up old-school food love. It's amazing, y'all. And definitely going down on our table a few times a year now. You know, to remind me what I love and miss about 80s-style pantry meals. Those were the days!!!
Share this Rotel chicken spaghetti with those who loved the silly young you just as much as they adore the you that you are now. And see y'all on the yum side...
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Chicken Breast
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons Crystal hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon paprika
For the Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
- 2 to 3 tablespoons butter or oil
- 12 ounces gluten free spaghetti
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 small green bell pepper sliced
- 1 rib celery, trimmed and cut into thirds
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup half n half
- 1 10.5-ounce can of gluten free cream of chicken soup
- 1 10-ounce can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilis
- 16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
- salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cover the bite-sized chicken breast pieces with the seasoning mixture. Stir until well-incorporated, then set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Boil the GF spaghetti noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pour the Cajun trinity of onion, bell pepper and celery into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse for just a few seconds just until processed, but don't over-pulse it or it will become too liquidy.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of butter or oil into an enameled cast iron Dutch oven.
- Add the seasoned chicken breast pieces and Cajun trinity veggies.
- Cook down until the meat and veggies start to soften and brown a bit. Add the other tablespoon of butter or oil to the pot if you need it.
- Add the minced garlic to the pot, and cook down for 1 additonal minute.
- Add the half n half, GF cream of chicken soup, cubed cheese, and salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste to the pot.
- Cook down for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts and all of the ingredients are well-combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired, then remove from heat.
- Stir the cooked GF spaghetti noodles into the Dutch oven.
- Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven.
- Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until the Rotel Chicken Spaghetti is bubbly and slightly browned.
- Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
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