Joanna Gaines Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

The Joanna Gaines Chicken Spaghetti Recipe is on page 213 of Magnolia Table. My pal Dale left his copy on my porch on a wet day in March. A yellow note marked the page.

Many web posts drift from that page. Some add cans the book never lists. Others bake out dry. The dish ends up flat.

The book has the same name as Joanna’s cafe in Waco. The dish is known for its nests. Tongs twirl the pasta into small swirls in a 9 x 13 pan.

Why This Chicken Spaghetti Uses a Creamy White Sauce

Chicken spaghetti confuses first-timers. The name suggests marinara. Joanna’s version has no red sauce at all. The only Italian part is the pasta, baked in a 9 x 13 pan.

Her sauce is white. It starts with 1 cup of heavy cream and ½ cup of milk, thinned with a splash of broth. A block of cream cheese does the thickening, since the book uses no flour.

I changed three things. A butter and flour roux gives the sauce body without the cream cheese. Mushrooms go from 3 ounces to 8, and the chicken from 2 cups to 3. A Kitchn tester wanted more mushrooms too.

Rotisserie chicken is the book’s own shortcut. A grocery store bird gives about 3 cups of shredded meat in 6 minutes. Poached breast works too, as the book notes.

Does the Original Recipe Use Velveeta?

Joanna’s version has one divisive ingredient. It is 2 ounces of Velveeta, melted in with the cream cheese and 2 cups of grated white cheddar.

Cooks who dislike processed cheese leave it out. A Kitchen tester thought the dish worked without it. I skipped it too. Sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack melt smoothly on their own, with Parmesan for a salty edge.

Know what you are signing up for. The book version pairs 1 cup of heavy cream with a full block of cream cheese. Anyone cutting saturated fat or avoiding dairy should pick a lighter casserole.

Check the source before you cook. One popular copy lists cream of mushroom soup and tomatoes with green chilies. The cookbook page lists neither.

Ingredients for Joanna Gaines Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

12 ounces spaghetti: Standard-thickness spaghetti survives oven heat better than thin strands. I buy Barilla and pull it at 9 minutes, though the box says 11. The noodles finish cooking in the sauce.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter: Butter softens the vegetables and carries their sweetness into the sauce. Kerrygold turns the pot a deeper gold. Keep the wrapper to grease the baking dish.

1 medium yellow onion: Diced small, it melts into the sauce rather than sitting in chunks. Cook it until see-through. A sweet onion works in place of yellow, with a milder bite.

1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow bell pepper: Peppers bring a sweetness that balances the salty cheeses. Pick firm ones with glossy skin. A green pepper is a fair swap, though it tastes grassier and less sweet.

4 garlic cloves: Minced garlic gives the cream a savory backbone. It scorches in under a minute, so it goes in last. A heaping tablespoon of jarred garlic works, with a flatter flavor.

10 ounces baby bella mushrooms: Sliced thin, they release earthy juice and finish cooking in the oven. I grab the pre-sliced tray at Trader Joe’s. Choose dry, firm caps, since damp ones turn slimy within a day.

1 cup heavy cream: Cream gives the sauce body and keeps it from breaking in the oven. I use Horizon Organic. Half-and-half works in place of cream and gives a lighter sauce that sets up looser.

¾ cup whole milk: Milk thins the sauce so the pasta has liquid to drink while baking. Any whole milk works. Skim leaves the sauce thinner and less creamy.

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth: Broth adds savory depth and lets you control the salt, since the cheeses already carry plenty. Swanson sits in my pantry year-round.

8 ounces cream cheese: Cubed cream cheese thickens the sauce without flour and adds a light tang. Philadelphia blocks melt cleaner than the tub kind. Let the cubes sit out 15 minutes first.

4 ounces Velveeta: Its emulsifying salts keep the sauce smooth under heat. Cube it small so it melts in about 3 minutes. Swap in 4 more ounces of cream cheese, and the sauce turns tangier and a little less silky.

3 cups shredded white cheddar: Two cups melt into the sauce and one tops the dish. Tillamook sharp white cheddar gives real bite. Grate it from a block, because bagged shreds carry starch that leaves the sauce slightly gritty.

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken: That is about 1 pound of meat from one Costco Kirkland bird, bought around 4 p.m. while still warm. Warm meat shreds into long strands. Mix white and dark meat so nothing dries out.

1 scant teaspoon kosher salt: Hold back, since the cheese and broth already carry salt. I use Diamond Crystal. With Morton, which is denser, use about ¾ teaspoon.

½ teaspoon black pepper: Pepper cuts the richness of the cream with a bit of heat. Grind it fresh from a Peugeot mill for a sharper bite.

2 tablespoons chopped parsley: Flat-leaf parsley added at the end gives a grassy bite against the cream. Set the stems in a glass of water in the fridge to keep them crisp for several days.

Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need

1. Large pot: for boiling spaghetti
2. 5-quart Dutch oven: holds sauce and pasta
3. 9×13-inch baking dish: Pyrex glass works well
4. Box grater: for block cheddar
5. Whisk: smooths cream cheese lumps
6. Aluminum foil: covers dish while baking
7. Tongs: twirls noodles into nests

How to Make Joanna Gaines Chicken Spaghetti

1. Heat the Oven and Dish: Heat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the center. Rub the inside of a 9×13-inch baking dish with the butter wrapper. Spray works too, but the wrapper leaves a thicker film on the glass.

2. Cook the Spaghetti: Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water for 9 minutes, 2 minutes under the box time. Drain it and do not rinse. The center should still feel firm when you bite a strand. Soft noodles turn mushy once they bake in the sauce.

3. Soften the Vegetables: Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion and both peppers for 6 minutes. Add the garlic for 40 seconds, then the mushrooms for 2 minutes. The onion should look see-through. One evening the garlic scorched while I answered a call.

Burned garlic tastes bitter, so I scooped it out and added fresh cloves.

4. Build the Sauce: Lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in the dairy and broth, then add the cream cheese and Velveeta. Whisk for 5 minutes until no lumps remain. Keep the pot below a boil. A greasy, grainy sauce means the heat ran too high.

Pull the pot off the burner and whisk in 2 tablespoons of cold milk.

5. Melt in the Cheddar: Stir in 2 cups of the cheddar, a handful at a time. Add the salt and pepper, then taste the sauce. It should taste a little bold on its own. The chicken and pasta soak up seasoning, so a sauce that seems right now will taste flat later.

6. Fold in the Chicken and Pasta: Add the chicken, then the spaghetti. Toss with tongs until every strand is coated. The pot will look crowded but loose. Sauce should pool a little at the bottom when you lift the noodles.

7. Assemble and Bake: Pour everything into the dish and twirl strands into nests with tongs. Sprinkle on the last cup of cheddar and cover with foil. Bake 22 minutes, uncover, and bake 8 minutes more. Look for bubbling edges and golden, lacy spots on top. Rest the dish 10 minutes, then scatter the parsley.

Can You Make Chicken Spaghetti Without Baking It?

For a one-pot version, skip the baking dish. After folding in the pasta, cover the Dutch oven and keep the heat low for 6 minutes, stirring once. This saves about 30 minutes and one dish.

A slow cooker suits parties. Sauté the vegetables on the stove first, since a cooker cannot brown them. Melt the sauce and chicken on low for 1 hour. Stir in the al dente spaghetti and hold on low for 20 minutes.

Treat the slow cooker times as a starting point, since I have not tested every brand. Noodles keep softening on warm, so serve soon. Only the oven method gives a browned, crisp top.

Chef Special Tips for Making Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

1. Sauce Pours Like Milk: Cold cream cheese melts slowly. Whisk 2 more minutes off the heat. The sauce tightens as it cools.

2. Mushrooms Turn Gray: Crowded slices steam. Pat them dry and keep the pan hot for those 2 minutes.

3. Top Stays Pale: Broil the uncovered dish 90 seconds, 6 inches from the element. Stay close, because cheese browns fast.

4. Sauce Tastes Flat: Stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice before the chicken goes in. Acid sharpens the cream.

5. Chicken Looks Stringy: Fine shreds disappear into the sauce. Tear the meat into thick strips about 2 inches long.

6. Foil Sticks to the Cheese: Oil the underside of the foil lightly, or tent it so it never touches the top.

How I Customize This Joanna Gaines Chicken Spaghetti

Jalapeño Kick: Stir in 2 seeded, minced jalapeños with the peppers. They add green heat that cuts the cream. I serve this one on game days.

Rotel Version: Fold in one drained 10-ounce can of Rotel with the chicken. The tomatoes add tang and a little color. It suits a crowd that wants some spice.

Spinach Stir-In: Add 5 ounces of baby spinach to the hot sauce until it wilts. The leaves bring an earthy note and cut some richness. Good for weeknights.

Crispy Panko Top: Toss ½ cup panko with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and scatter it over the last cheddar. It bakes into a crunchy lid. I serve this for Sunday guests.

Sharper Cheese Blend: Swap the Velveeta for 1 cup of grated Gruyère. The sauce turns nuttier and a bit less smooth. I pour a pinot grigio alongside.

Broccoli Bake: Fold in 2 cups of small steamed broccoli florets. They soak up sauce and turn the pan into a one-dish dinner. I pack this one for lunches.

What to Serve With Chicken Spaghetti

Green beans are the classic partner, and the cookbook points to them too. I steam 1 pound until bright, then toss them with a squeeze of lemon and a little butter. Cut them into 2-inch lengths so they fit on a fork with a twirl of pasta. The acid cuts through the cream.

A romaine salad with ranch dressing works as well. Skillet croutons add crunch the soft pasta lacks. Dress the leaves at the last second so they stay crisp. Cold leaves reset the palate between bites.

For something warm, roast broccoli at 425°F for 18 minutes. The edges char and turn nutty. Garlic bread suits big appetites but adds more weight to an already rich plate.

My full spread starts with the spaghetti in the center of the table. Ranch romaine sits on one side and lemon green beans on the other. Sweet tea with lots of ice keeps the plate from feeling heavy. Dessert is warm cinnamon apples, since October calls for them.

How I Store Joanna Gaines Chicken Spaghetti

Cool the dish for 30 minutes at room temperature, then spoon leftovers into shallow glass containers. Use a 2-cup container per portion so each reheat is a single scoop. Refrigerate within 2 hours of baking. They keep for 4 days with tight lids.

Cheese sauces tighten in the cold, and the noodles drink liquid overnight. Add 1 tablespoon of milk to each portion before reheating. Cover and warm at 350°F for 15 minutes. A microwave works at 70 percent power for 90 seconds, stirring once.

Freezing works for up to 2 months in a sealed freezer bag laid flat. Thaw overnight in the fridge. The sauce can look grainy after thawing. A splash of warm milk and a good stir smooth it out.

Label each container with the date in marker. Glass keeps the dish from picking up fridge smells, and a flat portion warms evenly in the middle instead of staying cold at the center.

How to Use Leftover Chicken Spaghetti

Use leftovers within 3 days for these ideas. For a frittata, whisk 4 eggs with 2 tablespoons of milk and stir in 3 cups of chopped cold spaghetti. The eggs bind the noodles, and the cheese sauce seasons the whole pan.

Cook it in an oven-safe 10-inch skillet on the stove for 5 minutes. Then bake at 375°F for 12 minutes until the center sets.

For crunch, shape cold pasta into patties and press them in panko. Pan-fry in 2 tablespoons of oil for 3 minutes per side. The chilled sauce acts as the glue. Serve the patties with a spoon of ranch.

Joanna Gaines Chicken Spaghetti FAQs

1. Can I Use Raw Chicken Instead of Rotisserie Chicken?

Yes. Simmer 1¼ pounds of boneless breasts in lightly salted water for 14 minutes, until they reach 165°F. Rest 10 minutes, then shred. Poached breast is leaner, so add a pinch more salt.

2. Can I Assemble Chicken Spaghetti Ahead of Time?

Yes. Build the dish, cover it tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake it covered 10 extra minutes since it starts cold, then uncover as written.

3. Is This Chicken Spaghetti Spicy?

Mild. The only heat comes from ½ teaspoon of black pepper. For gentle warmth, stir in ¼ teaspoon of cayenne with the salt.

4. Can I use penne instead of spaghetti?

Yes. Use 12 ounces and pull it 2 minutes early, same as the spaghetti. Short tubes trap sauce inside and scoop easily onto plates.

5. Can I Use Gluten-Free Spaghetti?

Yes. Cook it 1 minute under the box time, since gluten-free pasta softens quickly in sauce. Check the Velveeta and broth labels for gluten before you buy.

6. What Can I Use Instead of a Dutch Oven?

A deep 12-inch skillet or a stockpot works. The pot that boiled the pasta is a good choice, since you need room to toss everything together.

7. What Is the Fastest Way to Shred Rotisserie Chicken?

Drop warm meat into a stand mixer bowl and run the paddle on low for 20 to 30 seconds. Check for stray bones afterward.

A pan of Joanna Gaines Chicken Spaghetti Recipe rewards a patient stovetop. The slow melt of the cream cheese and the early-pulled noodles do most of the work.

The top bakes lacy and golden while the center stays loose and saucy.