So how do we improve upon it? Well, I happen to think it’s pretty dang close to perfection, but I knew there had to be something I could do. So I adapted it for the slow cooker. Oh yes I did. Slow. Cooker. Perfection.
This Crock Pot Chicken Spaghetti makes putting this delicious dish on the table even easier – especially on those busy weeknights! I’m super impressed with how well this works in the slow cooker.
You add the ingredients right to the slow cooker and while the chicken cooks, it makes the sauce all by itself. Pull the chicken out, shred it up, and add it back to the crock pot with the cooked pasta, sprinkle a little cheese on top and you’re ready to eat! It’s seriously that quick and easy.
A few things to keep in mind:
I’ve found that many recipes that call for you to cook chicken in the slow cooker for more than about 4 hours often result in tough, mealy, dry chicken. I’ve found that 4 hours is about the sweet spot. It gets the chicken cooked through and still juicy. And cooking this for much longer might result in scorched cheese… and nobody wants that. No, 4 hours isn’t terribly convenient, but neither is dry chicken.
Yes, a slow cooker and a crock pot are the same thing. Sorry for the confusion. Crock-Pot is just a brand name of slow cooker.
If you’re super impatient like me, you can use mixer to shred the chicken and don’t have to wait until it cools enough to handle. My buddy Christy Jordan shows you how. It also works great with just a hand mixer.
Oh, and this reheats remarkably well!
Recipe Card
Ultimate Crock Pot Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10-ounce) can Ro*Tel Tomatoes
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 (16-ounce) package Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Spray the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add the undiluted soup, undrained tomates, cream cheese, Velveeta, garlic powder, and onion powder and mix well. Add the chicken breasts and cover with the lid. Cook on low for about 4 hours or until the chicken is just cooked through. Cooking much longer than 4 hours may result in tough chicken and scorched sauce, so be cautious.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the slow cooker using tongs and allow it to cool slightly. Stir the sauce remaining in the slow cooker well. Once the chicken is cooled enough to handle, shred it and and return it to the slow cooker and mix with the sauce. Cover.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain well and add the pasta to the slow cooker. Mix well. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top and replace the lid. Allow the cheese to melt then serve.
This recipe was linked up to Weekend Potluck!
If I only have canned chicken breast, will the cooking time remain the same?
Since the chicken is cooked, you can reduce the cook time to simply get everything heated through before adding the pasta.
Thank you for clearing that up for me. It sounds like a really yummy recipe!
Happy to help! Enjoy!
Can the cream cheese be replaced?
I wouldn’t, but you could certainly just leave it out.
This recipe is a keeper!! Didn’t have Rotel so I used a can of diced tomatoes that I had and I used an off brand instead of Velveeta and mild cheddar!!
So glad you were able to make it work with what you had! Glad you enjoyed it!
I hate mushrooms. What can I substitute the cream of mushroom soup with?
You can use cream of chicken.
Craveable!
Thanks!
It was good but the cream cheese didn’t seem to melt and it looked like sour milk. It tasted good but looked a little weird. But that won’t stop me from trying some of your other recipes. What did I do wrong?
That’s super weird. I actually had a batch of cream cheese a few months ago that had obviously been frozen and had a curdled sort of texture. I wonder if that might have been the issue. The heat should have certainly melted it.
Amazing! So easy and delicious. I took it to a luncheon at church and everyone asked for the recipe. Thanks!
Thanks! Love hearing that!
This looks amazing. Do you have stove top directions for this?
I have an oven and stovetop version!
Awesome. Thank you
Gonna try
Hope you enjoy it!
Very good, entire family loved it.
Thank you so much!
Delicious Recipe 👍
Thanks so much!
I want to make this today. Can I use frozen chicken breast? How much longer for cooking in crockpot?
From a food safety perspective, it’s not a great idea to put frozen food in a crock pot. The slow cook allows too much opportunity for the food to live in the danger temp zone that allows it to develop bacteria. {Takes off the official food safety hat} All that being said, folks have been doing it forever without much issue. I’d recommend an extra hour or so if you start with frozen… but I didn’t suggest that. 🙂
Stacey,
Made this tonight and it was easy and tasted fantastic! This is the first of your recipes I have tried, but based on this it will not be the last. Thank you!
Awesome! So glad to hear it turned out great for you!
Awesome recipe Stacey! I’ve been out of commission for a while with back and leg pain. My hubby can even follow this and made us a great meal! He is rather proud of himself! <3
Oh no! Hope you’re feeling better! So glad to hear that he found it easy to follow!
Making this tomorrow! My husband will not eat chunks of Rotel, can I just use the juice?
Sure! Hope y’all enjoy!
Hi Ashley! I have a suggestion that might help with the Ro-tel chunks issue. Empty the can of Ro-tel in the blender or food processor. You’ll get all the flavor but none of the chunks! I had a very picky eater when my son was younger, and I resorted to disguising ingredients that he didn’t like into smaller invisible forms that he couldn’t see. Sometimes it’s not the taste they object to, it’s the texture or appearance that gets them! LOL
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!
We puree our Rotel, stewed tomatoes, cottage cheese, and all things that give us cringe-worthy textures in certain recipes. Try it, it will change your life. Cottage cheese becomes the much more expensive “ricotta cheese” with a whir of the food processor. Lol. Give it a try, pulse those tomatoes down a little, or a lot.
Great tip!
Suggestion: add crushed up tortilla chips on top after cooking/reheating! Adds a nice crunchy texture with the soft and hearty. I used Tostitos brand original. I liked ours pretty finely crushed (just make a ziplock bag of crushed chips, seal and reuse for other recipes, like soups!).
This was the first time we made it. It’s not quite a “set it and forget it”, but it’s still easy to make with the extra steps. Reheats incredibly well. I do wonder just out of curiosity how it would taste with cream of chicken instead of mushroom. I’m not a big mushroom fan, but it didn’t taste mushroomy at all.
I shared it on FB and Twitter afterwards. A meal worth sharing around!
Thanks so much, Josh – both for the kind words and the suggestions! The tortilla chips should like a great addition. I have made it with the cream of chicken before and it does lack some of the savoriness that the mushroom gives it, but it was still delicious.
This is one of my favorites of yours! Easy too. I add a small can of diced jalapenos because we love things spicy here. Thank you for all of your great recipes.
Yum! Thanks so much, Cynthia!! You are too kind.
Stacey, if I use rotisserie chicken, how much do you think I will need?
3 to 4 cups should work just fine. Enjoy!
So my plan is to make this tomorrow for my 5 children and I was trying to make things easier for myself(single mom work 50+ hours a week) and purchased precooked shredded rotisserie chicken, will using that cooked shredded chicken ruin the recipe? It seems like the uncooked chicken juices is what makes the sauce🤦🏽♀️ Please help-Hopeless in Connecticut lol =)
Hi Marlita! I might recommend using the standard version of the recipe if you want to use the precooked, shredded chicken: https://southernbite.com/ultimate-chicken-spaghetti/ Otherwise, you can cook the sauce in the slow cooker without the chicken and then just add the chicken to the slow cooker while you cook the pasta.
Stacey- Thank you so much. You’re a life saver! Please keep the recipes and the stories coming. There are lots of people who really appreciate them and you, I know I do. Thanks again!
You are so welcome, Marlita! I’m happy to help!
Hi Stacey! I recently discovered your recipe and my whole family loves it!!!! I was wondering, since I am horrible with math, do you happen to know the nutritional values per serving? Particularly carbohydrates?
Hi Ericka! I’m so glad that y’all have enjoyed it! When it comes to nutritional content, that’s not something I calculate. Many of my recipes use ingredients whose nutritional content will vary by brand, so I encourage my readers to pick their favorite brands and then plug them into a nutritional calculator like the one over at myfitnesspal.com. Hope that helps!
Just a few questions and comments: 1. You can use a Rotisserie Chicken instead of the raw chicken adds seasoning to the mix. 2. I use cream of chicken AND mushroom soup as well as Fiesta Cheese soup. 3. You can play with the seasonings. Use your favorites, be creative. A recipe is a suggestion. 4. How do you prevent the mixture from burning, that’s where I struggle. Cleaning the crock after the fact is difficult for me, yes I have crock liners when I can find them!! I’m making this tonight, I’m going to add velvetta and cream cheese, but I’m cooking it in the oven to freeze for future meals. I live alone.
Hi Amy! Yes, you can certainly use a rotisserie chicken! I usually don’t have much trouble with it burning. I always spray the crock with nonstick cooking spray and then make sure not to cook it longer than the recipe states. Hope you enjoy!
Stacey, I’m not a great cook, but there are a few things that I cook very well and this recipe of yours is one of them! My husband and I are surrogate grandparents to a family of FIVE sisters that we love and adore. They adopted us when the youngest was 2 and she’s just turned 12. The oldest is 17. The middle one always requests this dish. I love it because my grandmother made it!!! I was the pickiest child, but I did love her Chicken Spaghetti and it’s no wonder!!! Thank you for this recipe. I actually shed tears when I realized it tasted just like I remember hers tasting!
Oh my, Patti! This comment put a huge smile on my face! It’s the ultimate compliment for me when one of my recipes is reminiscent of a beloved family members. I love that I can, in some little way, bring a little bit of her back to you!
Is it supposed to be 4 hours on high instead of low?
No, it’s 4 hours on low. Chicken cooks very quickly compared to other proteins in the slow cooker and can get tough and mealy if it’s overcooked.
I’ve not found a great substitute for this stuff because nothing really melts quite like it. I’ve not tried it, but did find this recipe for a substitute…
You found a recipe to a copycat Velveeta?
Hi Stacey! I have made this recipe SO many times and my family absolutely loves it! It’s so easy to put together and comes out perfect every single time. I have a question….I have a busy day tomorrow and would love to put this in the crockpot in the morning but just realized I only have cream of celery soup. I know I can substitute that for the cream of mushroom, but I’m wondering how much it would change the flavor. Wondering your opinion? Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
I think ti will change the flavor, but I think it will still be delicious! I’m so glad to hear you’ve enjoyed this one!
Thank you! I ended up doing something else that day, but plan to make it tomorrow! And now I have cream of mushroom soup, so I’m all set!
Hope it turns out great for you!
I don’t have any cream cheese. Can I use sour cream instead?
I’ve not tried that, but it should work.
I’d like to use chicken thighs instead of breasts. Would this change the cook time?
It could. Just depends on thick they are and whether they’re bone in or not.
I have not tried this as I can’t stand Velveta cheese. Is there another way to make this without the Velveta? I can’t stand this cheese. I love Chicken Spaghetti but I can’t find any that doesn’t use this cheese. Please help me if you can.
Thank you,
Maureen Ballard
maureenballard1@gmail.com
Hi Maureen! I just heard from another reader last week who said she replaced the Velveeta with an additional block of cream cheese and that it turned out great. I’ve not tried it, so I can’t say for sure, but that’s certainly an idea. Enjoy!
I’ve made this several times and it always turns out great. I’ve used the mild and Fire Roasted Ro*Tel. I use chicken tenderloins instead of whole breast. Allows for easier shredding in the slow cooker. Thanks for the recipe!
That sounds perfect! Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed it!
I haven’t made this yet but I plan to. I gave it five stars already because the recipe just sounds so good. I do, however, have one question about the spaghetti noodles. As I recall, in your regular recipe NOT for the slow cooker I seem to recall that the spaghetti did not need to be cooked separately before adding to the chicken and soup mixture. So why can’t the same thing be done in the slow cooker, where the spaghetti is just added to the cooker as a final step in the cooking process? Seems to me it would work just as well as it does in your stovetop/oven method plus the additional time in the soup would give it additional flavor? Please let me know your thoughts.
As far as two other questions I noticed that were asked. When it comes to boneless, skinless chicken breasts in recipes, I frequently substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs because the meat is so much jucier and holds up to cooking times better. (I have found if you watch for sales, you can find the thighs just as reasonably priced as the breasts.
As for a substitute for Velveeta, though the quality may not be quite the same, “Velveeta’ is just basically ‘pasteurized, processed cheese spread’ which can be found in almost every grocery store.
I am glad I stumbled across your web pages and your recipes, and I will be looking forward to hearing your comments.
Hi Rob! Thanks for the note! Actually, in both recipes, the pasta has to be cooked in advance. It’s just the best way to maintain the texture of the pasta to keep it from getting overcooked and mushy.
Chicken thighs will work perfectly in this recipe, I just happen to not love the flavor of the thigh meat. But that’s just a matter of personal preference.
And yes, Velveeta is just a brand name for pasteurized cheese spread, so a generic version will work just fine.
Do you think this could be made ahead, frozen and then reheated in the microwave? I’m looking for some freezer meals for an elderly relative that can be reheated without using the oven.
We love your recipes! Everything I’ve made so far has been delicious!
Thanks, Laura! Yes, it can be done. The pasta will get a bit soft, but it still tastes great.
I made this recipe today for the first time. I loved it and husband loved it. I did however cut the chicken up in smaller but agreeable pieces. Turned out great. Had a little bite to it, but other than that was awesome delicious good. Husband says I am making again.
Sweet! So glad it turned out great and everyone enjoyed it!
I’m having trouble getting my chicken to cook. I have 2 hrs left in the crockpot
Are you sure that your crockpot is heating correctly? Also, how are you judging whether it’s cooked or not?
What if I don’t have enough time to wait 4 hours? Can I cook it on high for two and low for one?
I’ve not tried it, but I would guess that might work.
I only had three hours, so I used my crockpot probe and set it to temp of 160 at high. When the temp of the probe got to 108, I bumped it down to low and left it there until it got to 160. I took the probe out and just left it on low while I mashed the chicken (used the five pronged tool for mashing meat…can’t think of the proper term) while in the crockpot (worked wonderfully). I left it there on low while making the noodles, added it together, and it’s perfect!
Great idea! So glad to hear it turned out perfectly for you!!
Yum!
I have made this recipe dozens of times since 8/17/19, love it!!!!
Going camping and want to take to share with friends, at what point would you suggest freezing it?
Before Baking or Baked and bring frozen? Don’t want to lose any flavor of this great dish!!
Thanks in advance!
Connie H.
I’m so excited to hear that, Connie! I think you can freeze it before or after baking.
Tried it, and it was a HIT!
Everyone LOVED it!
Easy to follow, clear and concise directions!
Good Job!
It’s on the rotation now…
Awesome! So glad y’all enjoyed it!!
Hi, wouldn’t we cook the chicken on high for 4 hours or is it low because of the cream cheese?
No, cooking the chicken on high for four hours will over cook it and make it dry. 4 hours on low is plenty of time to cook the chicken through.
I’ve made this several times and my kids just love it! Thanks!!!
Awesome! So glad it’s been a hit with your crew!
After 4 hours I still had lumps of cream cheese in my sauce. Is this normal or should I cook sauce for longer?
I’ve not heard of anyone with that problem. I would remove the chicken and stir it really well to see if it mixes up.
I made this recipe yesterday. The only difference is I halved the recipe, otherwise, I did not change a thing. Perfection on a plate. So delicious. I Definitely will be making this again…for company, too!
Wonderful, Carol! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
What other cheese could I use instead of Velvetta? Thank you!
I’m just not sure that there is a good replacement.
Making this now- a friend brought my family a chicken spaghetti dish when I had surgery and my husband, two sons all loved it!
Hope you love this one just as much!
Can you substitute the cream of mushroom
Sure! Cream of chicken should work.
It sounds amazing. However, I am allergic to tomatoes. Can I replace them with something else for the sauce? Will the sauce be too stiff if I just leave them out?
Hmmm… I’m not sure what you might swap them out for. You really need the acid from the tomatoes to cut through all that cheese.
Would thin spaghetti noodles be okay? Have you tried it with a crockpot liner or would it end up cutting through with the shredding?
The think spaghetti should be just fine. When it comes to the liners, they are super convenient. Since we take the chicken out of the crock pot to shred it, I’d imagine everything would be just fine.
Great recipe! This will be a new addition to our favorites, thanks so much!
So glad you enjoyed it, Katy!!
Does the chicken breast have to be thawed before placing in Crock-Pot or can I cook while frozen.
I don’t really ever recommend slow cooking anything from frozen. It allows meats to be in the danger temp zone for a bit too long.
We don’t have valveeta cheese in Ontario and wondered what substitute I could use? I can not WAIT to try this * mouth watering 🙂
I’ve not found a great substitute for this stuff because nothing really melts quite like it. I’ve not tried it, but did find this recipe for a substitute… https://www.thespruceeats.com/homemade-velveeta-cheese-and-cheez-whiz-substitute-recipe-4136304
You can get velveta cheese in almost any grocery store. Usually not chilled like other cheeses.
I increase cream cheese to 8 ounces and use 8 ounces Monterey Jack (softer cheese) and 4 ounces cheddar instead of velveeta…and still use 1 cup cheddar on top at end…it works great and we love it…never used velveeta so not sure how it compares
Turned out perfect and my family loved it!
Thanks Stacey!
Awesome! So glad it turned out great for you!!
Thank kim collins for the chicken spaghetti recipe on crocker pot. It is first time it new version for crockery pot. I will try to cook it if I have chance. I love chicken spaghetti n my favorite food.
Hope you’ll love this version!
Thank you for specifying things like “undiluted” or “undrained” in your recipes! (PS I was in show choir and band as well and I loved every minute of it).
Of course! I want things to be as clear as possible! Glad to know I’m in good company! 🙂
I made this today as a gift for someone who is going to have surgery. I have made many dishes for their family when surgery is in the future. This was easy to do and tastes fantastic. I am allergic to peppers so would use crushed tomatoes instead. My other friends love heat and they would use a spicier Ro*Tel tomatoes. Very adaptable recipe for any family.
How sweet of you! I sure hope they enjoy it!
I have seen generic brands of rotel, usually called tomatoes with green chili’s in the canned tomato section.
Yep!
Hello! I am unable to find Ro Tel tomatoes where I am and I am curious what substitute would be instead…crushed tomatoes? diced tomatoes? . Thanks!
Jenna, they are usually with the canned tomatoes, at least in the grocery stores I shop at. Have you asked a store employee? Maybe your store keeps it in the section that has the hispanic food? It’s a popular item, I’d be surprised your store does not cover it.
Question…why couldn’t you just cube the raw chicken and not go through that shredding step. Knowing me, I’m missing something that I need to be reminded of, and I’m ok with that. In my mom’s version she used the whole chicken, so maybe using thighs would keep it from getting too dry. Can you tell I don’t like to shred (or eat) shredded chicken? I don’t want to ruin it.
I hope to do this too!
also – how spicy is this? I had chicken spaghetti at a friend’s house and it was very spicy…can’t do that!
If you use the mild Rotel, it’s not spicy at all.
I’ve not tried it, but I think that would work. The cook time will be shorter for sure. Shredded chicken is the most common way this dish is made so that’s why I developed the recipe this way.
You could use rotisserie chicken and added at the end shredded with the shredded cheese on top.
I don’t see why not.
I thought chicken spaghetti was something my friend made up! Can’t wait to try this crockpot recipe. Everyone tells me to use my pressure cooker but honestly, I’m afraid of it. Childhood memory of dad’s canner blowing up and me being the one to clean up the green beans from floor to ceiling has me reluctant to trust the new ones.
I totally understand the concern, but modern appliances are much safer. Regardless, I hope you’ll enjoy this slow cooker version!
Hmm yummy! this crock pot spaghetti looking owsome. Will try it.
Hope you’ll enjoy it!
No Rotel can I use salsa and still be tasty
I’ve not thought about that, but I assume it would work.
I’m using American cheese with extra cream cheese. I have done this with other recipes and it worked out well. I’ll let you know if it works out.
I love chicken spaghetti, can’t wait to try your crock pot version!
I sure hope you’ll love this one!