Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake

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This Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake recipe is sure to become a family favorite.  Using canned or rotisserie chicken as a convenient, no-prep source of protein and lots of cheese, this is the best chicken spaghetti recipe!

This post is brought to you in partnership with Cans Get You Cooking.  As always, all opinions are my own.  

Comfort food doesn’t have to be filled with calories and fat to be cozy and delicious.  This creamy chicken spaghetti bake is simple to make and kid-friendly.  Your family is sure to love it. 

This simple dinner idea showcases how to make a healthy spaghetti casserole with fewer calories & fat compared to a traditional chicken spaghetti recipe which might use cream or Velveeta.  

This dinner casserole is ready in just 30 minutes with the use of canned foods.

Even though there is no reason to be concerned, many parents feel guilty about serving canned foods to their families.  I felt this way once as well.  However, after spending a weekend in NYC learning about the research on canned foods, my mind was set at ease, as yours will be too.  

Per the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), The Research is Clear: Canned Foods Have a Positive Impact on Nutrient Intake.  

According to a recent NHANES analysis, adults who consume canned foods are more likely to have diets consistent with four popular healthy eating patterns: Mediterranean, American Heart Association, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and a Healthy American Diet (defined by a higher Healthy Eating Index, a measure of diet quality).

Pro Tip: Canned foods are nutrient-rich powerhouses that offer unparalleled benefits including the fact that those consumers eating canned foods eat more fiber, vitamins, and minerals as compared to non-canned food consumers.  The nutrition profiles of individuals who eat canned foods are better than those who skip the canned food aisle¹.

If you’re like me, you desire healthy, quick dinner recipes. I like using canned foods to save time and I like knowing I’m doing good by my family too.  

Let’s take a closer look at how this recipe utilizes a canned protein source – canned chicken, saving the time and energy along with helping to make this chicken and pasta dish a 30-minute meal.

Keep Reading for step by step instructions to make Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake or watch the recipe video now! 

How To Make Healthy Chicken Spaghetti

• Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees. 
• In a large pot, cook pasta for the chicken and pasta recipe per box instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the water the pasta is cooked in and set aside.
• In a medium-sized skillet, saute onion and bell pepper over medium-high heat until onions are translucent. 
• Turn heat to low.
• Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in canned chicken broth, Greek yogurt, and dry ranch dressing packet.
• Stir in canned chicken and cheese.
• Using tongs, blend sauce with cooked pasta.
• Place spaghetti mixture into a baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray.
• Top with remaining shredded cheese.
• Bake 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Customize to your family with these substitutions for cheesy chicken spaghetti casserole:

• Use condensed cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup rather than Greek yogurt
• Blend in cream cheese for extra creaminess
• Blend in a can of Rotel diced tomatoes making a chicken spaghetti recipe with Rotel
• Add a can of drained mixed vegetables
• Add a touch of spice with a can of diced green chilies
• Add crunch on top by sprinkling crushed crackers or french fried onions

Get started by sautéing the onion and bell pepper over medium-high heat in a medium-sized skillet until onions are translucent. 

Kitchen Tip: Chop a large onion rather than a small onion.  Chop 2 peppers rather than one.  Place the extras in separate ziplock bags and freeze for use in later recipes, saving time!

After the veggies are softened and browned, turn the heat to low.

Kitchen Tip: Reducing the temperature helps prevent the yogurt from curdling. Using full-fat yogurt also helps along with adding the creamy texture to the dish. 

Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Next, stir in the chicken broth, Greek yogurt, and dry ranch dressing packet.

Next, stir in the drained canned chicken then the cheese.

Using tongs, coat the cooked pasta with the sauce until well blended. 

Kitchen Tip: Keep canned chicken in your pantry for grab and go meals. 

Place the spaghetti bake mixture into a baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray.

Top with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Serve with a side salad, Caramelized Butternut Squash, Zucchini Crisps, or Easy Sauteed Apples.

Looking for more chicken and pasta recipes?  

Check out Chicken Sausage Penne Pasta, Fettuccine With Chicken & Lemon-Parsley Pesto, Crockpot Chicken Pasta, Slow Cooker Ragu, Chicken Sausage & Ravioli Dinner, Quinoa Chicken Vegetable Salad, or these 40+ Easy Chicken Pasta Recipes. 

How about More Healthy Chicken Recipes for Kids? 

Try Creamy Chicken Enchiladas, Crockpot Mexican Quinoa Chicken Casserole, Baked Chicken Thighs, Chicken Pot Pie, Mediterranean Chicken Pitas, Malaysian Tangy Noodle Salad, or check out all my Chicken Recipes here. 

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to leave a comment and a star rating below! Then follow me on social media and tag #createkidsclub if you make the recipe. I love seeing what you come up with!

Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake

★★★★★ 4.8 from 4 reviews

• Author: Jodi Danen, RDN | Create Kids Club
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake combines into a creamy and cheesy, healthy Chicken Spaghetti recipe that’s sure to become a family favorite.  Using canned chicken and a packet of dry ranch dressing, this chicken spaghetti casserole comes together quickly. 

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Ingredients

• 8 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked per package instructions, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water
• 2 12.5 oz. canned white chunk chicken
• 2 cups plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar, divided
• 1 oz. package Hidden Valley Ranch Dry dressing packet
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. minced garlic

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a medium-sized skillet, saute onion and green peppers over medium-high heat until onions are translucent
3. Turn heat to low
4. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
5. Stir in chicken broth, Greek yogurt, and dry ranch dressing packet.
6. Stir in canned chicken and cheese.
7. Using tongs, blend sauce with cooked pasta.
8. Place spaghetti mixture into a pan coated with non-stick cooking spray.
9. Top with remaining shredded cheese.
10. Bake 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

3745.1 g435.2 mg16.1 g25.6 g1.1 g31.8 g

1. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

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