Rotisserie Chicken Spaghetti
This recipe features rotisserie chicken combined with spaghetti, a jar of spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese. It offers flexibility for customization with other vegetables.
If you have a rotisserie chicken and 15 minutes, you have dinner. This Rotisserie Chicken Spaghetti is the kind of weeknight win I cannot get enough of. Tender shredded chicken, sauteed mushrooms and spinach, a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce, and a generous pile of cheese, all served over noodles. It hits every note of comfort food without spending half your evening at the stove.
I love this recipe because it leans on a rotisserie chicken to do all the protein heavy lifting. By the time the water is boiling for the pasta, you have already pulled the chicken off the bone and chopped the vegetables. Then it is just a quick saute, a stir-in of jarred sauce, and you are plating in under 15 minutes. This is the kind of meal you make on the busiest weeknight and still feel like you cooked something real.
The sauteed mushrooms and spinach add some texture and freshness to the jarred sauce, making the final dish feel a lot more homemade than the sum of its parts. You can absolutely customize this with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Zucchini, bell peppers, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, or kale all work great. Use up what is in your fridge and call it a fridge-clean-out spaghetti.
Top it with extra parmesan or mozzarella for a melty cheesy finish. Serve with garlic bread or a simple salad if you want to round out the table, but honestly, this is a complete meal on its own. Let's make it.
📝 Ingredients
- 1 Rotisserie Chicken off the bone and chopped
- 1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup parmesan or mozzarella cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- salt/pepper to taste
- Spaghetti Noodles
- **I used Carbe Diem Pasta - Its a lower carb pasta that can find it at most grocery stores!
👩🍳 Directions
- 1
Cook Noodles: In a sauce pan add water and a good amount of salt. Once the water comes to a boil, add your noodles and cook to package directions.
- 2
Make Spaghetti: Add EVOO to pan and add chopped mushrooms and spinach until spinach is wilted.
- 3
Add chicken to the pan and stir to combine with the veggies.
- 4
Add in spaghetti sauce and stir/heat until bubbly.
- 5
Optional! Go ahead and add cheese to the chicken mixture for an extra cheesy taste.
- 6
Serve Chicken mixture over spaghetti noodles and top with cheese
- 7
enjoy!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Rotisserie chicken: One whole rotisserie chicken pulled off the bone, about 3 cups of chopped meat. Use both white and dark meat for the best flavor. Leftover roast chicken works too.
Spaghetti sauce: One jar (about 24 ounces) of your favorite marinara or pasta sauce. Rao's, Victoria, Newman's Own, and Bertolli are all great choices. Pick one you would happily eat on its own.
Spinach: 2 cups fresh baby spinach. Frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry) also works. Kale or arugula are great substitutes.
Mushrooms: 1 cup chopped. Cremini, button, or portobello all work. Slice or chop into bite-sized pieces.
Cheese: 1 cup of grated parmesan or shredded mozzarella, or a mix. Fresh-grated melts smoother than pre-shredded.
Olive oil: A few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for sauteing the vegetables. Adds richness and helps the seasoning stick.
Spaghetti noodles: A standard 16-ounce box. Use any pasta shape you love. For a lower-carb version, Carbe Diem or Banza chickpea pasta both work great.
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze
Store the chicken-vegetable-sauce mixture separately from the pasta if possible. They keep in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. If already combined, reheat covered in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.
To freeze, freeze the sauce-and-chicken mixture without the pasta. It keeps for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove, then serve over freshly cooked pasta.
What to Serve With Rotisserie Chicken Spaghetti
This is a hearty main dish that pairs perfectly with a simple side. Garlic bread, focaccia, or warm dinner rolls are the classic Italian-American partners. A crisp Caesar salad, a mixed greens salad with Italian or balsamic vinaigrette, or roasted vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, or green beans round out the table. For wine, a red like Chianti, Sangiovese, or Montepulciano pairs beautifully with the tomato sauce. Sparkling water with lemon for a non-alcoholic option.
💡 Tips for Success
- Pull all the meat off the rotisserie chicken while the water heats up. White and dark meat both go in. You should get about 3 cups of chopped chicken from a whole bird.
- Salt your pasta water generously. Like the ocean. This is your only chance to season the noodles themselves, and the difference is huge.
- Cook the mushrooms first, before the spinach. Mushrooms release a lot of water and need time to brown. Adding the spinach after lets it wilt without overcooking.
- Use a jar of sauce you actually love. Rao's, Victoria, Bertolli, Newman's Own, or Classico are all great. The sauce is the backbone of this dish so it should taste good on its own.
- Stir in the chicken before adding the sauce. Coating the chicken in the seasoned vegetables and oil first helps it absorb flavor instead of just floating in tomato sauce.
- Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining. Starchy pasta water is liquid gold for thinning a thick sauce while adding silkiness.
- Toss the drained pasta with a little olive oil if you are not serving immediately. This keeps it from clumping while the chicken mixture finishes.
- Top with cheese at the table. A generous handful of freshly grated parmesan or mozzarella melts onto each plate as you serve it for that classic restaurant finish.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use raw chicken instead of rotisserie?
Yes, but it adds time. Cube about 1.5 pounds of chicken breasts or thighs, season with salt and pepper, and cook in olive oil over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until cooked through before adding the vegetables.
What other vegetables can I add?
Diced zucchini, bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, kale, or arugula. Add quick-cooking veg with the spinach. Heartier veg with the mushrooms.
Can I use a different pasta?
Absolutely. Penne, rigatoni, linguine, or fettuccine all work great. Even chickpea pasta for a higher-protein version. Lower-carb pasta like Carbe Diem or Banza is a great option.
Can I make this ahead?
You can cook the chicken-vegetable-sauce mixture up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Cook fresh pasta when ready to serve and combine. The pasta does not store well already mixed with the sauce, it gets gummy.
Can I freeze it?
The chicken-sauce mixture freezes well for up to 2 months. Freeze without the pasta and add freshly cooked noodles when serving. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
How can I make it creamier?
Stir in a half cup of heavy cream or a few tablespoons of cream cheese with the spaghetti sauce. This turns it into a creamy rosa-style sauce that is incredible.
What goes well on the side?
Garlic bread, a simple Caesar salad, a mixed greens salad with Italian dressing, roasted broccoli, or sauteed green beans all work. A glass of red wine like Chianti or Sangiovese is the classic pairing.
Made this recipe?
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