Joanna Gaines’ Baked Spaghetti Is So Good, It’s My Family’s New Favorite Dinner

My kids, like most, would eat pasta every night if I let them. So when I was asked to test Joanna Gaines’ Chicken Spaghetti recipe from her Magnolia Table cookbook, I thought, “This is perfect! It’ll be one fewer meal to figure out for the week!” In her intro to the recipe, Gaines says, “Life is a lot easier when you’ve got a great go-to recipe for this classic one-pot Southern dinner.” And as a busy working mom, I’m a sucker for anything that promises to be a “go-to” dish. This one is like an updated riff on mac and cheese. It’s definite comfort food, but with a few elevated touches, including a mix of cheeses and some beautifully sautéed vegetables. 

Even though there are several components to this recipe, the beauty of it is that it’s still pretty straightforward. I started by preheating my oven to 350°F and oiling a 9×13-inch baking dish. It’s a small step, but it helps everything flow smoothly later.

While a big pot of generously salted water came to a boil for the spaghetti, I tackled the star of the show: the veggie-studded cheese sauce. In a deep skillet, I melted butter and then sautéed diced onion, minced garlic, and finely chopped red and yellow bell peppers until they were tender and fragrant. It’s about six minutes of gentle cooking, and it fills your kitchen with the aroma of good things to come. The sliced baby bella mushrooms went in next for just two minutes; they add a bit of an earthy depth.

Next, I stirred in cream, milk, chicken broth, and then the magic combination of cheeses — cream cheese (cut into pieces), grated white cheddar, and, yes, a little bit of processed cheese, like Velveeta. I wouldn’t usually buy this product, but I was trusting Gaines and the process! I stirred (eventually switching to a whisk) until everything was thickened and creamy, then stirred in the shredded rotisserie chicken (my weeknight hero) and the cooked spaghetti, making sure every strand was coated in the luscious sauce. 

The whole mixture went into my prepared baking dish, and, like Gaines suggested, I even used my tongs to twirl the spaghetti into little nests (for what it’s worth, it’s charming but totally unnecessary). If you already thought there was a lot of dairy in this recipe, hold tight because I sprinkled it with even more shredded white cheddar before covering it and popping it into the oven. I baked it for 20 minutes covered, then about 8 minutes uncovered until it was lightly golden and bubbly. Just before serving, we topped it with fresh parsley.

Joanna Gaines’ Chicken Spaghetti lives up to its promise of being a “go-to recipe,” but I see it being more suitable for special occasions or celebrations. The sauce is rich and luxe, with the combination of cream, milk, and broth providing a rich liquid base, and the inclusion of cream cheese, Velveeta, and white cheddar. The cream cheese adds tang and extra creaminess without the need for a roux, while the Velveeta ensures a smooth texture that standard cheddar alone can’t quite achieve. It was decidedly rich. The recipe calls for heavy cream, but I used half-and-half because it didn’t seem necessary. I was glad that I did, because it was pretty decadent, even with that slight adjustment. If you’re lactose intolerant, though, this will be a hard pass.

The vegetables are well-proportioned. It’s enough to add flavor and color, but not enough to be considered a vegetable side. We served ours with steamed green beans and a fresh salad, but if you didn’t want to create an extra side, I would add more vegetables. It could easily handle a lot more mushrooms and possibly even another pepper. Sautéing the bell peppers until tender is key to releasing their sweetness and aroma, but the baby bellas just need a quick hit in the pan because they finish cooking in the oven. 

The final result is a creamy, cheesy, hearty, and deeply satisfying meal that tastes like pure comfort. It’s perfect for those nights when you want something that feels celebratory (or like a warm hug, come fall and winter). One of my favorite things about it is that the top layer of noodles gets slightly browned and a tiny bit crispy, like the edge pieces of lasagna.

One thing to note is that it’s not a quick meal. The recipe claims a 15-minute prep time, but I’m a very experienced cook and it took me between 30 and 40 minutes of active time. That said, once your mise en place is prepared, 15 minutes is a fair estimate.

• Lighten up! If you want to reduce the fat content, you can swap the heavy cream for 5 percent cream or even use all milk. I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but have done it with other similar recipes, and it’s worked out well. It’s not exactly the same, but the cream cheese will still provide plenty of richness and body to the sauce (although you may need to add a bit more salt and pepper to compensate, as the lighter dairy won’t carry flavors quite as intensely).
• Always taste your sauce before mixing. This is crucial, whether you’re making swaps or not. Once you’ve melted all the cheeses and created that gorgeous sauce, take a moment to taste it before adding the chicken and pasta. The saltiness can vary dramatically depending on the chicken broth and the type of cheese you’re using.
• Upgrade your cheese game. While the original recipe is fantastic, you can certainly elevate it by mixing up the blend of cheeses. For example, I might try using a mix of cheddar and freshly grated Parmesan for a sharper, more complex flavor. Gruyère is another stellar option that melts beautifully and brings a slightly sweet, sophisticated taste. If you play around with the cheeses, I think you could eliminate the Velveeta entirely.
• Prep ahead for weeknight success. This recipe becomes so much more manageable when you do the prep work in advance. When I make it for guests, I’ll likely spend a few minutes chopping all the vegetables, shredding the rotisserie chicken, grating the cheese, and cutting the cream cheese into pieces a day ahead. All of it can be stored in the fridge in airtight containers. Another one of my favorite tricks, in general, is to measure out the liquid ingredients ahead of time, too. In this case, measure out the cream, milk, and broth or chicken stock into a large glass jar and store it in the refrigerator. If you’re using bouillon instead of prepared broth, add the water to the jar and toss in the bouillon cube when you pour the mixture into the pan. Having all these components ready makes the actual cooking feel like a breeze.
• Don’t overcook the spaghetti. Cook it to a true al dente — it will continue to absorb liquid and cook in the oven, so if it’s too soft initially it will become mushy in the final dish.
• Use a large skillet. When combining the sauce, chicken, and spaghetti, you’ll need a very large, deep skillet or Dutch oven to accommodate everything for easy tossing. Alternatively, transfer everything into the pot you used to cook your pasta in. 

This isn’t a minimalist pantry meal or a 20-minute dinner, but that’s part of its charm. Whether you’re making it for Sunday dinner, feeding a weeknight crowd, or preparing your next meal-train drop-off, this chicken spaghetti delivers that warm, home-cooked feeling we all crave when we need a little comfort.