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BBQ Chicken Pasta is the smoky sweet skillet dinner that simmers quick cooking spaghetti right in the pan with sauteed red onion, shredded rotisserie chicken, tangy barbecue sauce, and melty cheese, all in about 25 minutes. It became a *weeknight regular* at our house the first time Maddie asked for seconds before I sat down. If skillet dinners like my cheeseburger pasta save your weeknights, this one belongs in the rotation.
Smoky BBQ sauce, rotisserie chicken, and cheesy spaghetti, simmered together in a single skillet.
BBQ Chicken Pasta Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 226kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Smoky and sweet barbecue with melty cheese and a fresh cilantro finish
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with my one pot chicken broccoli pasta
Quick Answer
Saute thin sliced red onion in butter in a heavy bottomed skillet for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add quick cooking spaghetti, cold water, chicken broth, and a pinch of salt, then simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken, barbecue sauce, and pepper and cook 2 more minutes. Taste, add more sauce if you like, then garnish with shredded cheese and cilantro and serve.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The pasta cooks in its own sauce. Simmering the spaghetti in a measured mix of water and chicken broth means the starch it releases thickens the liquid into a light sauce that clings to every strand, no draining and no separate pot.
- Quick cooking pasta is the shortcut. One pan spaghetti is cut to cook in about 8 minutes right in the skillet. Regular spaghetti works too, it just needs a few extra minutes and a splash more liquid.
- Rotisserie chicken saves 30 minutes. Already cooked, seasoned, and juicy, it just needs to warm through at the end, which keeps the meat tender instead of overcooked.
- BBQ sauce goes in at the end. Adding it after the pasta simmers keeps the sugars from scorching on the pan bottom and lets you dial the smoky sweetness to taste.
- Sauteed red onion builds the base. Five minutes in butter turns sharp onion sweet and mellow, echoing the barbecue flavors before the liquid ever hits the pan.
- Cheese and cilantro finish it fresh. Melty colby jack brings creamy richness while fresh cilantro cuts through the sweet smoky sauce so the last bite is as good as the first.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Dinner is done in about 25 minutes with just one skillet to wash.
- Store bought rotisserie chicken and pantry BBQ sauce mean almost no prep work.
- It uses rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, just like my tomato chicken pasta keeps things fast and fresh.
Key Ingredients
Shortcut friendly staples build a smoky, cheesy skillet dinner.
- Quick cooking spaghetti: The base. One pan style spaghetti simmers right in the skillet in about 8 minutes. Regular spaghetti works with a little extra time and liquid.
- Rotisserie chicken: The shortcut. Two cups of shredded, already cooked chicken warm through at the end and stay juicy.
- BBQ sauce: The flavor. Use your favorite bottle, smoky, sweet, or spicy, and add more to taste at the end.
- Red onion: The aromatic. Sauteed in butter until translucent, it sweetens the whole base of the dish.
- Colby jack cheese: The melt. Shredded over the hot pasta, it turns creamy without needing a cheese sauce.
- Cilantro: The finish. A fresh, bright note that balances the rich barbecue flavors.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
One skillet, endless barbecue directions.
- Stir in a handful of frozen corn or canned black beans with the chicken for a southwest spin.
- Swap the colby jack for smoked gouda or sharp cheddar for a deeper flavor.
- Use leftover pulled pork or chopped brisket in place of the chicken.
- For a creamy skillet dinner instead, my steak alfredo is ready in about 20 minutes.
- Top with crispy fried onions or sliced jalapenos for crunch and heat.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Pasta
- Place a heavy bottomed skillet, not cast iron, over medium high heat. Saute the sliced red onions in the butter for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
- Add the spaghetti, cold water, and chicken broth along with a pinch of salt. Set a timer for 8 minutes and simmer, stirring occasionally, until about three quarters of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and cook another 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more sauce if desired.
- Garnish with the shredded cheese and cilantro leaves, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Skip the cast iron for this one. A heavy bottomed nonstick or stainless skillet keeps the starchy simmer and sweet BBQ sauce from sticking and scorching.
- Stir every couple of minutes. The pasta releases starch as it simmers, and occasional stirring keeps the strands separated and off the pan bottom.
- Watch the liquid, not just the timer. You want about three quarters absorbed before the chicken goes in, leaving just enough to become the sauce.
- Warm the chicken, do not cook it. Rotisserie chicken only needs 2 minutes in the pan. Longer and it starts to dry out.
- Add BBQ sauce gradually. Start with a quarter cup, taste, and build. Sauces vary wildly in sweetness and smoke.
- Let the cheese melt off the heat. Sprinkle it over the finished pasta and cover for a minute, the residual heat melts it perfectly.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Start with a scoop of my creamy broccoli gnocchi as a veggie forward side.
My Tuscan chicken pasta is the fancy cousin for date night.
For another family favorite, my chili mac and cheese never misses.
And my cheeseburger pasta rounds out the one pan dinner lineup.
BBQ Chicken Pasta FAQs
Yes. Quick cooking one pan spaghetti is the shortcut this recipe was built around, but regular spaghetti works in the same skillet. Add about a half cup more water, expect the simmer to take 11 to 13 minutes instead of 8, and keep stirring so the strands do not clump. Break the noodles in half if your skillet is on the smaller side.
Whatever bottle your family already loves. A sweet Kansas City style sauce gives the classic smoky sweet flavor, a vinegar forward Carolina sauce keeps it tangier, and a chipotle sauce adds heat. Start with a quarter cup, taste, and add more at the end, the sauce flavor concentrates as it coats the pasta.
Absolutely. Dice one large boneless chicken breast and saute it with the onions until cooked through, then continue with the recipe as written. You can also use any leftover cooked chicken or even leftover grilled chicken, which adds a nice smoky note that plays perfectly with the BBQ sauce.
Three things, use a heavy bottomed skillet that distributes heat evenly, keep the liquid at a steady simmer rather than a hard boil, and stir every couple of minutes. The starch the pasta releases is what makes the sauce silky, but it needs movement to keep it from gluing the noodles to the pan.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pasta absorbs sauce as it sits, so reheat it in a skillet or microwave with a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen it back up. Stir in a little extra BBQ sauce after reheating to refresh the flavor.
Yes, if your pan can handle it. Use a wide 12 inch deep skillet or a Dutch oven, double everything, and expect the simmer to take a few extra minutes since the larger volume of liquid heats slower. Stir a little more often, the deeper pasta layer is more prone to sticking at the bottom.
Made this BBQ chicken pasta? Leave a comment and a star rating below, and tell me which BBQ sauce you used!
One Pan BBQ Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup red onion sliced thin
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Box Barilla® Pronto™ Spaghetti
- 2 Cups cold water
- 1 Cup unsalted chicken broth
- 2 Cups cooked rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1/2 Cup shredded colby/montery jack cheese
- 1/4 Cup BBQ sauce or more to taste
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place heavy bottom skillet (not cast iron) over medium high heat. Saute onions in butter for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until translucent.
- Add in the pasta, water and chicken stock. Add in a pinch of salt. Set timer to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until 3/4 of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add in the chicken, bbq sauce and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Cook an additional 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and sauce, add more sauce if desired and stir to combine.
- Garnish with cheese and cilantro, enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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