Chicken Spaghetti is a common Sunday dinner casserole for me and many of my contemporaries, especially when we were young. A humble dish, as casseroles are, but special nonetheless. Sometimes made on Saturday to bake once we got home from church on Sunday, it was and is as comforting as macaroni and cheese, as satisfying as chicken and dumplings, and as underrated as most every cherished dish I grew up loving and still crave to this day.
It is not a baked version of an Italian spaghetti where chicken is substituted for ground meat. It is called “Chicken Spaghetti” because it is made with the same long, thin pasta, but other than that, the two have little in common.
By the time I was a teenager, we lived in an old house in midtown Mobile, Alabama. It was built in 1900 and had lots of character, but no central air conditioning or heat. During the chillier months, casseroles were king. The cooler the weather, the more we wanted something cozy and unpretentious, something easy to eat after you changed into warm pajamas and snuggled into the warmest room of the house, which was the living room with the fireplace.
Chicken Spaghetti is still a favorite as it is comfort food of the highest order. With only a two person household of my husband and me, this recipe yields much more than a single meal, and that might be the best part: Not having to cook, or decide what to cook, for dinner the following few nights after making it. I try and enforce the 3-Day Rule regarding leftovers, but neither of us tire of this creamy, cheesy, all-in-one to reheat at the end of a busy, chilly day.
In the last several weeks, I have asked nearly everyone I have run into if they too grew up with Chicken Spaghetti, and if so, did theirs have tomatoes? Nearly 100% did and turns out to be about even-steven whether theirs had tomatoes or not. Despite the small differences in seasonings and vegetables, including tomatoes or not is what divides home recipes. I have eaten many versions, both with and without, and although I prefer the contrast and brightness the tomatoes bring to the otherwise creamy mix, you will love Chicken Spaghetti even if you choose to omit the juicy nightshades.
My recent conversations about this popular recipe led to all kinds of sharing. So I have to ask, Are you one of the unfortunate folks whose experience with casseroles left you traumatized? Or at least unwilling to believe a one-dish wonder exists? If so, Chicken Spaghetti is for you; in fact, I have several all-in-ones’s that might change your tune.
Honestly, I had no idea the damage done by bad casseroles. I understand at their least inspired, they can be not very tasty and not very healthy — two insults that get hurled at them regularly, and oftentimes for good reason. But I had no idea the depth of negative feeling existed around an entire category of food.
Granted, I have only praise for the casseroles of my youth, all of which remain in my repertoire today, but I have seen all sorts of creations across social media. With combinations I can only hope are meant to be jokes, I have watched wide-eyed as people heap and layer pure junk ‘foods' into a Pyrex, bake it and call it dinner. Just knowing these dishes are out there in the world, I am not surprised many gag when they hear the word casserole.
My judgement of these online reels begs the question, “What exactly constitutes a junk food or a junk meal?" I think most would turn their noses up at the horror-show creations I have seen, but just because I would not choose to start a casserole with sliced hotdog wieners, crushed Doritos, a tin of French fried onions, frozen tater tots and a can of spray cheese does not mean my ten year-old self would not have been intrigued.
I believe casseroles disappoint for the same reasons soups, salads, side dishes and other mains do: They lack flavor because they are not seasoned properly, the ingredients do not go together and are not complementary, the quality does not meet your personal standards, the texture is unappealing, or heaven forbid, all of the above.
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At the age I am now, my stomach and digestive system do the judging for me regarding what is quality and what is junk. I do not have to wonder or guess. I know straightaway and with abundant clarity. I may get called a food snob on occasion, but that intended insult does not sting. I know what works for me.
Food preferences are personal and even cyclical. I eat differently at different times of the year, when healing from illness, and while dining out or celebrating a special occasion. I am a casserole fan because I grew up on good ones so I make good ones. They are well-crafted and tasty.
I also understand the place of a casserole and do not expect them to be more than they are. They are not elegant dining; they are home cooking. They epitomize comfort and ease. They are a big warm hug and make life simple, because you can make them ahead of time, serve them with a paper napkin and have everyone put their one dish right into the dishwasher when done.
Casseroles can be just as healthy, and certainly as delicious as any other meal you make, but they will never be more than the sum of their parts. Nowadays, you can find any type of cheese, dairy, pasta and flour imaginable. If you are vegetarian, gluten-free or abstain from cow’s milk or only consume A2 or 100% grass-fed, you can get it. If you prefer organically grown, avoid high fructose corn syrup, GMO’s or eschew factory farmed meats and eggs, you can find substitutes and ingredients that meet your standards with relative ease. Heck, you can raise your own chickens and make your own pasta. If not, you can buy from someone who does. The degree to which you go all in for quality is up to you.
Chicken Spaghetti has been around for a long time, long enough for some truly bizarre versions to appear that I would not recommend. This one I am sharing with you is supremely good, whether you make it with the most regular of canned foods or elevate it with ingredients you deem to be the very best of the best. It is hard to go wrong with Chicken Spaghetti.
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Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces OR 1 rotisserie chicken/ precooked chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 large (any color) bell pepper, chopped (or jarred pimentos, drained)
3 stalks celery, chopped small
1 container mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (or a jar of mushrooms, drained)
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 can tomatoes, drained, or use fresh
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup (May need a little broth or milk to thin)
2 to 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 cups shredded cheddar or cheese of choice, divided
1 package spaghetti noodles, broken twice (into thirds)
Ground black pepper
Salt, if needed
Cayenne, for serving
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a 9x13 baking dish.
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If using raw chicken: Place pieces in a Dutch oven and add water just to cover. Add salt and optional seasoning ingredients like celery leaves and bay leaf and bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer low until done, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove chicken and allow to cool. Reserve broth/cooking liquid, setting aside a half cup in case you need some for the sauce. Use remaining to cook spaghetti. (If using rotisserie chicken/pre-cooked chicken, cook spaghetti in salted water according to package directions).
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Cook spaghetti until just al dente. Rinse and set aside.
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Shred chicken into bite sized pieces, discarding skin and bones.
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Wipe dry the pot used to cook spaghetti, and add olive oil.
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Heat over low-medium and add onions and cook until soft. Add celery, bell pepper, garlic and mushrooms and cook until all vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.
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In a large bowl, stir together both cans of soup, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, black pepper, (optional) pinch of cayenne and 2 cups of shredded cheese.
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Add all vegetables to the mixture, then add the chicken and cooked spaghetti. Add a minimal amount of broth if needed to thin mixture enough to combine well, but it should remain thick.
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Adjust salt, then spoon into prepared baking dish, top with remaining cup of shredded cheese and bake 45 to 60 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
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Sprinkle cayenne on individual serving according to heat preference.
Cook's Notes
Additions/Substitutions
-Use Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom or one can each. You can also make your own condensed soup with these basic proportions: 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup cream, half & half or dairy/nondairy of choice, and 1/2 cup broth. Start by sautéing onion (and sliced mushrooms if using) in butter, or use onion powder to season at the end. Stir flour into butter then slowly add broth and cream over low heat. Whisk if lumpy and allow time to thicken. Season with a dash of Worcestershire, salt, pepper.
-Make vegetarian with a chicken substitute like Quorn Chick’n: Thaw and break into smaller pieces then sauté in olive oil, salt and poultry seasoning before adding to spaghetti mixture in recipe.
-Omit the tomatoes altogether, or make more tomato-y by adding a tablespoon or two of tomato paste along with your fresh or canned tomatoes.
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