The Pioneer Woman: Chicken Spaghetti

It seems almost silly for me to give a recipe for chicken spaghetti.  Everyone does it differently.  And that's the beauty of it.  Hate tomatoes?  Leave them out.  Love mushrooms?  Add more.  Think there should be some garlic involved?  Ooohh....good idea.  As long as you have the basics (chicken, noodles, broth, canned soups) you can go off the reservation just as much as you want.  The end result is a creamy bowl of comfort any way you bake it.

Chicken Spaghetti
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman blog

1 whole raw chicken, about 4 pounds

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced

4 ounces sliced button mushrooms

1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
2½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar

1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 (10¾-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10¾-ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sliced green onions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken, salt, and pepper to the boiling water and boil for a few minutes, and then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, about 45 minutes, until tender.  In a separate pan, sauté the onion and mushrooms in the butter until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms start to brown.  Set aside.

Remove the chicken and 2 cups of the chicken cooking broth from the pot. When the chicken is cool, remove the skin and pick out the meat (a mix of dark and white). Discard the bones and skin.

Cook the spaghetti in the chicken cooking broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When the spaghetti is cooked, combine with the chicken, 1½ cups of the cheese, seasoned salt, soups, Rotel, cooked onions and mushrooms, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved chicken cooking broth, adding an additional cup if needed.

Place the mixture in a 9x13-inch casserole pan and top with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake immediately until bubbly, about 30 minutes. (If the cheese on top starts to get too dark, cover with foil.)  Top with sliced green onions, if desired.

Makes 8 servings