When Grams was growing up, my mom used to make a dish she called Chicken Spaghetti. It's an understatement to say I was not fond of it. I hated it so much that I pretty much refused to eat it. Since then, just the mention of Chicken Spaghetti makes my appetite disappear. I'm 55 years old and I haven't eaten Chicken Spaghetti in at least 40 years. That's how much I didn't like it.
Last week at my book club, the hostess announced that she made Chicken Spaghetti. I was kind of stricken with fear at the thought of eating it. I really didn't expect to like it, but it was delicious. I liked it so much that I came home, looked up the recipe, and made it myself just two days later.
This is a Paula Deen recipe. Her recipe called for 3 1/2 cups of cooked chicken and a teaspoon of salt. I used a rotisserie chicken and I omitted the salt. Be aware that this makes 10-12 generous servings. This is going to be my new "go to" dish for pot luck dinners.
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup (reduced sodium)
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of chicken soup (reduced sodium)
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
1 (4.25-ounce) can chopped black olives, drained
1 (4-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
½ cup sour cream
1 rotisserie chicken, de-boned and torn into small pieces
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (16-ounce) package angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions
¾ cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
If your skillet is big enough add broth, soups, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms and sour cream. Stir in chicken and cheese. Add pasta, tossing gently to coat. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. (If your skillet is not big enough, use a big mixing bowl.)
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately.
