Comfort Food: Chicken Spaghetti

How about a recipe for today? I’d been craving the chicken spaghetti my husband’s late grandmother made for us one time in Oklahoma.

Craving it enough that I sent a text to my sister in law to see if she had the recipe. I have many recipes from his late grandmother including the “treasure” of clippings and handwritten ones I found while we were cleaning out the house. Unfortunately, this one was not among them.

Thankfully, my sister in law had it and sent it over to me. Finally, yesterday I made it.

Looks like the start of something healthy:

It’s veggies sautéing  in butter and the start of pure comfort food.

I had to buy a few ingredients I don’t usually buy for this recipe. When exactly did Velveeta cheese become as valuable as gold?! Yikes. Suffice it to say, I was really craving this chicken spaghetti to go through with that purchase.

The Recipe

As I said, my sister in law was kind enough to take pictures of her recipe cards and send them to me. I’m sharing this recipe in part so I can find it again and not have to look at a tiny text photo when I make it again.

My own recipe notes:

• I used rotisserie chicken, removed the most the meat and set it aside, then boiled it for the broth.
• Also, added in a couple of chicken bouillon cubes to give it a bit more flavor since I did make the following day after boiling the chicken.
• I used regular butter instead of oleo/margarine and used the stovetop not the microwave
• Left out the English peas
• Recipe didn’t say when to add in chicken, I just added it in first
• Found it easiest to just mix everything together with clean hands
• Probably easier to cube Velveeta cheese if it’s cold (I didn’t think to put it in the fridge)
• Cover with foil when baking until last few minutes to avoid drying out spaghetti

Finished Chicken Spaghetti:

Additional Notes:

• I made 3 small pans as my husband hates yellow cheese and so left the Velveeta off his portion. Added in the rotel liquid to give it a bit more flavor. And apparently, a bit too much pepper. Oops. He still said it was good.
• Completely forgot to top the casseroles with the chives. None of us noticed.
• Use a bit less Velveeta if dividing among 3 dishes and doing one without cheese. Oldest son said too cheesy. Still liked it though.
• Youngest son liked it enough to want to eat the leftovers for lunch today. And also, I might add said what’s the point without the cheese?
• It’s very filling, I have an entire 8×8 pan in the freezer for a meal on another day.

*****************

day 14/365