If you live in the South, you know that chicken spaghetti a very popular dish for everyday family meals and potluck dinners. The spicy Rotel tomatoes with chile peppers are often used, and many people add a can of condensed soup to the casserole. There are a number of ways to make it.
This particular recipe is easy scaled-down with less pasta, tomatoes, and chicken, and half of the cheese.
Use a roasted chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken for the dish. Turkey would be excellent as well.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds, cut up)
- 1 (12 to 16 ounces) package vermicelli or spaghetti
- 2 large green bell peppers (chopped, or use both red and green)
- 2 pounds onions (chopped)
- 2 celery stalks (chopped)
- 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 2 (approx. 10 oz each) cans Rotel tomatoes (diced)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound Cheddar cheese (grated)
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Put the chicken pieces in a large pot and cover with water.
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Bring the chicken to a boil over high heat.
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Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes.
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Remove the chicken from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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Put the pot with the chicken broth over high heat and bring it back to a boil.
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Add the spaghetti and cook following the package directions until just tender (al dente).
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Drain pasta, but do not rinse.
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When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and chop.
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In a Dutch oven or deep, heavy skillet, sauté the bell peppers, onion, celery, and mushrooms in the butter.
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Add the Rotel tomatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes to let the flavors blend.
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Add the cooked and drained spaghetti, the diced cooked chicken, and the cheddar cheese.
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Simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the mixture is bubbly.
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Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Replace one of the cans of Rotel tomatoes with a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup (10 3/4 ounces).
- Omit the celery, if desired.
- Use a large store-bought rotisserie chicken for the chicken and commercial chicken broth for cooking the liquid for the spaghetti. Or use about 4 to 6 cups of diced leftover chicken or turkey and 2 cups of commercial chicken.
- Add a dash of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
- To bake the dish, transfer the vegetable and tomato mixture to a large baking dish and add the spaghetti, chicken, and half of the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese and bake in a 350 F/180 C/Gas 4 oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
963 | Calories |
61g | Fat |
24g | Carbs |
77g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 to 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 963 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 61g | 78% |
Saturated Fat 26g | 132% |
Cholesterol 276mg | 92% |
Sodium 673mg | 29% |
Total Carbohydrate 24g | 9% |
Dietary Fiber 4g | 15% |
Protein 77g | |
Calcium 486mg | 37% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |