Chicken and Spaghetti
- 1 (5 lb) chicken, poached, meat cut into bite-sized pieces and broth reserved
- 16 -24 ounces spaghetti
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 4 -8 celery ribs, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (4 ounce) cans mushroom pieces (see Note)
- 1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (7 1/2 ounce) can black olives, sliced (may also use stuffed olives)
- 1 (4 ounce) can chopped pimiento (see Note)
- garlic salt, to taste
- 1 lb longhorn cheese, grated (known as "rat cheese" in the south)
- Drain poached chicken, reserving broth.
- Debone chicken and tear or cut into bite-sized pieces; reserve.
- Return broth to large pot, holding back a cup or so, and cook spaghetti in reserved poaching liquid following package directions; drain and reserve.
- Saute together the green pepper, onions, celery, and garlic until onions are wilted and golden.
- Combine sauteed mixture with drained canned mushroom pieces, soup, olives, pimientos, spaghetti, garlic salt and chicken meat.
- Spoon mixture into two buttered 13- x 9-inch casseroles.
- You may want to moisten casseroles with a little of the held-back chicken broth.
- Top with grated cheese.
- Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven 30 minutes or until bubbly.
- Note: Instead of using canned mushrooms, I prefer to buy an 8-ounce package of sliced mushrooms and saute them in a separate pan.
- I also prefer to use roasted red peppers instead of the pimientos.
- I buy the desired amount (usually 2 or 3) from the olive bar in the grocery store, and chop them up.
- To freeze one casserole: Line baking dish with aluminum foil which is twice as long as dish is wide.
- Butter the foil instead of the dish.
- Assemble casserole in dish and freeze.
- When frozen remove from dish, foil and all.
- Wrap casserole in foil and return to freezer.
- This frees the baking dish for another use.
- When ready to bake, remove foil and return casserole to baking dish.
- Thaw casserole before baking.
- If casserole is straight from the refrigerator, you'll have to allow at least 15 minutes extra baking time.
- Be sure to heat until casserole bubbly.
chicken, spaghetti, green pepper, onions, celery, garlic, mushroom, condensed cream, black olives, pimiento, garlic salt, longhorn cheese
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/chicken-and-spaghetti-327943 (may not work)