Best My Mothers Chicken Spaghetti Recipes

CHICKEN PARMESAN WITH MY MOTHER'S MARINARA SAUCE AND BUCATINI

Steps:

• For the sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes until the onions are softened slightly but not brown. Stir in the garlic, sugar and red pepper flakes. (If the onions begin to brown, add a splash of water.)
• Stir in the grated carrots and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and continue to cook until the carrots soften, about 2 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes. Cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes are fairly broken down and the sauce has thickened, at least 30 minutes. Season to taste and add water as necessary. Stir in the basil leaves. Keep the sauce warm.
• For the chicken: Lay a piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and use the smooth side of a meat mallet to pound into a 1/4-inch-thick cutlet. Repeat with remaining cutlet then slice both pieces in half.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Combine the breadcrumbs and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Crack the eggs in a second shallow dish and whisk to blend. Sprinkle the chicken pieces on both sides with salt and dip each thoroughly in the eggs; transfer to the breadcrumbs to thoroughly coat. Place the chicken on the paper towels.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt. (The pasta water should taste like seawater.) Add the pasta to the pot and stir so it doesn't stick. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente (chewy but not hard or raw tasting). Drain well and set aside.
• To finish the chicken: Fill a medium cast-iron skillet with about 1/3 to 1/2 cup canola oil (to come about 1/4 of the way up the sides) and heat over medium until the oil is just barely starting to smoke. Sprinkle the top of each cutlet with salt and gently place in the oil, salted-side down. Add the butter to the pan and as it begins to foam, shake the pan gently. Cook on the first side until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently flip to the second side, sprinkle with salt and carefully spoon some of the hot oil mixture on top. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from the pan with a slotted spatula to clean paper towels to drain slightly.
• Preheat the broiler with the rack in the highest position. Divide the sauce between 2 medium bowls, one for the pasta and one for the chicken Parmesan.
• To assemble the chicken Parmesan, add some tomato sauce to a small cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Layer with a couple mozzarella slices and the basil. Put one of the fried chicken cutlets on top of the basil, followed by another spoonful of sauce, then a second layer of mozzarella. Place the second chicken cutlet next, followed by a third layer of sauce, more mozzarella and a large sprinkle of Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken and other ingredients in a second small cast-iron skillet. Place the skillets on a sheet tray and broil until the cheese is melted and slightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Top with more freshly grated Parmesan.
• Toss the pasta and sauce together in a large bowl and taste for seasoning. Top with grated Parmesan. Serve with the skillets of chicken parm.

MY MOTHER'S CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Place the chicken with neck, gizzard, heart and liver in a kettle and add chicken broth to cover and salt to taste. Bring to the boil and simmer until the chicken is tender without being dry, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool.
• Remove the chicken and take the meat from the bones. Shred the meat, cover and set aside. Return the skin and bones to the kettle and cook the stock down 30 minutes or longer. There should be four to six cups of broth. Strain and reserve the broth. Discard the skin and bones.
• Meanwhile, put the tomatoes in a saucepan and cook down to half the original volume, stirring. There should be one and one‐half cups.
• Melt three tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring to blend with a wire whisk. When blended and smooth, add one cup of the reserved hot broth and the cream, stirring rapidly with the whisk. When thickened and smooth, add the nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• If the mushrooms are very small or button mushrooms, leave them whole. Otherwise, cut them in half or quarter them. Heat one tablespoon of butter in a small skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook, shaking the skillet occasionally and stirring the mushrooms until they are golden brown. Set aside.
• Heat three tablespoons of butter in a deep skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Add the celery and green pepper and cook, stirring, about five minutes. Do not overcook. The vegetables should remain crisp‐tender.
• Add the garlic, beef and pork and cook, stirring and chopping down with the edge of a large metal spoon to break up the meat. Cook just until the meat loses its red color. Add the bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Add the tomatoes and the white sauce made with the chicken broth. Add the mushrooms.
• Cook the spaghetti or spaghettini in boiling salted water until it is just tender. Do not overcook. Remember that it will cook again when blended with the chicken and meat sauce. Drain the spaghetti and run under cold running water.
• Spoon enough of the meat sauce over the bottom of a five‐ or six‐quart casserole to cover it lightly. Add about one‐third of the spaghetti. Add about one‐third of the shredded chicken, a layer of meat sauce, a layer of grated Cheddar cheese and another layer of spaghetti. Continue making layers, ending with a layer of spaghetti topped with a thin layer of meat sauce and grated Cheddar cheese.
• Pour in up to two cups of the reserved chicken broth or enough to almost but not quite cover the top layer of spaghetti. Cover and let the spaghetti stand for four hours or longer. If the liquid is absorbed as the dish stands, add a little more chicken broth. Remember that when this dish is baked and served, the sauce will be just a bit soupy rather than thick and clinging.
• When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. (One of the stipulations in the original recipe for this dish is that the spaghetti including all the ingredients be combined at least four hours before baking, but it's not necessary.)
• Place the spaghetti casserole on top of the stove and bring it just to the boil. Cover and place it in the oven. Bake 15 minutes and uncover. Bake 15 minutes longer or until the casserole is hot and bubbling throughout and starting to brown on top. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

MOM'S SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pot. Add onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until completely brown. Add tomatoes, paste, water, parsley, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Let come to a boil and then turn down heat to a simmer. Let simmer at low heat for at least one hour. If it becomes too thick you made add a little water as needed. That's it. Serve over your favorite pasta and your done.

MOM'S CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cook spaghetti according to package directions for al dente. Drain; transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Add 2 teaspoons butter and toss to coat. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 1 tablespoon in pan. Add mushrooms, onion and green pepper to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan., In same pan, heat remaining butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually whisk in broth. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add chicken, peas, pimientos and mushroom mixture; heat through, stirring occasionally. Spoon over spaghetti. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese., Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.