MOM'S CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

Mom's Chicken Tetrazzini image

This is a recipe that my mom used to make on a small budget with 3 kids. I've taken this to many potlucks and always get asked for the recipe. It's not as fancy as some, but it makes my family pant at the oven until it's done. Plus, it's a great make-ahead meal.

Provided by Sugarmagnolia_fl

Time 2h15m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 lb spaghetti
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed (light)
10 1/2 ounces cream of mushroom soup (healty requests)
10 1/2 ounces cream of chicken soup (healthy requests)
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, diced (1/2 sm. pkg)
2 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
1 garlic clove, crushed
10 1/2 ounces milk
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chicken broth (optional)
cooking spray

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water and add chicken. Boil chicken until cooked through. They will float when they are done (about 10-15 minutes).
Meanwhile, preheat a 10-inch skillet to medium heat with about 2 Tbsp olive oil, enough for a light coat on the bottom of the pan. Dice mushrooms, slice green onion and crush garlic. When pan is preheated, add all veggies and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until crisp tender, 3-5 minutes.
Add both cans of soup, and then fill one can with milk and add to skillet; mix well. Stir in cubed cheese. Cheese will melt as sauce simmers.
Let sauce simmer while you pull out the done chicken from the pot, reserving the hot water. If the chicken is not yet done, turn the temperature down on the sauce until chicken is done. When chicken is removed from the water, skim the top of the water for any residuals.
Add additional water (or chicken broth) as necessary and bring water back to a boil. Cook spaghetti in this water until al dente.
While spaghetti is cooking, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add to simmering cheese sauce. And keep stirring the sauce occasionally during all this; you don't want it to burn on the bottom!
When spaghetti is cooked al dente, drain in a colander and return to pot. Add sauce to spaghetti and mix well, making sure all the pasta is well coated.
Spray 13x9 casserole with cooking spray. Add spaghetti mixture to casserole, making sure to press into the corners. Cover with Aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. After an hour, remove cover and bake an additional 15-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and casserole is golden on top.
Let cool 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares with a spatula and serve with your favorite veggie or salad. YUM!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 758.5, Fat 30.8, SaturatedFat 14.5, Cholesterol 115.1, Sodium 1845.6, Carbohydrate 74.6, Fiber 2.8, Sugar 8.8, Protein 44