Father-Friendly Chicken Spaghetti

By Kelly Bogard

Dad, Daddy, Papa, Pops… Whatever you call them, it’s time to celebrate our fathers. Growing up, I fondly remember Father’s Day as a day that the whole family got together—multiple generations under one roof to celebrate with food.

Typically, this meal was centered around some sort of beef. Let’s face it—most men are the “meat and potatoes kind,” but every once in a while, a change to the menu is welcomed. Such is the case of this recipe. Now, this is not your average Chicken Spaghetti. There is no celery, bell peppers or sour cream. This is a rich, creamy version of Chicken Spaghetti with spinach and mushrooms. It reminds me of something Olive Oyl might make Popeye for Father’s Day.

For Father-Friendly Chicken Spaghetti, you will need…
1 whole chicken, 4-5 lbs.
2 to 3 cubes chicken bouillon
2 tbsp. dried chives
1 tbsp. dried parsley
9 oz. fresh spinach
8 oz. fresh mushrooms
1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of chicken soup
2-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 pkg. (13 oz.) spaghetti noodles

First things, first. In a large stock pot, bring 8-12 cups of water, bouillon, chives and parsley to a boil. This will create some wonderful flavoring for the chicken and then later the pasta.

While your water is heating, wash and pat dry your chicken, and remove the internal pieces. Season with salt and pepper and place in the pot of boiling water. Be careful not to splash the hot water on you or anyone else. Because you are cooking a whole chicken, this will take 45 minutes to an hour.

With your chicken cooking, go ahead and prepare your vegetables. Tear the spinach into smaller pieces. I usually just grab a handful and tear it once or twice. Also, rough chop your mushrooms into big chunks. You also could add some red onion or artichoke hearts to this recipe, if you like.

Once your chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the pot to cool, but leave the broth. This is where you are going to boil your spaghetti. It really picks up the favor and is super yummy.

Bring the water back up to a boil and add the noodles. While the noodles are cooking, you can break down your chicken. Remove the skin and bones, leaving only the meat. Then rough chop it and add it to the veggies. Also, go ahead and preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once your noodles are cooked, remove them from the water and stir them in with the chicken and vegetables. At this point, you might realize you need a bigger bowl. I usually do. Stir in about 1-1/2 cups of the cheese and the soups.

Now that everything is mixed, pour it all into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes, and it is ready to serve. This is a freezer-friendly recipe, so you can make it in advance, if you want. Then, just let it defrost, and pop it in the oven when you are ready for it.

Here’s wishing all you dads a Happy Father’s Day. Thank you for scaring away the Boogie Man, catching us when we fall and teaching us how to become better people.

From all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!

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Recipe: Father-Friendly Chicken Spaghetti

Summary: Warm and creamy man-pleasing chicken and pasta

Ingredients