My Mom occasionally made Chicken Spaghetti for us when we were growing up in the Philippines. I don’t remember what she put in her Chicken Spaghetti, but this is my version created from the faded recollection of a much-enjoyed childhood dish. The ingredients don’t sound very “native” to the Philippines, but Filipinos love cream of mushroom soup and Velveeta cheese which were brought over by the Americans during World War II and which have remained Filipino favorites to this day (along with the ever-popular Spam, of course). LOL!
This recipe makes a really big casserole so it’s perfect for a party or a potluck. Feel free to cut the recipe in half if you’re feeding a smaller group of people.
CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
- 1 lb. spaghetti noodles, broken into thirds
- 1 cooked rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded (about 3-4 cups)
- 1 lb. bacon, diced into ½-inch pieces
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 small cans (4 oz. each) sliced mushrooms, undrained
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 lb. velveeta cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup water
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add spaghetti to boiling water and cook just until al dente.
- Pour into a colander to drain.
- Put bacon in the same pot you used to cook the spaghetti and fry until crispy.
- Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pot.
- Sauté onions in the bacon grease until they start to become translucent.
- Add red bell pepper and sauté until crisp-tender.
- Stir in the mushrooms with juice, mushroom soup, velveeta cheese, and water.
- Cook, stirring, until velveeta is completely melted.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Remove from heat, then stir in shredded chicken, cooked spaghetti, and bacon.
- Pour into an extra large casserole dish, or two medium size ones.
- Sprinkle top with shredded cheddar cheese, then grated parmesan cheese.
- Bake 30 minutes or until cheese is melted on top.
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