Chicken & Spaghetti, Iii
Submitted by sucks
A whole hen simmers until tender, then the broth does double duty cooking the spaghetti and building a rich 3-hour tomato sauce with mushrooms and bell peppers. Layered with cheese for a hearty Southern casserole.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
4 hrsY’all, this is the real deal. A whole hen gets simmered until the meat practically falls off the bone, and that golden broth becomes the backbone of everything that follows.
The skimmed fat kicks off a tomato sauce loaded with celery, bell peppers, mushrooms, and garlic that bubbles away for three hours until it’s thick and deeply savory.
Even the spaghetti gets cooked right in the broth so every strand soaks up that rich chicken flavor.
Layer it all up in a big casserole with a pound of grated cheese and you’ve got a dish worth every minute of that slow simmer.
Kitchen Tips
- Skim the fat from the broth while it’s warm; it separates much easier
- Add a couple of bouillon cubes to the spaghetti water if the broth tastes mild
- Hold the final layer of cheese until just before serving so it stays gooey and stretchy
- This freezes well before adding the last cheese layer
Ingredients
Directions
Cook hen in water until tender.
Remove and debone.
Skim fat from broth to use in sauce.
Combine fat, tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms and garlic.
Simmer about 3 hrs., adding broth as needed.
Cook spaghetti in remaining broth, adding a little water if necessary.
Add a couple of bouillon cubes to boost flavor, if desired.
Drain.
In 3 to 5 qt. casserole dish layer spaghetti, chicken, sauce and cheese.
Put last layer of cheese on just before serving.
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