CHICKENETTI

With the holidays over, it is time to get down to some serious cooking. The extra pounds that were added because of all of the goodies and eating out need to come off. That means I start looking for recipes for main dishes that will give us a number of meals. (I don't want to have to cook everyday.) I found several using chicken in The Farmhouse Kitchen cookbook from the Amish Community of Greenville, PA. We love chicken and had actually taken a break from it so guess what we are going to be eating in January?

This first recipe I tried from Matthias & Naomi Mast was called Chickenetti. It was definitely a winner. I decided to use shredded Colby Jack cheese instead of the Velveeta. We think it gave it a lighter taste.

CHICKENETTI

8       oz. spaghetti (I had an open box and guessed. I had almost 4 cups of cooked spaghetti which was plenty.)
1       tablespoon oil
2      tablespoons chopped onion
3      tablespoons butter
1       tablespoon flour
1       cup chicken broth
1       teaspoon salt
1       teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt
1       teaspoon garlic salt
1       cup milk
1       can cream of chicken soup
1       cup Velveeta cheese (I used shredded Colby Jack cheese)
2      tablespoons parsley
3      cups diced chicken (I used a 13 - ounce can of chicken breast and shredded it up with my fingers)
1       cup buttered cracker crumbs ( I used regular saltines)
1       teaspoon chili powder (optional) (I did omit)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water for 8 minutes. Stir in oil and drain. (I used whole grain spaghetti.)

Saute onion in butter in a skillet until tender (green and red pepper can also be added for color).

Blend in flour.

Add broth gradually, stirring constantly until thickened. (I used the water/broth that was in the can.)

Add salts, milk, soup, and cheese. (I added all but the cheese and stirred to mix well. 

(I realized at this point that they never said to add the chicken and parsley so I added it before I added the cheese.)

Then I added the cheese.

Heat until the cheese melts; 

combine with the spaghetti. (I did this in the casserole dish as my skillet wasn't big enough for all of it.)

Put in baking dish and

top with buttered cracker crumbs. (As I said, I didn't have the butter cracker so I just used saltines. I sprayed the top with cooking spray after 35 minutes.)

Bake for 45 minutes.






Since the recipe makes plenty, feel free to invite family or friends over to help you eat it if you don't like leftovers. This recipe will fill a Lifetime roaster if you make 4 times the recipe.