Chicken Spaghetti for an army.
(Really a small platoon. Or a large squad.)
2 packages spaghetti (bronze cut if you can find it)
1 pound chopped or shredded chicken
(we found HEB has packaged pre-shredded chicken, so we cheated and didn’t cook our own chicken or, like we had planned, buy a roasted chicken and pick it apart ourselves. Thanks, HEB!)
1 red bell pepper, fine diced
1 yellow bell pepper, fine diced
1 and 1/2 medium onions, fine diced
8 oz package of mushrooms, diced
6 cloves of garlic, through a garlic press
1 can Cream of Chicken
1 can Cream of Mushroom
2 + cups of chicken stock
1 12oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes, drained and chopped
8oz sharp cheddar, grated
8oz gouda (not smoked), grated
Dried Italian seasoning (unsalted) (sub any combination of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram…)
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh parsley
Salt
Pepper
Sliced black olives for garnish
Pre-heat oven to 350
Place a large skillet on medium heat.
Tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet and add onions and bell peppers and saute just until onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and put aside.
Tablespoon of olive oil or butter in the same skillet. Add mushrooms and saute until they begin to release liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Add 3 cloves pressed garlic and saute with mushrooms 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from pan and put aside.
Another tablespoon of olive oil in the large skillet, add a tablespoon of Italian seasoning, cook 30 seconds until bloomed, add chicken and toss to coat in oil and seasoning. Cook until just heated through. Season with Salt and Pepper. Stir in remaining pressed garlic.
Add sauteed onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms to the chicken in the skillet. Stir to combine.
Add can of Cream of Mushroom soup and 1 cup of chicken stock. Stir to combine.
Add can of Cream of Chicken soup and another 1 cup of chicken stock. Stir to combine.
Add can of drained tomatoes.
Add 1/2 grated cheddar and 1/2 grated gouda, stir to combine
Stir in chopped parsley (reserving a tablespoon for garnish)
Add salt and pepper to taste, and any additional Italian seasoning.
Let simmer on low while you cook the spaghetti.
Break spaghetti into 1/3s or 1/2s and cook according to package directions.
Oil a large casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil.
In the casserole dish, combine chicken mixture and cooked spaghetti. Mix well.
Add any additional chicken stock if it seems too dry.
Add remaining cheese to top and garnish with sliced black olives and fresh parsley.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
If you need to, place under broiler to brown cheese.