Ultimate Chicken Spaghetti

Our days are rarely perfect. We clash with coworkers, fight traffic, experience loss, the list goes on. And when things turn sour, we often turn toward the things that make us the happiest. Family, friends, and food often rank high on the scale.

For many of us, comfort food is where our minds go. But what is comfort food? Simply put, it’s food that makes us feel better. It’s Mom’s chicken soup. It’s mac and cheese, a steaming bowl of grits or oatmeal, and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Comfort food is made up of dishes that hold memories for us. Comfort food makes us happy.

With the loss of our sweet family pet recently, comfort food has been on the menu a lot at the Little household. Sometimes a hearty stick-to-your ribs meal is just what the heart wants.

Yeah, yeah, calories… blah, blah, blah, but still. Calories don’t count when your heart hurts, right???

For me, one of my ultimate comfort foods is cheesy chicken spaghetti. You know which one… Velveeta Cheese and Rotel tomatoes. Yep. That one. I just love the stuff.

There’s just something about this gooey, cheesy pasta with just a hint of spice that takes me back to my childhood. It’s probably one of my all-time favorite dishes. One bite and I’m instantly taken back to my parents’ worn oak dining room table. My spot was down at the end of the table and there was a bare spot where I spilled some nail polish remover one time trying to get a label off something.

They still have that same table and though Dad has worked to repair it, you can still see a little bit of the spot where I used to sit. I love sitting at that table now and thinking about all the happy times we have spent around it.

Chicken – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but an equal amount of chicken tenderloins or chicken thighs could be used as well. You could even use 4 to 5 cups of shredded leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken.

Spaghetti – Be sure to cook the spaghetti noodles to just al dente (or even just under) according to the package directions as they will continue to cook once the casserole is baked.

Ro*Tel – Also referred to simply as Rotel, is a canned blend of tomatoes and green chilis. The product is sold in varying heat levels (Mild, Original, and Hot), so pick one that suits your taste – just avoid the ones that have lime added.

Cream of Mushroom – Personally, I feel chicken spaghetti just isn’t chicken spaghetti without some cream of mushroom soup. It gives the dish great savory flavor. Cream of chicken soup can be used, however.

Velveeta – If you’re not a fan of Velveeta cheese, you probably want to skip this recipe. It’s also a required ingredient – in my opinion. But I know some readers have made it without it.

Cream Cheese – While this isn’t an ingredient frequently seen in this recipe, I feel it gives the dish a creaminess that my whole family loves.

Garlic Powder & Onion Powder – These give the sauce great flavor. I often use granulated garlic or onion as well.

Cheddar Cheese – Some sharp cheddar cheese on the top gives you even more cheesiness and you’ll get that super satisfying cheese pull! Other shredded cheese will work as well. Mozzarella cheese or Italian and Mexican blends work, too.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.