If you’re counting calories, this is not the dish for you. If you are in need of some delicious, stick-to-your-bones, carb-loving comfort food, then read on, my friends.
We recently suffered a pretty significant loss in our family as one of our four-legged best friends passed away. I say significant because in our home, our pets are family, and it hurts when you lose one. It‘s been a pretty bad week, and everyone in the home is feeling the loss. I decided that we needed some comfort food.
No one has perfect days all the time; we deal with traffic, coworker drama, family issues, loss, and the list goes on. And when things turn sideways, we often head towards the things that bring us joy. And in my case, it’s the three Fs: Family, Friends, and Food.
It’s where the term comfort food comes from. To put it simply, it’s food that makes us feel better, puts a smile on our faces, and fulfills a need. I think depending on who you are and what makes you happy, comfort food can be a variety of things: Mom’s mac & cheese, gooey pizza with lots of cheese, chicken and dumplings—you get the point—it’s whatever food makes you feel better and elicits fond memories and joy.
This week we need joy and comfort, so I went to the kitchen to make a favorite of ours. No, I’m not worried about the calories or the carbs; I’m just worried about making something that will make us all feel a bit better. There’s just something about this cheesy pasta with its gooey cheese and hint of spice that makes me smile. Paired with some delicious crusty Italian bread, and it’s just about perfect. It’s one of my all-time favorite dishes; it's easy to make, filling, and puts a smile on mine and my family's faces.
Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes; Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. chicken (breasts or thighs, boneless, skinless)
- 1 box of spaghetti (16 ounces)
- 1 can of RoTel tomatoes (10 ounces)
- 2 cans of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup (10.5 oz)
- 3/4 brick of Velveeta cheese (12 ounces)
- 1/2 brick of cream cheese (4 ounces)
- 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups X-sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
Instructions:
- Grab a large pot and add your chicken. Fill with water just to cover the chicken. Cook on medium-low until the chicken is cooked through. Don’t boil, as that will turn your chicken tough. Pull the chicken from the water and shred it with two forks; set aside.
- Set your oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Using a nonstick cooking spray, lightly grease a 139-inch dish.
- Using the water that you cooked your chicken in, add your pasta and cook per package directions. Drain and set your pasta to the side. Keep your empty pot for making the sauce.
- Using your chicken or pasta pan, combine your can of Rotel (do not drain), both cans of cream of mushroom soup (undiluted), Velveeta, and cream cheese. On low heat, cook till the cheese has melted, making sure to stir frequently. Add your garlic and onion powders. Next, toss in your shredded chicken, cooked spaghetti, and half of your shredded cheddar cheese (about 3/4 cup). Mix well and pour into the prepared 9x13 pan. Top with the remaining 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake until cheese has melted and spaghetti is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Enjoy Friends! ❤️
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