Chicken spaghetti

 
                             Chicken Spaghetti
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 6    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Pasta                            Tex-mex
                 Alcohol
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
   12       oz           Spaghetti -- cooked and still
                         -warm
    1       T            Unsalted butter
    2       T            Bacon drippings
    1       lg           Onion -- chopped
    3                    Celery ribs -- chopped
    1                    Green bell pepper -- chopped
    1       c            Mushrooms (about 10-12 med.)
                         -minced
    3                    Cloves garlic -- minced
    1       t            Worcestershire sauce
    2       ts           Chili powder
    1       T            All-purpose flour
    1 1/2   c            Beer or chicken stock
                         -unsalted
    3                    Ripe tomatoes -- preferably
                         Roma or another Italian
                         -plum variety
      1/4   c            Chili sauce
      3/4   c            Half and half
    2       T            Parsley -- minced
    2       c            Cooked chicken -- diced or
                         -shredded
      1/2   c            Pimento-stuffed green olives
                         -sliced
    2       c            Medium cheddar cheese
                         -grated (about 8 oz)
 
   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a large baking dish. In
   a bowl, toss the spaghetti with the butter, and set it aside.
   
   Warm the bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the
   onion, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, Worcestershire
   sauce, and chili powder together until the vegetables are well
   softened, about 15 minutes; cover the skillet if the mixture
   appears to be getting dry.  Sprinkle in the flour, stirring to
   incorporate it, and add the beer or stock, the tomatoes, and the
   chili sauce.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a
   simmer, and cook the sauce for 30 minutes, until it has thickened
   slightly and reduced a bit.  Remove the pan from the heat, and stir
   in the half and half and parsley.  Pour the sauce over the
   spaghetti and toss well.
   
   Layer half the spaghetti and sauce mixture in the baking dish.  Top
   with half each of the chicken, olives, and cheese.  Add the other
   half of the spaghetti, and top with the remaining chicken, olives,
   and cheese.  (The casserole can be assembled ahead to this point,
   covered, and refrigerated, overnight.  Remove it from the
   refrigerator 30 minutes before baking it.)  Bake the casserole 25
   minutes or until the cheese melts and the sauce bubbles heartily
   around the edges.  Serve the casserole hot.  Serves 6.
  
 
 
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