Chicken Spaghetti

2 cups cooked chicken (I use rotisserie chicken)
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 4-oz jar diced pimentos, drained (optional for me)
3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two-inch pieces
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt (I used plain salt this time)
1 additional cup grated Cheddar cheese

For this dish, you have 2 options for your chicken: You can either boil 1 cut up fryer in water and then pick off the meat to make two cups, or you can buy a rotisserie chicken and pick off the meat from that until you have 2 cups (about half the chicken). Either way, I don't suggest boiling chicken breasts and using that because you lose so much of the flavor without the dark meat. And really, who doesn't love a little dark meat? Anyway, if you boiled your own chicken, you can go ahead and boil your pasta in the leftover broth to give them a yummy flavor. I just mixed about 4 cups of water with 1 or 2 bouillon cubes (that would be why my water looks yellow).



Okay, the great chicken debate is settled. We can now continue. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Don't overcook your noodles (!) because they'll cook a little bit more in the casserole. Meanwhile, saute your green pepper and onion a little in a skillet.



When the pasta is done, combine with the vegetables, soup, 1 cup cheese, salt & pepper, and pimentos, if you're into that sort of thing. I have an aversion to pimentos because my mom used to make me eat pimento cheese sandwiches when I was little ("Try it one more time, I know you'll like it!"). So I leave the pimentos out. Sorry, Mama.



Place the mixture in a casserole pan and top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.



According to Pioneer Woman, you can freeze it up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or cook right away: 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Watch the cheese on top, though, and cover with foil if it starts to get over-cooked.



Adapted (only slightly) from Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti