“This Southern classic is traditionally made with cooked pasta and condensed canned soup,” says Rach. “I don’t want to complicate a good thing, but just making a roux to start a quick scratch sauce is pretty easy too. Then the cook can control the salt, fat, quality and quantity of ingredients. After Thanksgiving, try making this dish with diced or pulled leftover turkey.”
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound spaghetti, broken into 2- to 3-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup chicken stock, plus 1 quart chicken stock or water
- ½ pound small crimini or medium white mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, chopped or grated
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup white wine or 1/3 cup dry sherry
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, meat torn or diced, OR 3-4 cups chopped cooked turkey
- One four-ounce jar pimiento peppers, well drained
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- Hot sauce, a few dashes to taste (Rach’s go-to is Tabasco)
- 1 cup Swiss or Jack cheese, shredded
- Parsley and chives, finely chopped, to garnish
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. When butter foams, add spaghetti and toast to deep golden and fragrant, then season with salt and pepper. Add stock or water to the pan and stir occasionally 7-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining EVOO and butter in skillet. Add mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf, brown the mushrooms, then season with salt and pepper. Add shallots, celery and garlic, and stir 2 minutes more. Add flour and combine well, then whisk in wine, remaining 1 cup stock and half-n-half until thickened. Add chicken, pimientos and cheddar cheese, heat chicken through, then pour chicken into pasta and combine. Add a little hot sauce to taste. If pan is oven-safe, top with Swiss or Jack cheese and broil, or transfer to casserole dish and top with Swiss or Jack cheese and brown in center of oven under broiler. Garnish with parsley and chives.
