Blue Ribbon Chicken Gratin
A pasta bake, loaded with chicken, ham, bacon, vegetables, and cheese will win a blue ribbon on any occasion!
Ingredients
- 5 oz thin spaghetti or any pasta
- 2 large boneless chicken breasts, cooked see cooking instructions below
- 4 strips bacon, cut in pieces
- 4 slices thick deli ham
- 1/2 large sweet or yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 sweet yellow or red pepper, diced
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 8 oz. Velveeta cheese,
- 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 1 oz grated Cheddar
- 1 oz shaved Parmesan
Instructions
Poached Chicken
- Place raw chicken in a 3 Qt saucepan with water to cover
- Cover pan and poach chicken on medium low heat for 60-90 minutes
- Remove chicken and drain, reserving broth for cooking pasta, and chop or shred chicken
Blue Ribbon Chicken Gratin
- Bring a large pot of water, seasoned with 1 tsp of salt to a boil or use reserved chicken broth
- Add spaghetti and cooked al dente {until just barely done} and drain
- Cook bacon in skillet until crisp, remove to paper towels to drain
- Saute onion and peppers in bacon fat until softened, about 5 minutes
- Add ham to skillet and stir fry 2-3 minutes.
- Add spinach to skillet and cover pan
- After several minutes, remove cover and stir spinach down into vegetable mixture as it wilts
- Add Velveeta, soup and cream, cooking and stirring for several minutes to incorporate and melt cheese
- Season with salt and pepper and add chicken to sauce mixture in skillet and add 1/2 of the pasta
- Stir well to combine, then add remaining pasta in increments, making sure the ratio of pasta to sauce remains very creamy. The casserole should be dense and very "wet."
- Turn mixture into a greased 8" x 8" deep baking dish and top with Cheddar and Parmesan
- Can be covered and refrigerated at this point for up to 36 hours before baking
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until hot and bubbling
Notes
I like to use thin spaghetti for this, but you can use any pasta you like