I tried Pioneer Woman’s Famous Chicken Pasta and couldn’t get enough

Ree Drummond may have surprised her friends and family when she first married her husband, Ladd, a rancher, and moved into his home in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, but it’s no surprise that she settled so gracefully into his lifestyle. At the time, the Oklahoma native was probably the last person any of her friends would expect to pick up and move to the country, but Drummond seems to have settled in quite naturally over the years. She eventually earned the nickname “Pioneer Woman” from a neighbor during a four-month bout of no running water in their home, leaving Drummond to haul buckets of water from outside just to wash dishes and cook.

For me, Drummond’s work ethic and natural ability to roll with the punches is exactly what makes her recipes so accessible. There’s nothing flashy or overdone, just delicious, no-nonsense recipes designed to stick to your ribs like any good Southern meal. And having recently stumbled upon Drummond’s recipe for chicken spaghetti, I was sure I’d just found the perfect introduction for myself to the kitchen of the infamous pioneer woman.

There are a few steps to this recipe, but nothing crazy so it should come together fairly easily. Start by boiling a large pot of water, then prepare the chicken to put in it. Boil the chicken for a few minutes, then return the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the water and leave it aside until it cools. Also reserve at least 2 cups of chicken cooking broth from the pot. When the chicken is cool, remove the skin and bones, and scoop out the meat until you have about 2 large cups.

Next, cook the spaghetti until al dente using the same broth as the chicken, making sure not to overcook it. Once the spaghetti is cooked, use a large bowl to combine it with the chicken, cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup cheese, green and red peppers, onion, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top, then add 1 cup of the remaining chicken broth, or more if necessary. When the mixture is well combined, place it in a ceramic bowl and cover it with the remaining cup of grated cheese. Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F or until done.

Instantly, this recipe made my entire apartment smell delicious. There’s something about the smell of cream of mushroom soup that completely stimulates my appetite, and throughout the entire baking process I was feeling extremely giddy in anticipation of that first bite. I will say that dividing the spaghetti into 2-inch pieces before cooking was almost sacrilegious, and the whole time I felt as if the Pasta Queen was going to jump in at any moment and teach me lessons about it.

My only gripe is that I feel like this recipe is a little less seasoned. Maybe it was my fault for not adding enough during preparation, or if it was missing some key flavors that would have made the product even more amazing. Because of this, I felt that the peppers and onions seemed to overpower the other flavours, which isn’t always a bad thing, but in this case it was more of a personal preference for me. I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone looking for a good meal that sticks to your ribs, though I encourage you to experiment with the ingredients and make your own. No offense to leading women, we all have our preferences.

If the cheese starts to get too cooked, cover it with aluminum foil During the last 15 minutes or so of baking, check the casserole dish to make sure the cheese is not overcooked or burned. If the cheese shows signs of this, cover the casserole with aluminum foil for the remaining cooking time.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months before baking One notable feature of this recipe is that it can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you need it. This casserole can last in the freezer for up to 6 months before baking, or up to 2 days if stored in the refrigerator. However, make sure to cover it tightly with a lid or foil.