Ree Drummond Swears Her Chicken Spaghetti Is ‘The Best Casserole’

Oct 05, 2023

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There are some things that never change, and the convenience of a casserole is one of them. Even if our dining style is a little fancier now than it was growing up, there’s still something so cozy about a creamy casserole, and if we’re going to follow instructions from anyone on making one of these comfort food classics, it’s The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. Cookbook author and television star Drummond is used to cooking for a busy family, and even now that some of her kids are out of the house, she’s still making casseroles to send off to them so they can heat and eat something that tastes like home even when they’re not actually there. So what casserole does Drummond swear by? It’s her chicken spaghetti, which she says is “basically the best casserole in the universe,” and that she says is also “the only one in existence that my husband will eat!”

A post shared by Ree Drummond – Pioneer Woman (@thepioneerwoman)

Drummond’s creamy spaghetti casserole recipe is one the whole family will likely enjoy. She says that even though “there is a lot of ‘stuff’ in this casserole,” she ensures “widespread acceptance and bliss by those I serve it to” by making sure all of the ingredients are chopped finely, and by using enough seasoning.

In this case, that means that the add-ins, like green bell pepper, onion, and pimentos are diced. As for the seasoning, she boosts the flavor of this casserole by cooking the spaghetti in chicken broth rather than plain water, and she adds Lawry’s seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. But you can really go in with any spices your family likes to keep builing up the flavor of this creamy dish, and adding fresh chopped parsley, green onions, or chives could be tasty too.

William Morrow Cookbooks.

Drummond does call for classic canned cream of mushroom soup to make her spaghetti casserole, and she adds plenty of grated cheddar cheese, too. It might not be fancy, but it’s the type of satisfying comfort food that can please even picky eaters (and you can always swap out the mushroom soup for cream of chicken if your family is skeeved out by mushrooms).

The casserole can be covered and frozen for up to six months, or refrigerated for up to two days before baking. That means you can stock one in your freezer, or spend time meal prepping on Sunday, then bake up a hot, cheesy, creamy, and totally delicious casserole in no time during the week.

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