Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Do you ever have one of those days where you think you have food in the icebox and then you open it in the  morning and nothing's there...that happened to me this morning. We have had a crazy busy past couple of weeks and I just wanted to have a lazy day at home with the girls and not have to get dressed! So going to the store or out to lunch was not on my objective for the day.
So I had to make something with what I had....
And that was Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
Growing up my mom made several different "spaghetti's" and each of us had our favorites. Becca's favorite was spaghetti with meatballs, Jen's was spaghetti with meat sauce and my favorite was chicken spaghetti casserole.

Start by sauteeing vegetables in olive oil. You have to at least include onion, celery, and bellpepper but I aslo add whatever other vegetables I have on hand and want to add to it. They will get lost in the sauce and get eaten! Today I added carrots, but you could easily do squash and zuchhini too.

While they are cooking season with salt, red pepper, garlic powder, basil and oregano. Add a couple of pressed garlic. When they are tender add your tomatos- or what you are going to use to make your sauce.  I use different tomato products all the time. Depending on where I'm shopping I buy different things. Today I used these two

 

The big can was whole tomatoes I just crushed with my hand when pouring in and the small one was cherry tomatoes I also crushed by hand when pouring in. I also added 1 1/2 small cans of water.

Let it come together and come to a light boil and just cook for a while. Re-season as well!

After a good thirty mins or so and the sauce has come together.

Then add chopped chicken breasts. Again, re-season and let it cook for a good while, until chicken is fully cooked and almost falling apart.

Then I added a little milk, prob 1/4 cup just to make it a little creamy.

*this is when my mom normally adds about 1/2 of a small velvetta link. it makes the sauce very creamy and cheesy. i really dont like velvetta, yes I LOVE the way it makes it taste but the milk makes it creamy enough for my liking that I dont miss the velvetta. dont know if Jerry would agree though!***

 

Then you can turn it down and add fresh basil.

I would just like to point out, this basil was from my patio! For the first time ever, I have not killed my basil plant and its actually growing. I LOVE FRESH BASIL. It seriously makes EVERYTHING better!!! I put it on everything, literally everything.

So then basically the sauce is done.

Taste it and make sure you dont need to add any seasoning.

While the sauce is cooking, boil whatever pasta you want to use.

I really like this pasta. I didn't have enough of it to use today, so I used a fussili pasta I had.

 

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the sauce.

Fully mix it up, then pour it all in a casserole dish and top with grated parmesean cheese.

Cover with foil and bake on 350 for about 45 mins.