# Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti: a Southern thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163 "2010-06-14T17:16:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/21 "2010-06-15T05:34:04Z")
Grew up and have lived chiefly in the South. Never heard of anything like this, and it sounds vaguely disgusting to me. Then, I’m not much of fan of Velveeta, not because it’s “a little lowbrow”, but because it doesn’t taste very good to me. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/22 "2010-06-15T14:06:22Z")
I’ve seen it many times at family type functions here in the South. It’s better than it sounds! ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/23 "2010-06-15T14:37:59Z")
I made one of these once, a higher-brow version with convenience shredded cheddar (instead of Velveeta) and cream of mushroom soup (2 cans). It’s from the Pioneer Woman, which is usually a good bet. That said, I found it bland - my tetrazzini is better. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/24 "2010-06-15T16:08:05Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > It’s better than it sounds! It would almost have to be. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/25 "2010-06-15T20:27:36Z")
[This](http://labellecuisine.com/archives/craig_claiborne_chicken_spaghett.htm) is the Chicken Spaghetti we always make, from Craig Claiborne. It seems very similar to what you describe. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/26 "2010-06-15T20:31:46Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Grew up and have lived chiefly in the South. Never heard of anything like this, and it sounds vaguely disgusting to me. Then, I’m not much of fan of Velveeta, not because it’s “a little lowbrow”, but because it doesn’t taste very good to me. > [@ShibbOleth](#): > > It would almost have to be. I get it, I get it. This doesn’t sound very good to you! 😉 My best advice: don’t eat it. If I ever invite you for dinner, I’ll make something else. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/27 "2010-06-15T21:22:38Z")
Sounds like your basic convenience mac’n’cheese, with spaghetti instead of macaroni, and chicken instead of hot dogs, tuna, or SPAM. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/28 "2010-06-15T21:38:55Z")
This sounds exactly like a recipe Pioneer Woman featured once called Chicken Spaghetti. Since she posts a lot of traditional midwestern/southern/church food recipes, I did chalk it up as a regional speciality. It doesn’t sound digusting to me. In fact, I’m sure it tastes pretty good but I never make anything she posts, including chicken spaghetti, because it looks like it contains an appalling level of fat and calories. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/29 "2010-06-15T21:53:03Z")
I think I’d like some broccoli pieces in this. What’s with Velveeta cheese anyway? It looks nasty, is rubbery and a strange color. But sometimes I crave it. What’s in that stuff that makes it so addictive? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/30 "2010-06-15T22:05:28Z")
> [@anu-la1979](#): > > It doesn’t sound digusting to me. In fact, I’m sure it tastes pretty good but I never make anything she posts, including chicken spaghetti, because it looks like it contains an appalling level of fat and calories. Well, as I said, if you’re concerned about the fat, you can: use 2% milk Velveeta (which I did), use skinless chicken thighs; skim the fat off the chicken stock before you cook the pasta in it; use fat-free Half and Half or low-fat cream of chicken soup; DON’T add the chicken skin, even if you cook the chicken skin-on (I cooked it skin-on, but didn’t use the skin); use a high-fiber, good-for-you pasta like Barilla Plus. A few years ago, I had a certain kind of weight-loss surgery that makes both protein _and_ fat desirable things for me. However, since our family eats dinner _together_, and I’m the only one who benefits from the high fat, I try to get my fat in at breakfast, lunch and snacks, and for dinner, concentrate on protein, but _not_ fat. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/31 "2010-06-15T22:07:25Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > I think I’d like some broccoli pieces in this. As I may have mentioned upthread, I’m contemplating either some frozen mixed veggies or frozen peas and carrots in the next batch! Broccoli (to me) is good raw, but cooking ruins it. ☹ > [@](#): > > What’s with Velveeta cheese anyway? It looks nasty, is rubbery and a strange color. But sometimes I crave it. What’s in that stuff that makes it so addictive? My guess is it’s laced with heroin. But even Drudge hasn’t proven it yet. . .😉 ---
**Author:** ![Poonther](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Poonther](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poonther)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/32 "2010-06-15T23:44:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Southerner here- it’s nothing I’ve heard of. I’d try it though; I love Chicken Alfredo and Chicken Carbonara. Born and raised in rural Alabama and I’d never heard of it or had it either back in the day. Like I said above, I was introduced to it in rural Bama about 5 years ago. Must be a function of “The New South?” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/33 "2010-06-16T11:04:19Z")
> [@Poonther](#): > > Born and raised in rural Alabama and I’d never heard of it or had it either back in the day. Like I said above, I was introduced to it in rural Bama about 5 years ago. > > Must be a function of “The New South?” 😃 Well, duh. If the recipe was from the _old_ South, it would contain either lard or bacon drippings! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/34 "2010-06-16T14:00:24Z")
I grew up in a southern family and have never heard of this dish. Can’t decide if I’d try it, though. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/35 "2010-06-16T14:06:24Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The southern version is the OP rolled into cutlet sized chunks, dipped in flour and buttermilk batter and fried. Fried **norinew** cutlets? ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/36 "2010-06-16T15:36:44Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > As I may have mentioned upthread, I’m contemplating either some frozen mixed veggies or frozen peas and carrots in the next batch! Broccoli (to me) is good raw, but cooking ruins it. ☹ I don’t like mushy broccoli either. For the last year or so I’ve been putting it into casseroles raw and if the cooking time isn’t too long it comes out nice and crisp-tender. You could add it when you add the chicken, I suppose. (Actually I’m just trying to disuade you from the frozen mixed veggie idea cuz I don’t like them. Heh.) ---
**Author:** ![Storm\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Storm\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Storm_Girl)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/37 "2010-06-16T15:54:29Z")
Another Southerner here, and I LOVES me some chicken spaghetti! Gotta add the Rotel though, or it’s just cheesy chicken pasta stuff. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/38 "2010-06-16T17:43:54Z")
> [@percypercy](#): > > [This](http://labellecuisine.com/archives/craig_claiborne_chicken_spaghett.htm) is the Chicken Spaghetti we always make, from Craig Claiborne. It seems very similar to what you describe. Well, there you go. It seems that Craig Claiborne printing (New York Times and several cookbooks) of this recipe sparked the popularity of this dish. Thanks for solving that mystery. Of course the rotel and velveeta had to make their way in there by way of osmosis, and well it just tastes good… people who put down velveeta forget that. There’s a reason that it is still around… it tastes good and mild, it melts creamy and doesn’t break, and the price is right. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/39 "2010-06-16T18:01:54Z")
[A Supper Classic](http://www.relishmag.com/article/5593.html) ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163/40 "2010-06-16T22:40:22Z")
I’ve had this at church suppers/party potlucks, etc. (I’m in South TX.) I can’t say I run into it a whole lot, but I’m familiar with it…and it’s pretty damn tasty actually. Chicken, pasta, cheese and cream? Who wouldn’t like that? One thing the OP doesn’t mention is bacon, though; I distinctly recall encountering this dish with bacon. Mmmmm…bacon… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-a-southern-thing/543163.md?page=3)