Lubys Chicken Tetrazzini

As a child, I remember shopping at North Star Mall {way before La Cantera ever even existed} with my grandmother and mother.  We always ate at Lubys cafeteria.  I remember, I always ordered the fried fish, macaroni and cheese, and green beans.  This was not my favorite meal but something I would settle for.  Fast forward to my early twenties and I began to enjoy the food.  Maybe it's not the food I enjoy, maybe its the moments I shared over the food that make it so enjoyable.  Regardless of the reason, I enjoy Lubys and get cravings for it every now and again.  Several years ago my grandmother purchased a cookbook from the cafeteria.  Granted we had not ever tried all of the offerings on the line at Lubys, we wanted recipes to our favorites.  One of the recipes I have grown to love is the chicken tetrazzini.  This is an easy dish and can easily be substituted with turkey.  Now you have discovered the core reason of my posting: Christmas day leftovers!

Ingredients: 

12 ounces spaghetti
1 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded American cheese
4 cups diced cooked chicken
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons diced pimento

Directions: 

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, adding oil and salt. Drain. In large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add soup, broth, salt and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Cook and stir until smooth and melted. Add spaghetti and chicken, mixing well. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove foil and sprinkle with rest of cheese. Bake until cheese melts, then sprinkle with parsley and pimento.

Now in closing, if my mom and I ever go to North Star mall, we still eat at that same Lubys.