"My Favorite" a.k.a. Chicken Stroganoff Recipe

Serves:  About 6
Cook Time:  Approximately 15-30 mins.




New and Improved "My Favorite"!

Ingredients:

*  1 box (12 oz. or so) Campanelle
(Or other mid-size, shaped pasta like Bowtie)
*  1 or 2 large cans (10oz.) Canned Chicken, drained
(I used 2 of the 'Valley Fresh 100% Natural in water')
*  8 (or so) fresh Crimini Mushrooms, diced / chopped / sliced
(Optional, but they do add great texture and flavor)
*  1 TBS. Onion Powder or about 1 1/2 TBS. Onion Soup Mix
(I used Watkins' Onion Soup and Gravy Base, but you could also use chopped fresh onion and / or chicken bouillon or base)
*  1/2 CUP Sour Cream
(I used Tillamook Fat-Free)
* 2 TBS. to 1/4 CUP All-purpose Flour
*  2 CUPS Hot Water
(Try to use some of the starchy pasta water, if possible, or tap water is fine.)
*  2 TBS. grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
(Optional)
*  1 TSP. Kosher or Table Salt
(Approximate, you'll also need a handful for your pasta water - Table salt is fine, too)
*  1/4 TSP. Ground Black Pepper
(Approximate)
*  1 TSP. Dried Chopped Chives
(Optional)
*  1 or 2 TBS. Olive Oil
*  2 TBS. Butter
(Optional)

** (Note:  I didn't add this, but a clove of minced garlic or a dash of garlic powder would be good in this, too)

Every family has their own special, very personal comfort food dishes. In our house, "My Favorite" was right up there with Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup, especially when we were sick, and I even got my best friends hooked on it, too! I have no idea where the name "My Favorite" came from, but it is an accurate description. My mom made this often and it hit all the right notes - Lightning fast, chicken flavored pasta with only two ingredients that we always had in the pantry: Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup and Egg Noodles. Tonight, as usual, I had no meat thawed out so I set out to make a stroganoff with canned chicken. This is what I ended up with and I'm proud to say I successfully re-created "My Favorite" minus the sodium-loaded, red-and-white can! An even healthier way to do this might be to shred at least half a rotisserie chicken and substitute that for a fresher taste and to eliminate the canned goods altogether. * Disclaimer: I don't measure much with these thrown-together recipes, so keep that in mind when whipping this up yourself!

Instructions:

Fill your pasta pot with lots of water, seasoned with a handful of salt and a drizzle of olive oil and set the burner to high heat. Cook your pasta according to the box instructions, preferably al dente. Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet (a pan with steep sides) on medium heat. Chop, slice, or dice your mushrooms (and onions, if you are using those) and sauté in the skillet until softened and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, drain your can(s) of chicken and empty the drained chicken chunks into a medium-size mixing bowl. To the bowl, add the salt, pepper, onion powder or base, sour cream, flour, and one cup (half of the total) of hot water (hot from the tap is fine). Mix these ingredients in the bowl using a scraper or whisk - Most ingredients will blend and melt while cooking so perfection in mixing isn't necessary here.

Keep an eye on your pasta water and pasta!

When mushrooms (and onions) are nicely browned and soft, slowly add the chicken and sour cream mixture to the sauté pan. Use a wooden or silicone spoon to heat and stir, allowing the ingredients to meld. Add the Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, butter, and chives once the mixture begins bubbling. Turn the heat down slightly, adding more water as necessary - You want this to be somewhat like the texture of a chunky turkey gravy. Allow to thicken and bubble on low heat until the pasta is cooked. Once pasta is ready, drain and add the drained pasta directly to your large sauté pan or skillet. Stir pasta into the chicken cream mixture and let heat through for just a minute or two on low heat, then serve.

Garnish with parsley, additional Parmigiano Reggiano, and salt if desired. I hope it is even a little bit as comforting to you as it is to me and my family - Enjoy!