Hawaiian haystacks chicken gravy from scratch

Hawaiian Haystacks: Chicken Sauce Reinvented

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS CHICKEN SAUCE (ENOUGH TO SERVE 4-6 FOR HAWAIIAN HAYSTACKS)

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks (or leftover cooked chicken, cubed)

3 tablespoons butter

½ onion (about ½ cup), finely chopped

3 cloves garlic; finely minced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

1 cup chicken broth

Celery, diced (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion and raw chicken (if using leftover cooked chicken, don’t add it to the skillet now, you’ll add it later). Saute the onion and chicken, if using, until the onions are soft and translucent and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and chicken and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute – this helps get rid of the starchy, flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. 

Add the salt and pepper. If you are using leftover cooked chicken, add it now. Continue simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5-8 minutes.

Serve the chicken sauce over rice with your toppings of choice, such as olives, tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles.

Required:

Rice

Chicken Gravy/Sauce (w/diced celery if available)

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Green onions, chopped

Green peppers, diced

Green peas, cold

Pinneapple tidbits

Tomatoes, diced

Chow mein noodles or some type of almonds

Other optional toppings:

Coconut, shredded

Olives, sliced

Carrots, shredded

Mushrooms, sliced

Mandarin oranges from can

Haven't tried:

black beans, pinto beans or lentils

boiled eggs, mashed

corn

cucumbers

Four Cheese Chicken Fettuccine

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
• 1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• TOPPING:
• 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 to 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Cook fettuccine according to package directions
• Meanwhile, in a large pan, combine the soup, cream cheese, mushrooms, cream, butter and garlic powder.  Stir in cheeses; cook and stir until melted.  Add chicken; heat through.
• Transfer to a shallow greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish (a 9 x 9 inch pan is a 2 1/2 quart dish).  Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over chicken mixture.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.  Uncover; bake 3 - 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and yummy.

Swiss Chicken

Chicken Tenders (enough to cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan in a single layer)
Swiss Cheese slices (enough to cover the chicken in a single layer)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/4 cup milk (or water)
1-1/2 cups dry stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter

Grease or Spray 9x13 pan.
Lay the thawed chicken tenders in the pan in a single layer.  Lay the cheese slices on top of the chicken.
Mix the soup and milk together and spread over the sliced cheese.
Melt the butter and stir into the dry stuffing mix (I think that 1-1/2 cups is about right - but I know that one sack of Pepperidge Farm stuffing was enough for 4 pans of chicken)
Sprinkle buttered stuffing over the soup.  Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.

Chicken Tetrazinni (What to Do with Leftover Spaghetti Noodles!)

2 c broken uncooked spaghetti (If it's cooked like ours was, just skip the 1st step)
3/4 c chicken broth
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 onion, chopped
1/8 t celery salt
1/8 t pepper
1 1/2 c chicken, cooked & cubed
1 1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

1.  Cook spaghetti.
2.  Combine broth, seasonings and cooked spaghetti.
3.  Stir in chicken, peas, onion, and 1/2 cup cheese.
4.  Transfer to greased 8" square baking dish -- top with remaining cheese.
5.  Bake, uncovered 35-40 minutes or until heated through at 350 degrees F.

Note: We may also add green pepper on another occasion.

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

3 c. chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 1/3 cup of water
1 can cream of chicken
3/4 c. uncooked rice
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
1 cup cheddar cheese

Mix water & soup.  Add salt, pepper & onion powder.

Mix in rice, broccoli, and chicken.

Pour mixture into 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes (you can cover it if you want to.  I didn't)

Top with cheese.  Return to oven until cheese is melted.

Quick Skillet Chicken and Macaroni Parmesan

1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat the sauce, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (reserving the rest), chicken and macaroni in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally.

2. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Note: for a little more pizazz try added a little cayenne pepper