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Grandma’s chicken spaghetti {Tallarines con pollo}

This is my grandmother’s delicious chicken spaghetti recipe and is made with chicken, olives, mushrooms, onions, garlic, peppers, tomato paste, and more yummy ingredients.

Chicken spaghetti recipe

En español

This chicken spaghetti is prepared by cooking the spaghetti or pastas in a sauce made with onions, peppers, celery, garlic, tomato paste, chicken broth, olives, mushrooms and spices. In Ecuador, we use the word “tallarines” or “tallarin” to refer to any dish that has spaghetti or linguini pastas, and tallarines de pollo have always been one of my favorites. We also use the word “fideos” to describe very thin noodles or any other shape of pastas.

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Spaghetti with chicken and tomato sauce

My grandmother’s chicken spaghetti is one of my favorite comfort food dishes. I lived with my grandma for a few years when I first moved to the US, and was so happy when she would prepare this. Later when I would visit, she would prepare this spaghetti dish for me since she knew it was one of my favorites. Of course, these days, she cooks less than before, I live farther away and can’t visit as often, so when crave her chicken spaghetti I prepare it myself.

My grandma contributed this recipe, and a few others, to a recipe booklet for a church fundraiser, and she gave me a copy of it so that I would have some of her recipes. That booklet is a treasure, not just because it has some of my grandmother’s recipes, but it also has some classic Southern Texas recipes – including a recipe for baked squirrel, but don’t worry I don’t plan to try that one anytime soon. Though I think baked squirrel might go great with some chimichurri sauce or roasted a la Ecuadorian cuy style.

Homemade chicken spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti recipe

Grandma’s chicken spaghetti {Tallarines con pollo}

Homemade chicken spaghetti recipe prepared with chicken, onion, peppers, celery, garlic, tomato paste, chicken broth, olives, mushrooms and spices.
4.93 from 26 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Fusion, International
Keyword: Chicken spaghetti, Pasta
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 – 10

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 1 4-5 lb whole chicken
  • 1 white onion diced
  • 2 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 4 celery stalks cut into slices
  • 5 garlic cloves crushed
  • 10-12 cups of water

For the spaghetti:

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • ½ white onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 3 celery stalks sliced
  • 1 head of garlic crushed
  • 4 6 oz cans of tomato paste
  • 8 cups chicken broth reserved from cooking the chicken
  • 2 cups sliced olives
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Dash of chili powder or more to taste
  • 2 16 oz pack of spaghetti
  • Salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

  • Chopped scallions fresh basil, and grated cheese (can use parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar, etc)

Instructions

For the chicken:

  • Place the whole chicken, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil, cook until the chicken is tender.
  • Drain the chicken and reserve 8 cups of chicken broth for later use.
  • Debone the chicken, I got about 4 cups of chicken meat.

For the chicken spaghetti:

  • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot; add the onions, green pepper, celery and garlic. Cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Mix in the tomato paste and add the reserved chicken broth, bring to a boil.
  • Add the olives, mushrooms, bay leaf, chili powder and spaghetti.
  • Cook until the spaghetti is tender or done to desired level of tenderness, about 12-15 minutes.
  • Add the chicken meat and stir well, add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with grated cheese, fresh basil and chopped scallions.

Notes

For a shortcut version of this recipe, you can use leftover or store bought shredded chicken with store bought chicken stock.
Chicken spaghetti
Grandma's chicken spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti
chicken spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti

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8 Comments

  1. Thanks for all your recipes very good and easy to make I really enjoy preparing them you are great helping us to don’t think too much on the daily food. :)

  2. Hi Laylita. I just found your blog. All of dishes look so delicious! Your Grandma’s chicken spaghetti reminds me of a recipe I make a lot for my family, called fideo. Use vermicelli
    or angel hair pasta. I brown the noodles first in olive oil,other than that it’s pretty much
    like your recipe. Eat it with some charro beans and a little bit of queso fresco. I’m going to try your recipe. I love pasta.

  3. Thanks for this lovely recipe! I used whole wheat spaghettini, chicken breasts, glass jarred sauce and premade stock but it was still delicious dispite my shortcuts, my family really enjoyed it! Your grandma must be a terrific cook. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes

  4. I think this looks so beautifull.I want to learn how to make it myself but I am not sure that I could do it like that.thank you for your recipe I will try to use it as soon as possibe.

  5. Happy National Spaghetti Day, Laylita! I found your delicious looking link in my Hospitality Search Engine and just had to include it in a celebration post I did today. Hope you don’t mind. It sounds Amazing!!! Thanks for sharing…

  6. Beautiful site, excellent recipes. I will try to make spaghetti de pollo de la abuela in a couple of hours. I have one question. What size are the tomato paste cans? I have 12-oz cans but I know they’re usually a lot smaller. Thanks in advance for your help. Doris

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