Southern Louisiana is all about comfort foods! The folks here are known for the delicious foods they cook and the family time spent around food. With 8 kids and most of them active in sports, protein and carbs are essential for their growing bodies. I cook a lot at home — first because it's cost effective, and second because it's healthier than eating out all the time. I've found several meals my kids absolutely love, and this chicken tetrazzini is one of them. It's loaded with chicken and carbs — the well-seasoned chicken gives it that wonderful southern taste, while the creamy sauce and noodles give it that comfort-food feel. This is an easy oven dish that can feed a large family, and it can even be frozen to pull out and cook later. This is definitely a dish your family will request over and over again.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked chicken (chicken tenderloins)
• 6 cups dry spaghetti, broken into thirds
• 1 white onion, chopped small
• 2 garlic cloves
• 8 oz diced pimentos, drained
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 4 cups fiesta blend cheese
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Tony Chachere's seasoning
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups additional fiesta blend cheese (for the topping)

Instructions

1. Sauté the onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Remove from the pan and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Season the chicken tenderloins with mustard and Tony Chachere's seasoning. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and brown the chicken until cooked through.
3. Remove the chicken from the skillet and cut into small pieces.
4. Cook the spaghetti in the chicken broth until al dente — don't overcook. Drain.
5. Combine the spaghetti with the remaining ingredients (except the extra 2 cups of cheese). Season with salt.
6. Place the mixture in a casserole pan and top with the remaining cheese.
7. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts getting too brown, cover with foil.) You can also cover and refrigerate it up to two days before baking, or freeze it up to six months.

Tried it? Let us know in the comments — and share your own comfort-food tricks!