Chicken Big Mamou on Pasta

6 quarts Hot Water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons salt
1-1/2 pounds fresh spaghetti or 1 pound dry

Seasoning Mix:
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1-1/4 teaspoons ground red pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
1 pound plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
1 cup very finely chopped onions
4 medium-size garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3-1/4 cups, in all, Rich Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 (16-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups very finely chopped green onions, in all

Chicken seasoning mix:
1-1/2 tablespoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/4 teaspoons ground red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
2 pounds boneless chicken (light and dark meat), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Place the hot water, oil and salt in a large pot over high heat; cover and bring to a boil. When water reaches a rolling boil, add small amounts of spaghetti at a time to the pot, breaking up oil patches as you drop spaghetti in. Return to boiling and cook to al dente stage (about 4 minutes if fresh, 7 minutes if dry); do not overcook. During this cooking time, use a wooden or spaghetti spoon to lift spaghetti out of the water by spoonfuls and shake strands back into the boiling water. (It may be an old wives'tale, but this procedure seems to enhance the spaghetti's texture.) Then immediately drain spaghetti into a colander; stop cooking process by running cold water over strands. (If you used dry spaghetti, first rinse with hot water to wash off starch.) After the pasta has cooled thoroughly, about 2 to 3 minutes, pour a liberal amount of vegetable oil in your hands and toss spaghetti. Set aside still in the colander.


Meanwhile, thoroughly combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In a 4-quart saucepan, combine 1-1/2 sticks of the butter, the onions and garlic cloves; saute over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and the seasoning mix; continue cooking over medium heat until onions are dark brown but not burned, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Add 2-1/2 cups of the stock, the Worcestershire and Tabasco; bring to a fast simmer and cook about 8 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato sauce and bring mixture to a boil. Then stir in the sugar and I cup of the green onions; gently simmer uncovered about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Heat the serving plates in a 250 degree oven.

Heat the serving plates in a 250 degree oven.

Combine the ingredients of the chicken seasoning mix in a small bowl; mix well. Sprinkle over the chicken, rubbing it in with your hands. In a large skillet melt 1-1/2 sticks of the butter over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 cup green onions and saute over high heat about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring frequently. When the tomato sauce has simmered about 40 minutes, stir in the chicken mixture and heat through.


To finish the dish, for each serving melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add one-sixth of the cooked spaghetti (a bit less than a 2-cup measure); heat spaghetti 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1-1/4 cups chicken and sauce and 2 tablespoons of remaining stock; heat thoroughly, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Roll spaghetti on a large fork and lift onto a heated serving plate. repeat process for remaining servings.