Sometimes I like the concept of a recipe, but the execution doesn’t wow me. Take Hawaiian Haystacks, for example. I loved the idea of drizzling savory chicken and gravy over rice, then adding whatever toppings suited my fancy. This customizable, chickeny dish seemed like it would even be a winner with my kids.
The trouble was that the sauce in most Hawaiian Haystacks recipes is basically cream of something soup thinned with some milk or broth. While that certainly gets points for simplicity, the flavor was . . . underwhelming.
I thought this dish and I just weren’t meant for each other until one day I ran across a recipe for Hawaiian Haystacks with homemade gravy over at Mel’s Kitchen Café. I gave her easy recipe a try, and it was an instant hit with my family. No can openers. No preservatives. Just straight-up chickeny goodness.
Of course, my kids’ favorite part about this dish is that they get to choose their own toppings. Kids love having choices at dinner time, and this meal lets them customize their dinner exactly the way they want it. There’s something wonderfully satisfying about creating your own colorful, delicious masterpiece at dinnertime.
While one person (read: me) may add a rainbow of vegetables to their haystack, another (read: most of my kids) may pile on pineapple, cheese, and lots of crunchy chow mein noodles. Anything goes on Hawaiian Haystack night!
So what’s your Hawaiian Haystack jam? Let me know in the comments–maybe I’ll try my haystack your way next time. 🙂
Looking for More Family-Friendly Recipes?
Beef Stroganoff with Ground Beef
- CHICKEN GRAVY:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1” pieces
- 3 cloves garlic; finely minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- heaping ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- SERVE WITH:
- 4 ½ c cooked rice (1 ½ c uncooked rice + 3 c water)
- Toppings (cheese, pineapple tidbits, celery, bell pepper, tomato, chow mein noodles, etc.)
- Melt butter over medium heat in skillet. Sauté onion and chicken until chicken is no longer pink, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Sprinkle flour over onions and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in milk, water, and bouillon. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to simmer. Stir in salt and pepper.
- Continue stirring until sauce thickens, about 5-8 minutes.
- Serve over rice, then let everyone add their desired toppings.
