Recipe Review & Why We Love Them So
Hawaiian Haystacks have a special place in our home — and for good reason. We love to entertain guests, and not a single person has ever been disappointed when this is on the menu. We’ve made it countless times, feeding missionaries, family, and friends galore.
The funny story about these… I never ate Hawaiian Haystacks until I was in my late teens or early 20s. A boy asked me on a date and discovered I didn’t know what they were. So, he made them for me, and we watched Johnny Lingo too (if you’re not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this is unfamiliar territory for sure!). The boy was sweet — but not for me.
Fast forward years later, when I was looking for highly customizable meals that could feed a lot of people and were picky-kid approved, I found Jenny Flake’s blog, The Picky Palate. I discovered her Hawaiian Haystacks recipe — a recipe that fits perfectly into my approach to cooking: NO CANNED SOUPS (among other things). It has stayed in my favorites forever.
I make Jenny’s gravy recipe exactly as she shares it, although I’ve occasionally used some of the broth from cooking the chicken in the crockpot (before Santa brought me my new favorite appliance, the Foodi). I’ve also used Better Than Bouillon — about as close to canned soup as I come. And since discovering an easy, homemade chicken broth powder, I won’t be buying it commercially anymore (though if you do, Sam’s or Costco has it for a great price!).
One thing I often do when serving: I keep the shredded chicken separate from the gravy — or only stir a little into it — so guests can add more chicken if they want, or even skip the gravy altogether (but really… why would you skip the gravy?!?). It keeps the meal flexible and lets everyone pile on their favorites exactly how they like it. **this might be my saving grace now that I am gluten and dairy free. Although last week I did make the gravy with gluten-free flour and it turned out fine.**
Jenny is one of the OG food bloggers, and I’ve tried lots of her recipes. But this one? This Hawaiian Haystacks recipe is permanently in my recipe binder. At this point, I’ve made it so often, I probably don’t even need it — pretty sure it’s in my brain forever. A civilian crew favorite — bound to be yours too.
Credit: Hawaiian Haystacks recipe from Jenny Flake at The Picky Palate
Real food. Real kitchens. Real love.–The Food Civilian