Chicken Noodle Casserole

Cooking Level

Foundational | BEGINNER | Intermediate| Advanced

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Karyn Shalda, Cooking to the Point

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Chicken Noodle Casserole

When I need a comfort food that will stretch for days, this is my go-to recipe! Noodles, chicken, veggies and a creamy cheese sauce, paired with a crunchy panko topping always hits the spot.

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 1 H & 19 M

Ingredients

Casserole Mixture

• 1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed (cook 1-2 chicken breasts in the oven at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes or until interior reaches 165 degrees F.)
• 1 t butter or oil (olive oil or avocado oil are best)
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1 stick (1/2 C) Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 c All-Purpose Flour
• 2 c Chicken Broth
• 1 c Milk
• 1 c (~8oz) frozen peas and carrots
• 2 c shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 t Sherry Vinegar
• 1 t Paprika
• Salt and Fresh-Ground Pepper, to taste
• 1 package (~16oz) Egg Noodles, cooked according to directions

Breadcrumb Topping

• 1 stick (1/2C) salted butter
• 1 c Panko Breadcrumbs (plain or Italian)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a 9"x13" pan or casserole dish with butter or cooking spray, and set aside.
3. Fill a large pot with water and a big pinch of salt; set to boil for the pasta.
4. Preheat a large pan or tall-sided skillet on medium-high heat. Add 1T of butter or oil in the pan, and cook the onion until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. You can add a pinch of salt to the onion to speed up this process a bit.
5. Add 1 stick of unsalted butter to the pan with the onion.
6. Once butter is melted, add 1/2 C flour, whisking until smooth and bubbly. This will make a sauce called a roux.
7. Turn the heat to low and alternate adding the broth and milk to the pan, a little at a time, whisking after each addition.
8. Turn the heat back up and bring to a boil for a few minutes, whisking constantly.
9. The pasta water is probably ready now - put your egg noodles in and cook according to directions. Drain and place the pasta back in the pot, off the heat.
10. Add the cooked chicken and 1C frozen peas and carrots to the pasta pot.
11. Add the 1C cheddar cheese, 1T sherry vinegar, and 1t paprika to the roux mixture. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste (about a teaspoon of each).
12. Add the cheese sauce to the pot with the noodles, chicken, carrots, and peas. Mix well.
13. Transfer the mixture to the greased 9"x13" pan or casserole dish.
14. Make the breadcrumb topping by mixing 1C salted butter with 1C panko breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Once well mixed, spread evenly over the top of the noodle mixture in the casserole dish.
15. Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping is golden brown.
16. Let rest for 10 minutes, and serve hot. Enjoy!

Notes:

This will last several days for a couple, or making a filling meal for a large family.

Keep leftovers in a sealed container. For best results, reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes; or microwave on high for about 2 minutes.

I came up with this recipe when I wanted something comforting, filling, and warm for dinner. Something that we would have leftovers of for days, so I didn’t have to stress about what to make for lunch. I couldn’t find a recipe that had everything I wanted, so I did what my husband calls “Frankensteining.” I pulled elements of several different recipes together until I had a finished product that I could enjoy and remake time and again.

It’s perfect paired with fruit, salad, or - one of my current favorites - broccolini (also called baby broccoli) which is kind of a cross between asparagus and broccoli and preferable to either in my opinion.

If you try this recipe, send me a picture!

Also - if you are gluten-free and decide to make this with gluten-free noodles and breadcrumbs please let me know how it turns out! I’d love to share your modifications!