Chicken Noodle Casserole
from kristineskitchenblog.comThis chicken noodle casserole is cozy, comforting and so delicious! It's made with spiral pasta, broccoli, cheese and a simple homemade cream sauce.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 396kcal
Ingredients
Casserole
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 3 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken breast
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 8 ounces, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente, adding the chopped broccoli during the last 2 minutes of the cook time. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Meanwhile, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the flour to the skillet and whisk for 30 seconds to cook off any raw flour taste. Then whisk in the chicken broth and milk, followed by the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook, whisking often, for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cooked chicken, cooked pasta, broccoli and half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Transfer the mixture to a 13x9-inch baking dish and spread it out into an even layer. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for 5 more minutes, or until casserole is hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
Video
Notes
- You can substitute the rotini pasta with other short pasta shapes, or even spaghetti.
- To use frozen broccoli, no need to thaw or pre-cook. Just stir it into the cream sauce along with the pasta and chicken in recipe step 5.
- Cheese: I recommend buying a block of cheddar cheese and shredding it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese from the grocery store won’t melt as smoothly.
- Recipe Variation: Stir frozen mixed vegetables into the cream sauce instead of or in addition to the broccoli. (No need to pre-cook them.)
Nutrition
Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 480mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 715IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 297mg | Iron: 1mg
