This is a delicious chicken noodle casserole recipe and contains fresh vegetables as well as noodles or pasta and a creamy white sauce. The cheese in this boneless chicken recipe is added before baking, to allow it to melt. This makes the sauce even richer and creamier, although the use of skim milk and broth instead of cream keeps the calorie count down. This is a very healthy and nutritionally balanced chicken noodle casserole so, whether you are watching your weight or just fancy a delicious yet healthy meal, this one tastes wonderful as well as being good for you.
The carrots, onion and celery add nutrients, the milk and cheese make it creamy (use low fat cheese if you want) and the other ingredients add plenty of flavor. The egg noodles are tasty in this chicken and noodle casserole recipe and they make a change from potatoes, which often feature in recipes for chicken casserole. Feel free to use your favorite pasta if you prefer. This tasty casserole will come out of the oven thick, rich, piping hot and slightly crunchy on top.
This is a complete meal. You can serve some crusty bread and butter on the side if you want but it is equally as good alone. If you are looking for easy chicken recipes and especially chicken casserole recipes, you might like to consider making this chicken noodle casserole because it is always very popular. It can also be considered a comfort food. Even when the days are long and warm, it is nice to have something thick and satisfying like this chicken noodle casserole recipe to warm you up.
Ingredients –
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 2/3 cup chopped onion
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups skim milk
- 3 chopped celery ribs
- 14 ½ oz can chicken broth
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 8 oz cooked egg noodles or cooked pasta
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrots
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried savory
Preparation:
- Cut the chicken breasts into ¾ inch cubes.
- Sauté the garlic with the onion in the oil in a big skillet until soft.
- Add the chicken and cook, stirring all the time, until it is no longer pink.
- Add the celery, savory, carrots, and broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Turn the heat down, cover the skillet and simmer the mixture for about 12 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, and then stir in the salt, pepper, and flour until smooth.
- Add the milk gradually and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook it, stirring, for another couple of minutes or until thick, the remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese.
- Pour this over the chicken in the skillet.
- Add the egg noodles or pasta, mixing well.
- Put everything in a 3 quart baking dish which has been coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake until bubbly.
- This will take about 18 minutes.
