Yummy, smooth, comforting casseroles are one of the rewards of cold weather. Filled with creamy ingredients, and, often, lots of fat, casseroles are great for family dinners and carry-ins, and today's recipe, which I am calling "Creamy Chicken Noodle Bake," is just that kind of dish.
The recipe is closely adapted from one I found on "Plain Chicken," one of my favorite food websites. I've got lots of suggestions, but the basic recipe is very close to the original. My take is in the notes. Here they are.
First, if you use a rotisserie chicken, do not add salt to this dish. Rotisserie chicken tends to be very salty, and this recipe is plenty salty. I'd advise poaching some chicken with no salt. And even then, I still wouldn't add salt to this concoction. I love salt, and this is a very good recipe or I wouldn't be using it, but be warned.
I think broccoli or another vegetable, cooked until crisp-tender and used instead of shredded chicken (you need four cups, either way), would be a delicious side or main dish. Or, you could do half chicken and half veggie. Also, this recipe takes a full rotisserie chicken.
And, you can stretch this. I think you could go with 16 ounces of cooked egg noodles, and if it seems a bit dry, just add a little milk until it's more moist.
In addition, I think you could use a variety of cream soups with this and it would still be good. And instead of two cups of onion dip, try going half dip, half sour cream. Finally, instead of the fried onions, crushed crackers or corn flakes would be great.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Bake
4 cups shredded, cooked chicken
2 cups sour cream onion dip
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1-2 cups shredded Cheddar
12-16 ounces wide egg noodles
1 cup crushed fried onions
First, read the whole recipe through, including the notes above. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, cook the noodles until done.
While noodles are cooking, mix all of the ingredients together, except the crushed fried onions. Then, add the drained noodles and mix thoroughly. Spread into greased 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with the crushed fried onions. Bake for 25 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
If you'd like to share your own home memories or tips (or recipes), send ideas to tkwolford@aol.com. Or you can write me via traditional mail at The Farmer's Exchange, P.O. Box 45, New Paris, IN 46553.