~Recipe Monday: Chicken Noodle Casserole~

This past weekend I really wanted to make a casserole for dinner.  With the weather getting colder it sounded perfect.  I had all the ingredients for this casserole so I gave it a try.  It must have been delicious because me and the hubby ate about half of the casserole! 

I had to use penne pasta and instead of cheddar cheese I used a cheese blend.  Prior to putting the casserole in the oven I sprinkled a layer of frozen peas on top then finished it off with a bread crumb and olive oil mixture.  I baked it for 20 minutes at 350 and it came out amazing!  We sprinkled some grated parmesan to make it a true pasta dish.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Ready In: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried savory
• 3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked and drained

Directions

1. In a large nonstick skillet, sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink. Add the broth, carrots, celery and savory. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted. Pour over chicken mixture. Add noodles; mix well.
3. Transfer to a 3-qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

*Recipe courtesy of All Recipes*