Chicken Artichoke Casserole
Similar to artichoke dip this rich and comfortable chicken entree will warm you up on chilly nights.
Similar to artichoke dip this rich and comfortable chicken entree will warm you up on chilly nights.
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 clove garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
- 2 cups cubed chicken cooked
- 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts water packed rinsed drained and chopped
- 1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup i diluted
- 1 cup shredded cheese parmesan
- 1/3 cup 2% milk
- 1 cup onion and galicia salad croutons coarsely crushed
- Carbohydrate 24.2929876070409 g
- Cholesterol 41.4966666785016 mg
- Fat 14.0305328236248 g
- Fiber 0.0576781248291714 g
- Protein 4.55341625020288 g
- Saturated Fat 2.12429405377403 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (91g)
- Sodium 328.736687769498 mg
- Sugar 24.2353094822117 g
- Trans Fat 11.4471567802674 g
- Calories 243 calories
Step-by-step
- preheat oven to 350. Cool pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine chicken, artichoke, soup, cheese, mayonnaise, milk, garlic, onion powder, and pepper. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture.
- Transfer to a greased 2-qt baking dish. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake uncovered, 25-30 minutes or until heated through.
Mayonnaise acts as the primary emulsion engine in this dish, stabilizing the dairy and fat matrix so the sauce does not break under heat. Oil-based emulsions require careful thermal management because excessive oven temperatures cause the suspended fats to separate from the egg proteins, leaving an oily slick across the surface of the casserole. Keeping the baking environment at 350 degrees Fahrenheit prevents this destructive thermal shock while ensuring the interior reaches serving temperature efficiently.
Ignoring moisture control in canned artichoke hearts introduces excess water that ruins the sauce density. Rinse and drain the artichoke hearts thoroughly, then press them between clean kitchen towels to extract trapped cellular liquid before chopping. Skipping this dehydration step dilutes the cream of chicken soup and mayonnaise binder, turning a cohesive, clingy coating into a watery pool at the bottom of the baking dish.
Crushed croutons on top supply necessary textural contrast through controlled starch browning. Coarsely crush the croutons rather than reducing them to fine dust; larger pieces expose more surface area to dry oven heat, creating a crisp crust that protects the underlying pasta from drying out. Uncovered baking for 25 to 30 minutes allows moisture to escape from the breadcrumbs until they turn golden brown and register a hollow, crunchy texture.
Adjusting quantities for different yields requires maintaining the ratio between starch, liquid, and emulsifiers. Doubling the recipe demands moving from a 2-quart baking dish to a 9x13-inch pan to preserve a shallow depth, which ensures the center heats through uniformly without overcooking the edges.
