Chicken Noodle Casserole
I strongly recommend trying the Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning in the sauce
I strongly recommend trying the Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning in the sauce
- Carbohydrate 39.5853249979841 g
- Cholesterol 87.3166666666667 mg
- Fat 23.8158583333074 g
- Fiber 1.66437499511063 g
- Protein 18.7132083330604 g
- Saturated Fat 7.2452574999959 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (186g)
- Sodium 590.488749999947 mg
- Sugar 37.9209500028735 g
- Trans Fat 2.13358499999142 g
- Calories 450 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
- In skillet, cook celery and onion in butter or margarine until tender, but not brown.
- Stir in flour.
- Stir in soup.
- Gradually stir in milk.
- May sprinkle with garlic powder and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning if desired.
- Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
- Carefully stir in the chicken and fold in noodles.
- Turn mixture into a 1-? quart casserole dish.
- Sprinkle with crumbled crackers.
- Bake uncovered in a 375? oven for 20-25 minutes.
Flour does the heavy lifting in this dish, acting as the structural anchor for a sauce that must coat pasta without separating. Cooking the flour and butter together in the skillet before adding liquids cooks out the raw starch taste while coating the protein molecules in fat. This fat barrier prevents the starches from clumping instantly when the milk and canned soup hit the pan. Gradual liquid incorporation is mandatory here; pouring dairy into the roux too quickly breaks the emulsion, resulting in a grainy sauce rather than a velvety binder. Dice the celery and onion to a uniform quarter-inch size so they soften evenly in the butter without browning, maintaining a sweet vegetal backdrop against the savory poultry. Egg noodles absorb moisture rapidly during baking, meaning the sauce needs to be fully thickened and bubbly on the stovetop before the chicken and pasta join the skillet. Bake the assembled casserole uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes to drive off excess moisture and crisp the cracker topping. Stored properly in an airtight container within the refrigerator, leftovers hold up well for up to three days, though the pasta will continue to hydrate from the sauce, yielding a denser, softer texture upon reheating.
