Another Joanna Lund recipe I love and always make
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
- 1 10.75-oz can healthy request cream of chicken soup
- 1/3 cup carnation nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 1/2 cups hot cooked noodles rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast (6 oz), diced
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (one 2.5 oz can), drained
- ritz reduced fat crackers made into crumbs
- 1/4 cup kraft fat-free parmesan cheese (3/4 oz), grated
- Carbohydrate 34.8276181248898 g
- Cholesterol 70.99 mg
- Fat 5.31003541665722 g
- Fiber 1.68856459649872 g
- Protein 24.2926902082855 g
- Saturated Fat 1.92991208333309 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (276g)
- Sodium 487.181666665702 mg
- Sugar 33.1390535283911 g
- Trans Fat 0.638274583332032 g
- Calories 287 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Spray an 8x8 pan with butter-flavored cooking spray.
- In medium saucepan, combine chicken soup, dry milk powder, water, and onion.
- Cook over medium heat until mixtrure is heated through, stirring often.
- Stir in noodles, peas, chicken, mushrooms, parsley flakes, and black peppper.
- Spread mixture into prepared baking dish.
- In small bowl, combine cracker crums and Parmesan cheese.
- Evenly sprinkle cracker mixture over top.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Place baking dish on on a wire rack and let set for 2-3 minutes.
- Divide into 4 servings.
Most home cooks fail with baked casseroles because they dump raw starches directly into wet sauces without accounting for moisture absorption. Understanding how different elements behave under heat ensures structural integrity rather than a watery mess. Paying attention to liquid ratios prevents the pasta from turning into mush during the 30 minutes in the oven. ### Managing Moisture in Dairy and Soup Bases Commercial condensed soups rely on thickeners like modified food starches that behave differently than scratch-made roux. Reconstituting nonfat dry milk powder directly into the soup base provides controlled dairy solids without introducing excess liquid that would break the emulsion. Whisking this base over medium heat until it is thoroughly heated through activates the starch binders before the noodles go in. ### The Balance of Fresh Versus Canned Additions Utilizing canned mushrooms alongside frozen peas creates a distinct textural contrast that fresh vegetables might disrupt through uneven moisture release. Canned mushrooms have already undergone thermal processing, meaning they will not bleed excess water into the cream sauce while baking. Thawing frozen peas under hot water for one minute removes surface ice crystals that could otherwise dilute the surrounding sauce. ### Building Crust and Setting the Casserole Combining cracker crumbs with fat-free parmesan cheese creates a dry topping that shields the underlying noodles from burning under dry heat. Baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit allows the topping to brown while the interior reaches an even temperature throughout. Allowing the dish to rest on a wire rack for two to three minutes permits the internal starches to cool slightly and trap the remaining moisture. Pairing this rich dish with a sharp, vinegar-dressed green salad cuts through the dairy heaviness effectively.
