Not only is this the most wonderful time of the year, it's also the busiest! From holiday school performances to potluck holiday parties...our calendars are busting at the seams with commitments and errands this time of year!
Why not have a few recipes like this Creamy Chicken And Vegetable Casserole on hand to make life easier? Easy pasta casseroles are life-savers this time of year. I love to make this Baked Ziti with Sausage, because I can prepare ahead of time and bake when ready. I'm also really fond of Johnny Marzetti, and now I have this chicken casserole to add to the list of favorites.
Obviously, my family loves this Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Casserole for the taste! But, I love it because it frees up my time so I could get some of the fun holiday stuff done...like decorate the house for the holidays.
How to make Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Casserole:
You can use any sort of cooked chicken in this casserole. I happened to have a couple of leftover skinless chicken breasts in the refrigerator, so that's what I used. But, you can use frozen, cooked chicken or even meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
The sauce is easy to make right in the same pan you used to cook the pasta in.
Remember to under cook the pasta by a minute or two, to help keep it from getting too soft in the casserole!
The frozen vegetables can be used straight from the package. No need to defrost or cook before hand. I used a package of frozen mixed vegetables and a package of frozen broccoli and cauliflower.
Assemble the casserole and add a quick and crunchy topping of Ritz® cracker crumbs. They make the perfect topping to this dish!
Pop in the oven for about 20 - 25 minutes for a great dinner! Serve with a green salad to complete the meal.
Yield: 6 servings
Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Casserole
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
A quick and easy dinner idea made with cooked chicken breast, frozen vegetables, and pasta in creamy sauce and topped with buttery crackers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken breast
- 8 oz. dry cavatappi pasta, cooked 1 - 2 min. less than the package directions (or any kind of pasta you like)
- 10 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
- 10 oz. frozen broccoli and cauliflower
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 TBSP all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups milk
- 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp. marjoram (optional)
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
- 18 Ritz® crackers, crushed
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9" baking dish (or larger) with cooking spray.
- Add pasta and frozen vegetable and stir to combine. Set aside.
- In same pan you cooked the pasta in, melt the butter on med-high heat. Whisk in the flour and let it get bubbly. Cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk the chicken stock and then add the milk. Let the mixture come to a boil and thicken.
- Add in the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, marjoram, salt and pepper. Stir to melt the cheeses. Pour mixture evenly over the pasta and vegetables. Carefully stir to combine.
- Sprinkle crushed crackers evenly over the top. Heat in oven for 20 -25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let the casserole sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken as it sits.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
466.42Fat (grams)
22.55 gSat. Fat (grams)
11.65 gCarbs (grams)
38.50 gFiber (grams)
4.56 gNet carbs
33.94 gSugar (grams)
9.41 gProtein (grams)
27.32 gSodium (milligrams)
860.30 mgCholesterol (grams)
91.58 mgNutritional Information provided is an estimate.
Copyright © 2016 Renee's Kitchen Adventures
Happy Holidays to all!
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This looks AMAZING! I want to make it for dinner tomorrow!! #client
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