Happy Monday! Well yes it is Monday but here in NJ we finally have a nice sunny morning and it made my run earlier so much more enjoyable. Today I’m sharing with you an easy meal I made last week that my family really enjoyed! Its super easy too so perfect for a weeknight meal! Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Noodle Bake is packed with flavor thanks to an easy garlic & herb cheddar sauce tossed with al dente egg noodles, shredded rotisserie chicken and tender broccoli florets. Its topped with some Italian seasoned breadcrumbs and baked until golden. A simple salad on the side and dinner is set!
There are certain items I tend to always have on hand… like some sort of pasta, in this case egg noodles, a hunk of cheese, a veggie and some sort of chicken. This is one of those dishes that really can be tailored to what you have on hand! This could easily be turned into a turkey, rice and gruyere bake using the same method and subbing a few ingredients. Thats what I love about cooking, it shouldn’t be overly complicated especially when we’re talking weeknight meals!
Like I mentioned before, a lot of the great flavor for this dish comes from the cheddar that I used- a garlic & herb cheddar!! Its amazing how many fantastic flavored cheeses are available, especially when it comes to cheddar! One of my favorites happens to be the garlic & herb and I think for a dish like this, it is just perfect!! The sauce is very basic {something good to know how to do because the possibilities are endless!}… it starts simply with a roux which is just butter and flour. Some slightly warmed milk, lots of cheddar and a little salt and pepper and thats all there is to the sauce. This is a great family friendly meal!
{NOTE: I use 1 LARGE pot to make each element then everything gets stirred back into the same pot before going into the baking dish- less clean up!}
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast {I used store bought rotisserie chicken}
- 2 broccoli crowns, cut into small florets
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 10 oz garlic & herb cheddar, small dice
- 3 cups milk {slightly warmed, I used 1%}
- 12 oz wide egg noodles
- salt & pepper
- 1/4- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- Preheat the oven to 385 degrees.
- Cook the broccoli in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, drain with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Place the egg noodles in the same pot of boiling water and cook about 3 minutes shy of the package cooking time. They will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
- Using that same pot {all water dumped}, over medium low heat add in the butter and melt. Once the butter is melted which in the flour and cook for a minute.
- Stir in the milk and continue stirring until the roux is incorporated and smooth. Simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add in the diced cheddar and stir until smooth. Season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Add the chicken, broccoli and noodles into the cheese sauce. Stir until incorporated evenly. Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumb and spritz a little olive oil over top to help the breadcrumb brown nicely.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
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Tex-Mex Beef & Noodle Casserole
One Pan Roasted Chicken, Sausage. Potato & Mushroom
