Description
This hearty Chicken Noodle Casserole combines tender egg noodles with sautéed mushrooms, carrots, onions, and creamy cheese sauce for a comforting family meal. Finished with a crispy buttery Ritz cracker topping, it’s baked to golden perfection and packed with flavors from sharp cheddar and American cheeses, Dijon mustard, and savory chicken.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Seasoning
- 12 ounces extra-wide egg noodles
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetables and Fats
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 10 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups low-sodium or homemade chicken broth
- 6 ounces American cheese, deli style, rough chopped
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Protein and Add-ins
- 4 cups cooked chicken, diced (about 4 medium chicken breasts or 1 rotisserie chicken)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
Topping
- 20 Ritz crackers, broken into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking pan to prepare for the casserole.
- Cook Noodles: Boil a pot of salted water and cook the egg noodles until they are almost al dente. Drain them well, rinse under cold running water to stop cooking, then toss with 1 tablespoon of butter to keep them from sticking.
- Sauté Mushrooms: In a skillet, heat the olive oil along with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until they are browned and tender. Remove from heat and transfer the mushrooms to the pot with the cooked noodles.
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt another tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Add the chopped carrots and onion and cook until the vegetables are softened and fragrant. Then, add these sautéed veggies to the noodles and mushrooms in the pot.
- Make Sauce: In the skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute to create a roux. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and chicken broth, bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in the American cheese and shredded cheddar until melted and smooth. Flavor the sauce with garlic powder, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Combine Ingredients: Pour the prepared cheese sauce over the noodles and vegetables in the pot. Add the diced cooked chicken and frozen peas. Gently fold everything together to combine evenly without breaking the noodles.
- Prepare for Baking: Transfer the combined mixture into the greased baking pan, spreading it out evenly.
- Add Topping: Melt the remaining butter. Sprinkle the broken Ritz crackers evenly over the top of the casserole and drizzle the melted butter over the crackers to create a crispy topping.
- Bake: Place the baking pan in the preheated oven. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the casserole is golden brown and bubbly. To avoid over-browning, cover the casserole loosely with foil halfway through the baking time.
- Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. This resting time helps the casserole set for easier serving and enhances the flavors.
Notes
- For a lighter variation, substitute whole milk with 2% or use low-fat cheese.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven to maintain crispiness.
- If rotisserie chicken is not available, poached or roasted chicken breasts work well.
- To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free flour and gluten-free crackers as topping.
- You can add other veggies like peas, green beans, or bell peppers based on preference.
