Description
This comforting Chicken Noodle Casserole combines tender rotini pasta, fresh broccoli, cooked chicken breast, and a creamy homemade cheese sauce baked to perfection with melted cheddar cheese on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 3 cups broccoli florets (cut into bite-size pieces)
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Protein and Cheese
- 2 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken breast
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 ounces, divided)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375° F to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook Pasta and Broccoli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Add the broccoli florets during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop cooking.
- Sauté Onions: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and whisk continuously for 30 seconds to cook out the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk. Add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking and whisking for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Combine Ingredients: Remove skillet from heat. Stir in the cooked chicken, cooked pasta, broccoli, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese until evenly mixed.
- Assemble Casserole: Transfer the mixture to a 13x9-inch baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes until the casserole is hot, bubbly, and the cheese has melted.
Notes
- Use rotini or any short pasta that holds sauce well, such as penne or fusilli.
- Add other vegetables like mushrooms or bell peppers for variety.
- For a lower fat version, substitute whole milk with 2% or skim milk and use reduced-fat cheese.
- Ensure the chicken is well cooked before adding to the casserole. Leftover roasted chicken works perfectly.
- Covering the dish while baking keeps moisture in; uncovering at the end allows the cheese to brown slightly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 396 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 82 mg
