Creamy Chicken and Pasta Casserole

My kids and I love watching cooking shows together. We especially like watching the Pioneer Woman on Food Network.  A few weeks ago she made a spaghetti pasta, chicken casserole and the first thing my son said was you've got to make that for us. I didn't write down the recipe but I remembered the basic concept and ran with it.  So thank you Pioneer Woman for this inspiration because my husband and kids absolutely loved it.  I actually made it twice since we saw the recipe and my husband said I had to put it on the blog because it was too good not to share.
 

Ingredients:
1 box (13-16oz) of pasta (I used penne)
1 (10-12oz) can of cream of mushroom soup
1-2lbs of boneless/skinless chicken breast
2 cubs of chicken bullion or 1 Tbs of bullion powder
2 Tbs butter/margarine
2 cloves of garlic grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
red chili flakes to taste
2 cups of chicken broth (from poaching chicken)
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups of shredded mild cheese (mozzerella, chedder, colby or mix)
2 cup of grated carrots
2 cups of broccoli crowns chopped small
1 small onion chopped

Directions:

 Step one:  In a large pan add water (enough to boil pasta). First boil water with bullion and poach boneless chicken breast until fully cooked. Remove them from pan and shredded.  Use the boiling broth/water that is in the pot to cook the pasta just shy of al dente.  Before draining pasta, reserve 2 cups of the chicken broth water to use in the pasta.  Then drain and set pasta aside until later.  

 Step 2: Shred carrots and chop broccoli  and onion for next step. 

Step 3:  In the pan you cooked the pasta add the butter or margarine. Then saute the garlic, onion, carrot and broccoli until tender.    Then add the shredded chicken to the pan.   Next add the dried red chilies flakes, dried basil and oregano, salt and black pepper. 

 

Step 4: Then add the can of cream of mushroom soup and the chicken stock that you reserved from cooking the pasta. *Note add 1 cup first and then the 2nd if you need it.  I used both cups.    

Add the cooked pasta and 1 cup of the shredded cheese and stir well.  Transfer pasta to a baking dish and top with remaining cup of cheese. 

Step 5:  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Serve hot.  Enjoy.

 

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.