I just realized that I have left you without a recipe for months now. I can just imagine the bags of empty Doritos and freezer full of TV dinners. Completely my fault- I’m sorry.
For this evening, may I suggest a warm and cozy casserole? Ideal for cold winter nights and weekend dinners as it takes a bit more time to make than my normal 30 minutes or less recipes.
Chicken, Spinach, and Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk (we used 2% b/c the thought of whole milk makes me gag)
- 1 cup sour cream
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- 4 slices sandwich bread (we used bread crumbs b/c I didn’t feel like making them myself…let’s call it a “time saver”)
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
- 5 ounces baby spinach, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
Directions
- Heat oven to 400° F. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until foamy, 1 to 2 minutes (do not let the mixture darken). Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions; drain and return them to the pot. Pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. (If you’re using bread crumbs, skip this step!) Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add the milk mixture, chicken, spinach, and thyme to the noodles and toss to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch or some other 3-quart baking dish, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and drizzle with the melted butter.
- Bake until the bread crumbs are golden and the filling is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. *Note: If you’re using pre-made bread crumbs they do not really turn a golden color. Go by the filling bubbling to know when it is done.
Enjoy!