Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole
This Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole is made with a delicious cheese sauce, chicken, broccoli, and crispy onions. It’s perfect as a quick dinner option, a great way to use up leftovers, or as a make-ahead freezer meal.
Servings: 8
Calories: 368kcal
Equipment
- a baking dish
- a large pot
- a small pan
Ingredients
- 2 - 2 ½ cups egg noodles about half a bag
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cup milk
- 1½ cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup shredded cheese I use mix of ½ cup parmesan and ½ cup either Gruyere or sharp cheddar.
- 2 cups chicken breast or thigh meat cooked and diced. I like to use the meat from a leftover whole chicken - you can also use turkey.
- ⅓ cup crispy onions
For the Topping
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ cup fried crispy onions
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles as directed on their package. Toss in broccoli florets for the last 3 minutes of cook time. Drain and set aside.2 - 2 ½ cups egg noodles, 4 cups broccoli florets
- While the pasta is cooking, start making the base of the sauce, the roux. Melt butter then add spices and flour until it thickens. (I like to make this in a large, oven-safe skillet so I can go right into the oven with it.)3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Cook for about 5 minutes to cook off the flour taste.
- Slowly add in milk, then stock and cook until it thickens into a sauce. (About 5 minutes.) If there are large chunks of flour, whisk until they dissolve.1½ cup milk, 1½ cup chicken stock or broth
- While the sauce thickens, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- When the sauce has thickened, stir in the cheese until it melts.1 cup shredded cheese
- Now, mix in the cooked noodles and broccoli along with the diced chicken.2 cups chicken breast or thigh meat
- Mix in crispy onions if desired.⅓ cup crispy onions
- Pour the sauced chicken mixture into a 13 x 9 baking dish or bake in the skillet you are working in (if it is oven-safe.)
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- While the casserole is baking, melt butter and mix with remaining crispy onions and panko breadcrumbs.½ cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons butter, ½ cup fried crispy onions
- After 15 minutes, remove the casserole from the oven and stir it really well. Then top with breadcrumb mixture and bake for 7 more minutes. (22 minutes total.)
- Remove from oven and let the casserole cool a little. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Yield
If you follow this recipe exactly, you will end up with anywhere from 6 to 12 servings, depending on your serving size. (Between just me and my husband, we usually end up with about three dinners out of this.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 425mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 694IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2mg