Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole | Chef Erik Hoover from Cockeye BBQ prepares this recipe as part of Valley Spotlight’s “Quick Cook” challenge. The goal? Create a family meal for under $25 with ingredients from Grocery Outlet.

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole: the breakdown. Egg noodles: $1.69. Panko breadcrumbs: 75 cents. Cheddar cheese: $1.99; Carrots: $1.88. Mushrooms: $1.99. Pigeon peas: $2.09. Seasoning blend: 99 cents. Garlic: 25 cents. Thyme: 50 cents. Ground chicken: $4.49. White wine: $3.99. Chicken stock: 99 cents. Heavy cream: $1.49. Total: $23.09.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes.
SERVINGS: 8.

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (half stick) unsalted butter
1 (16 ounces) bag extra-wide egg noodles
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated divided
1 cup carrots, shredded
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 can pigeon peas. drained
1 bag frozen seasoning blend
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 thyme sprigs, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground chicken
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups chicken stock
¾ cup heavy cream

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425º F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles to al dente, typically 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and set aside. Combine panko, oil and ¼ cup Cheddar cheese in a bowl.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, mushrooms, pigeon peas, seasoning blend, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add chicken and cook, breaking up chicken with a spoon, until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until just starting to thicken, 2 to 4 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs.
3. Combine noodles, chicken mixture and remaining Cheddar cheese in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and top with panko mixture. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with thyme.

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