Description
A comforting and cozy Chicken Noodle Casserole featuring rotini pasta, broccoli, and a creamy cheddar cheese sauce baked to perfection. This hearty casserole blends tender cooked chicken, fresh broccoli, and melted cheese in a savory homemade cream sauce, making it a perfect family-friendly dinner.
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 get it ready for baking the casserole later.
- 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. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Prepare Sauce Base: While the pasta cooks, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Make Cream Sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the cooked onions in the skillet and whisk continuously for 30 seconds to cook off the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the low sodium chicken broth and whole milk, then add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, whisking often, for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Combine Ingredients: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chopped cooked chicken, cooked pasta, broccoli, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese, mixing everything evenly.
- Assemble Casserole: Transfer the mixture to a 13x9-inch baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake the Casserole: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes until the casserole is hot, bubbly, and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Notes
- This chicken noodle casserole is a warm and comforting meal perfect for family dinners.
- You can substitute rotini pasta with other short pasta shapes like penne or elbow macaroni.
- For a lower fat version, use reduced-fat milk and cheese.
- Ensure the chicken is cooked before adding to the casserole; leftover rotisserie chicken works great.
- Adding a sprinkle of breadcrumbs on top before baking can provide a crunchy texture.
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
