Egg Noodles vs. Wheat Pasta
If you have someone in your house who doesn’t like egg noodles, I encourage you to still use them the first time you make this. I have a picky eater in my house who doesn’t like them and still loved this. I think one of the reasons this casserole, and casseroles in general, are so popular is because something about the flavor of chicken noodle reminds us of being taken care of. Whether you are making this for your own family or making it for someone else, this is bound to make you feel warm and cared for from the inside out.
The noodles are cooked in chicken broth, which really deepens the flavor of this casserole. I also added a bay leaf in for a great background flavor.We reserve the starchy chicken broth the noodles cooked in to make a great base for this casserole and give in an extra creamy quality.We use egg noodles in this recipe, which work great with the chicken broth, but also are perfect for the rest of the recipe. There are a lot of seasonings in this recipe. Spices and herbs are the key to a great home cooked meal.Finally, we bring a lot of cheese to this party. This recipe has a lot of cheese in it. It really brings home the comfort to this casserole.
That being said, you could use regular pasta in this as well and it will still turn out great. Wheat pasta can be substituted for the egg noodles, one for one.
Tips and Tricks
Shred the cheese from the block. This is my biggest tip for any recipe that has cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is covered in preservatives that make it difficult to melt. Take the extra five minutes and shred the cheese yourself.Add the liquid slowly. When you come to the step of making the roux after sautéing the vegetables, add the cooking liquid slowly. It will help the roux come together better. It should take about a minute to add all the liquid.Taste the sauce. Before you mix in the chicken and the noodles, give the sauce a little taste. You can add a little salt and pepper or more herbs at that point.Keep frozen chicken on hand. One way to speed up this recipe is if you always keep a little shredded chicken in your freezer. Follow the link below for detailed instructions on how to do this.
Egg noodles: As mentioned above, if you don’t like egg noodles, use your favorite pasta! Vegetables: This recipe uses a pretty standard onion, carrot, celery mixture, but if that is not your jam, then sub in things like peas and mushrooms!Cheese: My family can’t deal with a thick layer of cheese on top. I know lots of families like more (just look at how popular my cheesy Philly Cheese Steak Casserole is). If your family wants more cheese, pile it on there! Just make sure to wait to add it until right before baking.
When you are ready to bake, unwrap two layers of aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. If you are going right from the freezer to the oven, add 15 minutes of baking time. I also suggest that you freeze in a disposable baking dish, as frozen baking dishes in hot ovens often crack. When you make this the night before it turns it into a 30 minute meal the next day!
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If you make this Chicken Noodle Casserole or any of my other recipes I’ve listed in this post please be sure to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
