Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole for two

 

I wanted to use up the last of my roast chicken today and so I went looking for a casserole to use it up in. You know that was not a HUGE roast chicken, just a medium sized one, but I got a meal for four from it as a roast chicken, then a delicious hot chicken sandwich, and today I got a casserole sized for two.  That isn't even including the bones which are in the freezer waiting to make soup.

Yes, it can seem really expensive to buy a whole chicken these days, but they, with proper planning, can be rather economical in the long run!

I found this casserole recipe on a page called The Kitchen Magpie.  What appealed to me was the simplicity of it.  I decided that I could easily cut it in half as well to feed only two people. Bonus!

 

I pretty much did it exactly as written this first time around.  I like to follow a recipe the first time I make it, and then I can make any changed I want to make the next time.

I did cut it in half.  I liked that there was no cheese in this one. I eat too much cheese. lol  It was refreshing not to have the cheese in there for a change.  

I think you could add frozen mixed vegetables, with the peas, carrots, corn, beans, and it would be similar to a pot pie casserole. You could also add some herbs such as summer savory or thyme.

You could even add some sauteed mushrooms.  But it really was lovely as is.  I was quite happy with it. I cooked it in two smaller casserole dishes and took one over to my next-door neighbor who really enjoyed it as well!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE FOR TWO

You really only need a few simple ingredients for this tasty casserole.  It does use condensed cream soup. If you have an aversion to this, you can make a simple white sauce.

• 1 1/2 cups (135g) uncooked egg noodles
• 1/2 of a 10 3/4 oz/305g tin of condensed soup (cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, freeze the other half tin.)
• 1/4 cup (30g) dairy sour cream
• 3 TBS whole milk
• 1/4 cup (38g) frozen peas
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder, not salt
• 1/4 tsp onion powder, not salt
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• 1 cup (125g) diced cooked chicken breast meat
• 1 small packed (about 12 crackers) saltine crackers
• 1 TBS butter, melted

  

You don't have to use egg noodles; you can use any kind of flattish type of pasta or even rotini!  I used cream of mushroom soup and froze the other tin. MAKE SURE YOU LABLE your soup before you put it in the freezer. You think you will remember what it is at a later date, but trust me, it's very easy to forget!

I used full fat sour cream and whole milk.

I used frozen petit pois. I just like the texture better.

You can use leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken or even poached chicken that you have cooked specifically for this.

You do not have to use saltine crackers. You can use any kind of cracker you wish to use.  There is no wrong about this.

 

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE (for two)

You won't believe how very simple this is. Dinner could not get any simpler.  All you need is a salad of some sort on the side!

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. If you are using two casseroles (small shallow ones) butter them bother, otherwise butter a 7 by 11-inch casserole dish. Set aside.

Cook your noodles to al dente, following package directions. Drain well and then return to the saucepan.

While the noodles are cooking, whisk together in a bowl, the soup, sour cream, milk and seasonings.

Fold this mixture into the cooked and drained noodles in the saucepan. Fold in the chicken and the frozen peas.

Spread in the prepared casserole(s).

Mix together the melted butter and the cracker crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole(s).

Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Serve hot.

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING A REALLY GOOD CASSEROLE

All of my hints and tips for making a great casserole!

1. Make sure you choose the right dish for your casserole and then butter your casserole dish really well so that nothing sticks. I like shallow dishes because you get more crispy edges, but that is just me.

2. If you are using pasta of any kind, do not cook it any more than al dente. Bear in mind that the pasta will keep cooking in the sauce of the casserole and you don't want soggy pasta.

3. Make sure the protein in your casserole pairs well with the other ingredients.

4. Fresh or frozen vegetables add lots of color and even crunch, depending on how well cooked they are. I like to use frozen veggies a lot of the time and I don't bother to thaw them out.

5. Make sure you have plenty of sauce. You don't want it to be too soupy, but you also don't want it to be too dry. Again, make sure the flavor of your sauce pairs well with the remaining ingredients.

6. You will need a starch of some sort. Rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. all work well.

7. Don't be afraid to add layers of flavor with herbs and spices.  Again, make sure they go well with everything else.

8.  Don't overlook the value of a crunchy topping!  I love a crunchy buttery topping.  Buttered bread or cracker crumbs. French fried onions. Buttery flaked almonds. Grated cheese.  Or any combination thereof.  All work very well.

 

For all of its simplicity, this is really delicious!  I did add a bit too much chicken to mine which took a bit away from its creaminess, but I wanted to use it all up!  In any case it was quite enjoyable anyways!

I did add extra peas as well, and of course a very generous buttery cracker crumb topping. Can you ever have too many buttery cracker crumbs on top?  I think not!

  

Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole not quite doing it for you?  Perhaps you would enjoy one of the following two delicious casseroles.  Very, very tasty indeed! And again, sized for two.

GRANDMA'S CHINESE CHICKEN CASSEROLE - This is one of my all-time favorite chicken casseroles. I can't begin to tell you why it is called a Chinese casserole because there doesn't seem to be anything remotely Chinese about it. Not unless you count the crispy chow mien noodles and salted cashew nuts on top! Everything else reads like an ordinary chicken casserole! It's totally delicious!

CHICKEN & DUMPLING CASSEROLE - This is a "just-like-magic" kind of an entree.  Almost like a pudding cake. You know the ones I mean . . .  the self-saucing ones, except this is not a sweet pudding. Rather, it is a savoury chicken casserole along the same vein, and I don't mind telling you that it is amazingly tasty!

Yield: Two servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole (for two)

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Crisp buttery crackers top this creamy chicken noodle casserole which is sized perfectly for two. Delicious comfort food. Just like mom's.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (135g) uncooked egg noodles
• 1/2 of a 10 3/4 oz/305g tin of condensed soup (cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, freeze the other half tin.)
• 1/4 cup (30g) dairy sour cream
• 3 TBS whole milk
• 1/4 cup (38g) frozen peas
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder, not salt
• 1/4 tsp onion powder, not salt
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• 1 cup (125g) diced cooked chicken breast meat
• 1 small packed (about 12 crackers) saltine crackers
• 1 TBS butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. If you are using two casseroles (small shallow ones) butter them bother, otherwise butter a 7 by 11-inch casserole dish. Set aside.
2. Cook your noodles to al dente, following package directions. Drain well and then return to the saucepan.
3. While the noodles are cooking, whisk together in a bowl, the soup, sour cream, milk and seasonings.
4. Fold this mixture into the cooked and drained noodles in the saucepan. Fold in the chicken and the frozen peas.
5. Spread in the prepared casserole(s).
6. Mix together the melted butter and the cracker crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole(s).
7. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Serve hot.

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