Description
A comforting and delicious Chicken Noodle Casserole made with rotini pasta, fresh broccoli, tender cooked chicken breast, and a creamy homemade cheese sauce, baked to perfection with melted cheddar cheese topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta & 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
Main Ingredients
- 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 prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook Pasta and Broccoli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Add the broccoli florets during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
- Cook Onion: While pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and whisk constantly for 30 seconds to eliminate the raw flour flavor. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and whole milk, then add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking and whisking for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Combine Ingredients: Remove skillet from heat. Stir in the cooked chicken, cooked pasta, broccoli, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese until evenly combined.
- Assemble Casserole: Transfer the mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes, or until hot, bubbly, and the cheese is melted and golden.
Notes
- Use rotini or any short pasta that holds sauce well.
- Adding broccoli during the last 2 minutes retains its bright color and slight crunch.
- For a lighter version, substitute whole milk with 2% milk or low-fat milk.
- If you prefer a sharper cheese flavor, try a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
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
