Chicken Noodle Casserole ***

By Roger829

Ingredients

• 8 ounces egg noodles
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
• 8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmer and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
• 1 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 (12-ounce) can 2 percent low-fat evaporated milk
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved lengthwise and trimmed
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 cup American cheese chopped
• 1 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 20 ritz crackers, crushed coarse

Preparation

Step 1

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425°

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add noodles and 1 1/2 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until just al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain again and set aside.


Heat oil in now empty pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add bell pepper, onion, carrot and mushrooms and a 1/4 teaspoon salt cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown , about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Transfer to bowl; set aside.

Whisk cornstarch with 3 tablespoons broth in small bowl; set aside.
Combine evaporated milk and remaining broth in now-empty pot and bring to boil over high heat.
Add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until chicken registers 155°, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer chicken to plate.

Whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce, return to boil, and cook until thickened, about 1 minute.
Remove pot from heat and whisk cheddar and American cheese into sauce until smooth.
Shred chicken into bit-size pieces using two forks.
Stir peas, shredded chicken, noodles, mushroom mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/4 pepper into cheese sauce until combined.

Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and top with crackers. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let casserole cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve.