Stuff You’ll Need
- 12 ounces (about 8 cups) wide egg noodles
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2¼ cups half-and-half
- 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved and trimmed
- 3½ ounces deli American cheese, chopped
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1½ cups frozen peas
- 20 Ritz crackers, crushed
Stuff to Know Before Cooking
Cook the egg noodles until just al dente, then shock them in cold water to prevent overcooking.
Cook the Noodles
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add the noodles and 1 tablespoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until just al dente, about 3 minutes.
Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain again and set aside.
Sauté the Vegetables
Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in the now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Make the Sauce and Cook the Chicken
In the same pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in the half-and-half and broth, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken breasts and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Preheat the Oven and Shred the Chicken
Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat to 425°F.
Remove the pot from heat, transfer the chicken to a plate, and shred into bite-sized pieces once cool enough to handle.
Combine the Casserole
Whisk the American cheese and cheddar cheese into the sauce until smooth.
Stir in the shredded chicken, noodles, bell pepper mixture, peas, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
Bake and Serve
Transfer the mixture to a 13×9-inch baking dish. Top evenly with the crushed crackers.
Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces about 8 cups wide egg noodles
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2¼ cups half-and-half
- 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved and trimmed
- 3½ ounces deli American cheese chopped
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1½ cups frozen peas
- 20 Ritz crackers crushed
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a Dutch oven.
- Add the noodles and 1 tablespoon salt, cooking while stirring frequently until just al dente, about 3 minutes.
- Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain again and set aside.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the now-empty pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
- Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in the half-and-half and broth, then bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Remove the pot from heat, transfer the chicken to a plate, and shred into bite-sized pieces once cool enough to handle.
- Whisk in the American and cheddar cheeses until smooth.
- Stir in the shredded chicken, noodles, bell pepper mixture, peas, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a 13×9-inch baking dish and top with crushed crackers.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes.
- Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
