Shelly's Recipe

OLD FASHIONED CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE

Category: Casseroles - Chicken and Turkey

3 cups cooked chicken (mixed or thighs is best)
2 pinches of kosher salt
4 turns of the pepper grinder
2 cups egg noodles, cooked
1 tbsp butter
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms or canned mushrooms
2 cups milk
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp kosher salt
Couple dashes of white pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 to 2 cups the reserved (or a pkgd) broth, as needed
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 to 2 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 2 quart casserole dish with butter or non-stick spray.

Put chicken into a pot and cover with water. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, remove to drain and cool, but reserve the water. Once cooled down, cut into chunks or tear into pieces.

Cook the noodles, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the celery and onion and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook down, or if using canned, drain and add, warming through.

Whisk together the milk and cornstarch until well blended. Stir into the vegetable mixture and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer several minutes, until thickened. Stir in the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and thyme. Add the chicken and noodles and mix; stir in reserved broth as needed to moisten. Turn out into the buttered casserole dish.

Combine bread crumbs and melted butter and sprinkle on the top of the casserole. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.