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Chicken Noodle Casserole – A Leftover Creation

As usual, I made way too much food on the 4th of July! Only one person even touched the chicken! (Can’t say the same for the ribs – LOL). I wanted to use some of the leftovers but I didn’t want the same meal – so something with pasta…Chicken Noodle! And who doesn’t like a dish that’s chicken noodle?

Here’s how you do it:

In an effort to use up some things in the refrigerator, I added some bell pepper (I had two halves) and some leftover chopped onion. You can be creative and add anything you want to use up – like peas or corn, cheese, even leftover sauces!

So here is my version – I’d love to hear about yours!

Melt 3 Tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. If you are using fresh mushrooms, cook them first until they are soft and lightly browned.

Next, gently sauté the onions and garlic until they are are starting to soften.

Add the pepper and celery, continuing to cook for about 5 to 10 minutes.

noodle

Heat the oil for a minutes or two, then stir in the chicken [1] and pre-cooked mushrooms.

noodle

Stir in the flour and cook it until it starts to thicken lightly.

Quickly stir in the milk and

noodle

continue cooking until the sauce is just starting to thicken.

Remove from the heat and add some salt and lemon pepper to taste.

Stir in the noodles.

Pour the entire dish into a 2 quart casserole dish that has been lightly sprayed with oil.

My favorite casserole dish … Click on the picture for more information.  And this really is my favorite – this is not a paid plug! (I own two sizes)

2-qt. Enameled Cast Iron Baker [2]

Top with bread crumbs and dollops of butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the top is browned and it is heated all the way through.

Serve hot.

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

noodle

5 from 9 votes
Print [3]
Chicken Noodle Casserole

This recipe was created to use up leftover, but we'll be having it again!

Course: Main Course, main dish
Cuisine: American, casseroles, leftovers
Keyword: bell pepper, chicken, leftover, noodle, noodles, onion
Servings: 4 servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
  • 7 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chopped bell pepper (half green/half red)
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 cups chicken cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1/4 cup pre-cooked mushrooms (about 1/2 cup raw)
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/8 cup bread crumbs
  • salt and lemon pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Melt 3 Tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. If you are using fresh mushrooms, cook them first until they are soft and lightly browned.

  2. Next, gently sauté the onions and garlic until they are are starting to soften.

  3. Add the pepper and celery, continuing to cook for about 5 to 10 minutes.

  4. Heat the oil for a minutes or two, then stir in the chicken and pre-cooked mushrooms. Stir in the flour and cook it until it starts to thicken lightly.

  5. Quickly stir in the milk and continue cooking until the sauce is just starting to thicken.

  6. Remove from the heat and add some salt and lemon pepper to taste.

  7. Stir in the noodles.

  8. Pour the entire dish into a 2 quart casserole dish that has been lightly sprayed with oil.

  9. Top with bread crumbs and dollops of butter. 

  10. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the top is browned and it is heated all the way through.

  11. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

 

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

noodle

Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Udon, Chicken and Bok Choy Bowl

Posted By HelenFern On In Chicken,Main dish | 7 Comments

Sometimes it’s hard to find easy, nutritious weeknight meals that aren’t the same old things. It’s so easy to get into a rut. And we love those one dish meals – everything in one place. This udon noodle bowl is so easy, delicious and satisfying!

What is Udon?

Udon is a fat, Japanese noodle made from whole wheat flour, unlike soba [7] which is buckwheat and thinner. The chewy udon noodles came to Japan via China thousands of years ago. The first udon were squares and, in some parts of Japan, it still is.

Udon noodles are typically served in a broth with a protein and vegetables. It’s preparation is similar to ramen, but the noodles are very different. I love the firm and hearty texture and the light flavor of the udon.

Making the Udon noodle Meal – 

Like most udon dishes, this one is made with a broth. It takes a little time to really develop the flavors so plan on simmering this for a couple of hours at least.

udon

oyster & shiitake mushrooms

Place all the broth ingredients into a large pot.

Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer,

covered, for about 90 minutes or two hours. Check it often and add more water if too much evaporates.

 

You can find the chili crisps in most Asian markets, or on Amazon –

                                                                     

Next, place the chicken breasts in the broth, cover and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.

udon

Add the bok choy and

the noodles to the mix,

cover and simmer again for about 15 minutes. The bok choy should be soft and bright green, the noodles tender and the chicken cooked though.

Remove the chicken to a strainer and let it cool just a few minutes.

udon

Slice the breasts about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.

To serve, place some noodles, bok choy and chicken in a bowl.

udon

Ladle some broth over it all, making sure to add onions and mushrooms to the bowl.

udon

Serve it hot and enjoy!

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 6 votes
udon
Print [8]
Udon, Chicken and Bok Choy Bowl

Like most udon dishes, this one is made with a broth. It takes a little time to really develop the flavors so plan on simmering this for at least. a couple of hours.

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, main dish
Cuisine: Japanese, one dish, one-pot
Keyword: asian, bok choy, chicken, Japenese, mushrooms, noodles, udon
Servings: 4 servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
Broth
  • 32 oz. chicken broth or stock (Not low sodium)
  • 2 - 3 Tablespoons chili crisps
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 4 cups mushrooms, sliced - a mix of oyster & shitaake
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
The Bowl
  • 3 - 4 large boneless chicken breasts
  • 3 - 4 medium baby bok choy, sliced
  • 1 pound udon noodles (usually in the produce section of the market)
Instructions
  1. Place all the broth ingredients into a large pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 90 minutes or two hours. Check it often and add more water if too much evaporates.

  2. Next, place the chicken breasts in the broth, cover and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.

  3. Add the bok choy and the noodles to the mix, cover and simmer again for about 15 minutes. The bok choy should be soft and bright green, the noodles tender and the chicken cooked though.

  4. Remove the chicken to a strainer and let it cool just a few minutes. Slice the breasts about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.

  5. To serve, place some noodles, bok choy and chicken in a bowl. Ladle some broth over it all, making sure to add onions and mushrooms to the bowl.

  6. Serve it hot and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

 

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

udon

Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Posted By HelenFern On In Casseroles,Chicken | 5 Comments

I love homemade chicken noodle soup [11]. The richness of the broth made with fresh vegetables and chicken – the comfort of the noodles – I love it all. So why not make a casserole instead of soup? So I did!

chicken noodle

The chicken is cooked to create a rich stock for the noodles to cook in. Then everything is mixed together and baked until a creamy sauce.  The skin can be placed on the top to crisp up on top. This adds some flavor to the casserole as well. You can eat the skin or toss it (but we eat it).

Here’s how you do it:

This first thing is to cook the chicken and create the stock.

Add the chicken, onion, celery, garlic, 2 sprigs of the rosemary and salt to 5 cups of water. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Lift the thighs out of the water with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta in the water. It should be al dente. When you drain the pasta, keep all the vegetables  (discard the sage and rosemary) and save out 1/3 cup of the pasta water. You can freeze the rest to use later as a soup or gravy base.

Remove the skin from the chicken and set it aside. Take all the meat off the bones and chop it into bite sized pieces. Discard the bones.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the chicken with the remaining ingredients (except the rosemary) and the pasta water, adding salt and pepper to taste (we like lots of pepper – preferably fresh cracked).

Put the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with the parmesan,

two sprigs of rosemary, and the chicken skin.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes – until the top is lightly browned and the chicken skin is crispy.

Discard the rosemary

and serve. We like the skin so we ate it – you can discard it if you choose.

© Copyright 2022 The Lazy Gastronome

chicken noodle

5 from 4 votes
chicken noodle
Print [12]
Chicken Noodle Casserole

And easy and delicious version of the comfort food chicken noodle soup.

Course: dinner, Main Course, main dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: casserole, celery, chicken, noodle, onion
Servings: 4 servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
  • 2 large chicken thighs
  • 1 medium to large onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup sliced celery
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
  • 3 whole sprigs sage
  • 4 whole sprigs rosemary
  • 8 oz dried fettucini
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh sage
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup dried parmesan (the canned kind)
Instructions
  1. This first thing is to cook the chicken and create the stock.

  2. Add the chicken, onion, celery, garlic, 2 sprigs of the rosemary and salt to 5 cups of water. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

  3. Lift the thighs out of the water with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

  4. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta in the water. It should be al dente. When you drain the pasta, keep all the vegetables  (discard the sage and rosemary) and save out 1/3 cup of the pasta water. You can freeze the rest to use later as a soup or gravy base.

  5. Remove the skin from the chicken and set it aside. Take all the meat off the bones and chop it into bite sized pieces. Discard the bones.

  6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  7. Mix the chicken with the remaining ingredients (except the remaining rosemary) and the pasta water, adding salt and pepper to taste (we like lots of pepper - preferably fresh cracked).

  8. Put the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with the parmesan, two sprigs of rosemary, and the chicken skin.

  9. Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes - until the top is lightly browned and the chicken skin is crispy.

  10. Discard the rosemary and serve this chicken noodle casserole hot! We like the skin so we ate it - you can discard it if you choose.

Recipe Notes

 

 

© Copyright 2022 The Lazy Gastronome

chicken noodle

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe or to give as a gift!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!


Ham and Swiss Noodle Casserole

Posted By HelenFern On In Casseroles,Pork | 3 Comments

It’s been a wild couple of weeks at our house – bathroom renovations, new heater installed, spring garden planning… So finding something quick and easy for dinner was important. I had some ham [16] left in the freezer and a few slices of swiss cheese, but we didn’t want sandwiches. We wanted something warm and comforting. Noodles, Casserole. That’s what it needed. And it was really good!

casserole

Here’s How to Make this Casserole:

The directions are pretty easy –

Cut the ham into chunks.

Sauté the mushrooms and cook the noodles.

casserole

Mix everything together in the pan you cooked the noodles in.

Pour some olive oil into a large casserole and

then the noodle mixture.

casserole

Top with the cheese.

casserole

Place the casserole on a baking sheet to keep the cheese from melting into the oven.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to an hour.

The cheese will be brown and bubbly.

Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve hot! Would have been great with some broccoli mixed in too!

ham

© Copyright 2022 The Lazy Gastronome

casserole
Print [17]
Ham and Swiss Noodle Casserole
Course: lunch, Main Course, main dish
Cuisine: comfort food, leftovers
Keyword: casserole, comfort food, ham, mushroom soup, mushrooms, noodles, swiss cheese
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
  • 3-4 cups cooked noodles (any kind. I used fettuccini)
  • 3 cups chopped ham
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 10oz-can condensed mushroom soup
  • 2/3 cup sauteed mushrooms
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon yellow ballpark mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 6 large slices swiss cheese (about 6 oz ) (You can also use shredded)
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
  1. Cut the ham into chunks.

  2. Sauté the mushrooms and cook the noodles.

  3. Mix everything together in the pan you cooked the noodles in.

  4. Pour some olive oil into a large casserole and then the noodle mixture. 

  5. Top with the cheese.

  6. Place the casserole on a baking sheet to keep the cheese from melting into the oven.

  7. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to an hour.

  8. The cheese will be brown and bubbly.

  9. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve hot! Would have been great with some broccoli mixed in too!

Recipe Notes

 

© Copyright 2022 The Lazy Gastronome

ham

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!


Swedish Meatballs

Posted By HelenFern On In Beef,Internationally Inspired,Main dish,Swedish | No Comments

Who doesn’t like meatballs? There are so many ways to serve them. There are those meatballs in barbecue sauce that are served at parties. Spaghetti with meatballs [21] is an Italian favorite. And then there are Swedish meatballs.

Italian sauce is usually in a tart, tomato based sauce, where as the Swedish version uses a cream base. Traditionally served over potatoes, we had it over noodles. It’s delicious and easy. This recipe includes the meatballs, but you can make it super simple and use premade too.

swedish meatballs

A good way to do that is make a big batch of meatballs and freeze them on a cookie sheet. After they are frozen, place them in a freezer bag. Freezing them flat first makes it easy to take out just what you need each time!

Ready to get cooking?

Here’s How to Do it:

Start with the meatballs. Prep all the ingredients then mix them together in a large bowl.

Using clean hands, form meatballs and set them aside.

Heat 1/8 cup canola oil and brown each meatball, turning carefully to brown both sides. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low until they are cooked through and hold their shape.

Using a slotted spoon, move to a warm dish.

Next make the sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy sauce pan on medium-low heat. (I used the same pan that I cooked the meatballs in).

Add the flour and cook until it becomes lightly golden and smells nutty. Stir it constantly to prevent burning. It will take four or five minutes.

Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer on low until it thickens.

Stir in the sour cream and add salt and pepper to taste.

And finally, stir the meatballs into the sauce. 

Top with the paprika and stir gently.

Serve over hot potatoes or noodles.

meatballs

Bon Appetit!

© Copyright 2020 The Lazy Gastronome

meatballs

meatballs
Print [22]
Swedish Style Meatballs

Meatballs with a cream sauce served over potatoes or noodles!

Course: Main Course, main dish
Cuisine: American, Swedish
Keyword: beef, cream sauce, meatballs, noodles, potatoes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
Meatballs
  • 1 pound ground beef, you can use a combination of beef and pork
  • 1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, but 2 cloves
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/8 cup canola oil, for frying
Sauce
  • ¼ cup butter1/3 cup flour¼ cup meatball drippings (with all the onion that fell out)2 cups milkSalt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup salted butter
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup meatball drippings (with the onion pieces that fell out)
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Meatballs
  1. Start with the meatballs. Prep all the ingredients then mix them together in a large bowl.

  2. Using clean hands, form meatballs and set them aside.

  3. Heat 1/8 cup canola oil and brown each meatball, turning carefully to brown both sides. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low until they are cooked through and hold their shape.

  4. Using a slotted spoon, move to a warm plate.

Sauce
  1. Next make the sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy sauce pan on medium-low heat.

  2. Add the flour and cook until it becomes lightly golden and smells nutty. Stir it constantly to prevent burning. It will take four or five minutes.

  3. Slowly whisk in the milk and nutmeg and simmer on low until it thickens.

  4. Stir in the sour cream and add salt and pepper to taste.

  5. And finally, stir the meatballs into the sauce. Top with the paprika and stir gently.

  6. Serve over hot potatoes or noodles.

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!