Reduced-Fat Chicken Noodle Casserole
By Christie MorrisonPublished on April 9, 2015
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
8 ounces wide egg noodles Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine1 onion, chopped fine1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine1 ½ teaspoons 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 breasts, trimmed and halved lengthwise4 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)4 ounces reduced-fat American cheese, chopped (1 cup)1 ½ cups frozen peas 20 reduced-fat Ritz Crackers, crushed coarse
Before You Begin
Cooking the egg noodles until just al dente and then shocking them in cold water prevents them from overcooking when baked in the casserole. To keep the sauce from breaking, be sure to remove the Dutch oven from the heat before adding the cheese.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add noodles and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook until just al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles in colander and rinse under cold running water until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain again thoroughly and set aside.
- Heat oil in now-empty pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, carrot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl.
- Whisk cornstarch together 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 degrees, 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 cheeses into sauce until smooth. Shred chicken into bite-size pieces using 2 forks. Stir peas, shredded chicken, noodles, mushroom mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/4 teaspoons 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.
- Casserole can be prepared through step 4, transferred to baking dish, and refrigerated without cracker topping for up to 24 hours. To serve: Heat casserole in microwave until hot throughout, about 5 minutes; then top with crackers and bake as directed.
to make ahead
Yield
Serves 8Ingredients
8 ounces wide egg noodles
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
1 ½ teaspoons 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 breasts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
4 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
4 ounces reduced-fat American cheese, chopped (1 cup)
1 ½ cups frozen peas
20 reduced-fat Ritz Crackers, crushed coarse
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
8 ounces wide egg noodles
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
1 ½ teaspoons 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 breasts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
4 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
4 ounces reduced-fat American cheese, chopped (1 cup)
1 ½ cups frozen peas
20 reduced-fat Ritz Crackers, crushed coarse
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
8 ounces wide egg noodles
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
1 ½ teaspoons 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 breasts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
4 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
4 ounces reduced-fat American cheese, chopped (1 cup)
1 ½ cups frozen peas
20 reduced-fat Ritz Crackers, crushed coarse
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To lighten up this comfort-food classic, we soften mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and carrot in a tablespoon of vegetable oil. We build a lean but rich-tasting sauce with chicken broth and low-fat evaporated milk that we thicken slightly with cornstarch. Poaching the chicken in the sauce keeps it tender. We use a combination of light cheddar cheese and reduced-fat American cheese for creaminess, mix everything together with tender egg noodles, and finish the casserole with a traditional buttery cracker topping.
Before You Begin
Cooking the egg noodles until just al dente and then shocking them in cold water prevents them from overcooking when baked in the casserole. To keep the sauce from breaking, be sure to remove the Dutch oven from the heat before adding the cheese.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add noodles and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook until just al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles in colander and rinse under cold running water until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain again thoroughly and set aside.
- Heat oil in now-empty pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, carrot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl.
- Whisk cornstarch together 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 degrees, 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 cheeses into sauce until smooth. Shred chicken into bite-size pieces using 2 forks. Stir peas, shredded chicken, noodles, mushroom mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/4 teaspoons 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.
- Casserole can be prepared through step 4, transferred to baking dish, and refrigerated without cracker topping for up to 24 hours. To serve: Heat casserole in microwave until hot throughout, about 5 minutes; then top with crackers and bake as directed.
to make ahead
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