Category: Casseroles

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 uncooked lasagna noodles

1 cube chicken bouillon

1/4 cup hot water

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the chicken in a saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from saucepan, and shred.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Dissolve the bouillon cube in hot water. In a large bowl, mix the chicken with the bouillon, cream cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover with the chicken mixture, and top with 3 lasagna noodles; repeat. Top with remaining sauce, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven.

16  Servings

1/2 c plus 2 T butter, divided

1/2 c all-purpose flour

3 c rich chicken stock

2 c sour cream

1/2 c white wine

dash nutmeg

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 lb egg noodles, cooked 6 to 7 minutes

4 1/2 c cooked chicken, cut into pieces

1 lb mushroom, sliced and cooked

1 c soft bread crumbs

1/2 c Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Clean and slice the mushrooms and sauté in a 2 tablespoons butter until soft and slightly browned, about 7 minutes.  Remove crusts from 2 or 3 slices of fresh bread and with steel blade in food processor, process bread until softcrumbs form.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan, over medium heat, and whisk in the flour. Cook 1 minute. Gradually add stock, sour cream and wine. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and blend well. Arrange the noodles in an ovenproof casserole. Layer chicken, mushrooms then sauce to cover.  Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and mix with the bread crumbs. Top the casserole with the buttered crumbsand sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.  Serve with buttered green beans and biscuits.

Note: Can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.  Thaw completely before baking.

 8  Servings

2  cups chopped cooked chicken

1  (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

2  cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

1  (6-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1/4  teaspoon pepper

1  cup sour cream

6  lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1  cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4  cup to 1 cup chopped pecans

Stir together chicken and next 6 ingredients.

Arrange 3 noodles in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; top with half of chicken mixture. Repeat layers with remaining noodles and chicken mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pecans.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 45 minutes; uncover, and bake 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.

To Make Ahead: Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking; proceed as directed.

To lighten: Substitute reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup, 2% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, and reduced-fat sour cream.

 6  Servings

This makes a ton!  Freeze one for later.

2 (3-pound) whole chickens

1 cup water

1 cup dry sherry

2 celery stalks

1 onion, quartered

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 (6-ounce) packages long-grain and wild rice mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2(8-ounce) packages sliced mushrooms

1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)

1(8-ounce) carton sour cream

1(10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 sleeve round buttery crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 (6-ounce) can French-fried onions, crushed

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Bring first 9 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is done. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Let chicken cool. Pour broth through a fine wire mesh strainer into an 8-cup liquid measuring cup; discard solids. Cook rice according to package directions, substituting 4 1/4 cups reserved chicken broth for water and omitting butter. (Add water to broth to equal 4 1/4 cups, if necessary.)Skin, bone, and coarsely chop or shred chicken. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add mushrooms and green onions, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, chicken, sour cream, and soup. Spoon mixture into 8 (2-cup) casserole dishes, 8 (5 1/2- x 3 1/2- x 2-inch) mini-loaf pans, 3 (8-inch or 9-inch) square baking dishes, or 1 (4-quart or 15- x 10-inch) casserole dish. Stir together crushed crackers and fried onions. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, paprika, and garlic powder. Sprinkle casserole evenly with cracker mixture.  Bake, covered, at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until bubbly.

To make ahead: Cover casseroles tightly with foil, and freeze unbaked up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed. (Casserole may also be baked frozen. Plan to double the baking times.)To microwave one frozen, unbaked 8-inch square casserole: Casserole must be in a microwave-safe dish. Cover dish with wax paper. Microwave at HIGH 15 to 16 minutes or until casserole is bubbly, giving dish a half-turn once. To microwave one thawed, unbaked 8-inch square casserole: Follow directions to microwave a frozen, unbaked casserole, reducing microwave time to 7 to 8 minutes.

Quicker Method: Use 2 deli-roasted chickens (about 2 pounds each) in place of boiled chickens.

12  Servings