Creamy Hen Pasta Casserole is a straightforward, but comforting recipe for baked pasta made with tender pasta, juicy rooster, and a selfmade creamy sauce.
At my home, this rooster pasta casserole is named Amish Hen and ranks as one among my favourite recipes for leftover rotisserie rooster. It’s creamy, hearty, and scrumptious! I like pairing it with Roasted Broccoli or Inexperienced Beans Almondine for a scrumptious, straightforward household meal.
Hen Pasta Casserole is among the most soul-satisfying rooster casserole recipes. It ranks proper up there with Hen Pot Pie and Creamy Tacky Hen and Rice.
Whereas not an advanced or subtle dish, the straightforward creamy sauce, noodles, and shredded rooster, come collectively to create basic consolation meals that appeals to the pickiest of eaters. But the addition of thyme and wine elevates this dish sufficient to please the extra subtle palates–AKA the adults.😉
In truth, this recipe for rooster and pasta casserole is from my outdated childhood. My mother has been making this recipe for decades–for her household of 6 choosy eaters and to take to these in want of a comforting meal as a result of it’s a dish EVERYONE loves.
And whereas making this Hen and Pasta Casserole with out canned soup does take a number of additional minutes, this dish continues to be extremely straightforward to make and the outcomes are nicely well worth the added effort.
Notes on Elements
- Pasta: Choose a pasta that has curves or ridges, like a corkscrew, rotini, or cavatappi noodles. They are going to lure the rooster and sauce, making the casserole way more flavorful in each chew.
- Cooked Hen: Use any leftover cooked rooster you’ve gotten available, equivalent to Roasted Hen Breasts, Immediate Pot Hen, or leftover Rotisserie Hen.
- Hen Inventory: Use low-sodium store-bought or selfmade rooster inventory.
- Wine: Dry white wine provides dimension and sharp, acidic notes to this casserole which helps to chop by way of the richness of the cream sauce. Be at liberty to switch the wine with further rooster inventory for those who do not care to cook dinner with wine.
- Milk: Use fat-free milk for a lighter casserole or complete milk or half and half for a richer casserole.
- Thyme: I like including a little bit of recent thyme to actually improve the casserole. Be at liberty to omit it for those who do not take care of the flavour of thyme, or use dried thyme leaves. Don’t use floor thyme, as the flavour is just not the identical.
- Parmesan Cheese: You should definitely use freshly grated parmesan cheese for the very best taste.
The right way to Make Hen Pasta Casserole
- Cook dinner the Pasta. Deliver a big pot of water to a fast boil. As soon as boiling, closely salt the water, add the pasta, and cook dinner it for 1 minute lower than the bundle directs. As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain, however DO NOT rinse the cooked pasta. You want that starch on the surface of the noodles to assist the sauce adhere to the noodles.
When you drop the pasta within the boiling water, proceed to make the creamy sauce whereas the pasta cooks.
- Put together the Roux. In a big saucepan, soften butter over medium-high warmth. As soon as the butter is melted, whisk within the flour to kind a thick paste referred to as a roux. Let this combination cook dinner for 1 minute. This may assist the sauce NOT to style like uncooked flour.
- Thicken the Sauce. Slowly, whisk in white wine and rooster inventory, and cook dinner for 3-5 minutes, whisking usually, to thicken the sauce.
- Taste the Sauce. As soon as thickened, whisk within the milk or cream, parmesan cheese, and seasonings and cook dinner for 2-3 minutes longer, or till the sauce is mixed and gently simmering.
- Add the cooked pasta, together with the cooked rooster to the cream sauce and toss nicely to evenly coat the rooster and pasta with the creamy sauce.
- Pour the rooster noodle combination right into a greased 9×13 or 2-quart baking dish.
- High the casserole with parmesan cheese.
- Bake the casserole till bubbly and the cheese is barely browned.
Storage Directions
As soon as barely cooled, any leftover Hen and Pasta Casserole will be saved within the fridge for as much as 3 days in an hermetic container. Take note you might wish to add a splash of milk or broth earlier than reheating, because the pasta will take in the additional moisture because it sits.
Getting ready the Casserole in Advance
If you want to get a soar begin on dinner, you may put together this rooster casserole as much as baking and refrigerate it for as much as 48 hours prematurely or freeze the unbaked casserole for as much as 3 months.
To organize the casserole as much as 48 hours prematurely, put together the casserole as directed as much as baking. Permit the casserole to chill barely, cowl tightly with plastic wrap, after which refrigerate it for as much as 48 hours. When able to bake, take away the casserole from the fridge and take away the plastic wrap. Permit the casserole to sit down at room temperature because the oven preheats to 350 levels F. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or till warmed by way of.
To freeze the unbaked casserole, put together as much as combining the sauce, pasta, and rooster. Permit the combination to chill barely after which switch to a big freezer gallon-sized bag or a greased disposable casserole pan and canopy tightly with foil. Freeze for as much as 3 months. To organize the casserole from frozen, defrost for 12 hours within the fridge and bake at 350 levels F coated for 1 hour, after which uncover and bake for 20-Half-hour, or till the dish is bubbly and warmed by way of.
Recipe Modifications
- Add Greens: If desired, add 2 cups of defrosted peas or steamed chopped broccoli florets to the pasta together with the sauce and rooster. Bake as directed.
- Add Mushrooms: Saute sliced button or child portabella mushrooms in melted butter, for 3-4 minutes earlier than including the flour to kind the roux. As soon as the mushrooms have softened, proceed with the recipe by including the flour to the pan and forming the roux. Alternatively, add 1 can of sliced mushrooms which have been drained to the casserole when including the cooked rooster and pasta to the sauce.
- Utilizing Complete Grains: I’ve made this casserole many occasions with complete wheat pasta with implausible outcomes.
- Lightened-Up: To chop again on the fats and energy on this recipe, use cooked rooster breasts as an alternative of darkish meat, use skim milk as an alternative of complete milk or cream, and use half the quantity of parmesan cheese.
- Decadent Model: For a brilliant creamy, wealthy casserole use complete milk or half and half, and prime this casserole with further shredded Parmesan cheese.
Extra Household-Favourite Hen Casseroles
I hope that this Creamy Hen Casserole turns into a household favourite, simply because it has at my home! I’d love to listen to the way you loved this meal within the feedback. You should definitely depart a evaluate!
Creamy Hen Pasta Casserole
This Creamy Hen Casserole is a straightforward, but comforting casserole made with pasta, a creamy parmesan sauce, and cooked rooster.
Servings: 6
Energy: 303kcal
Prevents your display screen from going darkish whereas making ready the recipe.
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 levels F and evenly butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
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Deliver a big pot of water to a fast boil. Salt the water nicely after which add within the pasta of your selection. Cook dinner for 1 minute lower than the bundle suggests. Drain the pasta, however don’t rinse. Put aside so as to add to the casserole.
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In a big saucepan, soften the butter over medium-high warmth. Whisk within the flour to kind a thick paste (a roux) and cook dinner for 1 minute to cook dinner off the uncooked flour style.
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Add within the wine (or rooster inventory), whereas whisking, and permit the combination to come back to a boil. Cook dinner off the alcohol for 1 minute.
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Slowly whisk within the rooster inventory. Add within the thyme, salt, and pepper to season the sauce. Deliver the combination to a boil, after which scale back the warmth to a medium-low simmer.
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Add the milk and cheese to the sauce, and cook dinner for 3 to five minutes, whisking often, till the sauce has thickened and warmed by way of.
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In a big mixing bowl, mix the cooked pasta, sauce, and rooster collectively. Pour into the ready casserole pan. High with further parmesan cheese if desired.
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Bake for 20- 25 minutes till the highest of the casserole is browned and the dish is totally warmed by way of.
Notes
Getting ready in Advance: Assemble the casserole as much as baking. Permit to chill and retailer in a big freezer gallon-sized bag or in a disposable casserole pan. Freeze for as much as 3 months. To cook dinner from frozen, defrost in a single day within the fridge. Place right into a greased casserole dish (if frozen in a storage bag) and bake at 350 levels coated for 1 hour after which uncover and bake for 20-Half-hour till the dish is bubbly and warmed by way of.
Dry White Wine: Choose a dry wine like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio or omit the wine and use all rooster inventory.
Milk: Use fat-free milk for a lighter casserole or complete milk or half and half for a richer casserole.
Hen: Use any cooked rooster or cooked turkey for this casserole.
Pasta: Use a kind of pasta with curves and/or ridges to permit the sauce to stick to the noodles. Each complete grain and common semolina pasta work nicely on this casserole.
Add Greens to the Casserole: If desired, add in 2 cups of defrosted peas or steamed chopped broccoli florets to the pasta together with the sauce and rooster. Bake as directed.
Add Mushrooms to the Casserole: Merely add sliced button, child portabella, and even canned, drained mushrooms to the melted butter earlier than including the flour to kind the roux. Saute the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes till they begin to turn into delicate. Proceed with the recipe by including the flour to the mushroom combination as soon as they’ve been sauteed to kind the roux.
Parmesan: You should definitely use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the very best taste.
Thyme: Instead of recent Thyme, use 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (not floor thyme) or omit it from the casserole.
Diet
Energy: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 22g | Fats: 4g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 385mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 1.4mg
This publish was initially posted in 2015 and up to date in 2023.
