The Fall season conjures up thoughts of hot apple cider, sweaters, fireplaces and the upcoming holidays. It also brings to my mind hearty, nutritious, comfort food. Nothing is better than having a family meal with everyone gathered around the dinner table (unless your husband is the UPS man and works late...) and serving a meal that will put a smile on each person's face.
Chicken Broccoli Casserole
One shredded cooked chicken (2 to 3 cups)**turkey works well, too!
One large package frozen broccoli florets, cooked
One package pasta (small to medium shells, rotini, penne, etc.), cooked
Italian Seasoned bread crumbs, 1 cup
6 to 7 tablespoons butter, melted
Cubed or shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1 to 2 cups
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. curry seasoning
One cup mayonnaise
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix bread crumbs with butter and spread half of mixture on bottom of pan. Place cooked broccoli over bread crumbs. Then layer shredded chicken over broccoli.
Next mix mayonnaise, 2 cans cream of chicken soup, curry powder, lemon juice together. Fold cooked pasta and shredded cheese in (I use sharp cheddar). Spoon this on top of chicken and spread so it covers all layers. Sprinkle other half of bread crumbs over all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
This a great meal and has the vegetables right in it! I often make this and then serve it with dinner rolls and a fruit salad. This dish is also great to take to a pot luck or to someone who has had a baby, recovering from surgery or just a "welcome to the neighborhood" meal. This has been a favorite of my family's for over 30 years (don't judge, I am a "very young old person" lol).
Hope that you will give this a try and that your family enjoys it, too!