Use up leftover chicken or turkey!
This is the perfect time of year to start making casseroles. With kids going back to school, and everyone in the family figuring out new schedules, having dinner already planned is the way to go.
This chicken baked casserole is an excellent way to use up cooked chicken or even leftover turkey. When I make a whole chicken or turkey I always cut up the leftovers into cubes. Then I freeze them for later use in a recipe. Economical and easy!
- Creamy chicken casserole bake
- 3 cups cubed, cooked chicken (or turkey!)
- 1/2+1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 + 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups toasted bread cubes
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 4-oz can mushrooms, drained
Toast two slices of bread, and cube them. Toss in a bowl with the onion and celery. Pour 1/4 cup melted butter and stir. Pour into a 9x13" casserole dish. Top with the cubed, cooked chicken; then top with mushrooms. I sometimes split my casserole recipes in to two 8x8" casseroles, because I have a small family.
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan. Add in flour, working out any lumps with a whisk. Cook for a few minutes until golden. Slowly stir in the milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let cook for about three minutes. Taste it at this point, add the salt and pepper.
Pour sauce over the chicken in the casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve hot!
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Time-saving tips: I make my casseroles in advance on Sunday afternoons during nap time. It takes me about 20 minutes to throw this together. I freeze one casserole for later use, and I stick the other in the fridge to have the next Monday or Tuesday night. I try to plan this on a hectic evening when I know we'll be getting home late. If you freeze a casserole, try to remember to take it out and stick it in the fridge the night before you want to make it. Then it will thaw overnight and through the day. You should be able to bake it following the directions above. Forget to take it out of the freezer? No problem, bake covered at 350 degrees for one hour, then take the top off and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
What's cooking in your neck of the woods? Recipes you would like to share? Foods that are new and interesting? Email me.
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If you like this recipe, you'll love my other easy casseroles:
Italian beef and shells casserole recipe
Cheeseburger and fries casserole recipe
Pork pot pie recipe
Comments
I am SO going to try this. It looks like a huge family pleaser, and after all, that's what it's all about!
I love casseroles and my family loves chicken and turkey! This one's going in my recipe file.
This looks like THANKSGIVING! :D Stuffing... chicken.... MMmmmmm :D
This looks so good. I'll have to try it!
I have never frozen casseroles before. What type of pan do you use in the freezer? Glass, like Pyrex, or aluminum, or throw away aluminum type ones? I am going to try this recipe, it sounds great.
Becky: I have used aluminum in the past and they froze and baked just fine. But recently I purchased some glass pans. I've not had any trouble with the glass breaking. Pyrex's website says to make sure the oven it totally preheated before you put the casseroles in. And of course the throw away kind are perfectly fine to freeze and bake.
This was so,so good. I made 2 last weekend. I cooked one right away. I froze the other in Pyrex and cooked it during the week. It came out great. I will now be freezing casseroles all the time. Thanks.
This sounds so easy and delicious. I bet my family would love this. You should also check out this great chicken casserole recipe eCookbook from RecipeLion: www.recipelion.com/Chicken-Casserole-Recipes/Quick-and-Easy-Chicken-Casserole-Recipes-eCookbook
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