I do not pre-cook noodles! I've learned that 12 oz. of dry noodles will absorb about 36 oz. of liquid or so. So, I add about that amount to the sauce that I'll be making and the noodles will absorb what they need, leaving behind a great sauce. Here we go!
Ingredients:
12 oz. Broad Noodles, uncooked3-4 cups of cooked chicken (I like a mixture of light and dark meat)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 T minced garlic
1 lb. fresh Chopped Broccoli steamed or frozen, thawed and squeezed of extra liquid
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup (or make a béchamel sauce...either is fine)
1 cup of milk
20 oz. defatted, rich chicken broth or water (if using water, add some chicken stock base or bullion)
2 T butter or chicken fat
2 cups Sharp Cheese, grated
2 T Cream Cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions (see the end of the recipe posting for shots that match the step numbers):
Using a large, deep skillet (you'll need one with a lid) melt the butter (or chicken fat) over a medium heat and add the onion and bell pepper to sauté. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue sautéing until the vegetables are translucent. Once the vegetables are a bit translucent, stir in the garlic and sauté a few more minutes (that's step 1). Stir in the chicken soup or béchamel. Once this is incorporated with the vegetables, lower the heat and whisk in the milk (that's step 2). Next, stir in the chicken, broccoli and noodles. Stir in the stock until everything is covered and seems very wet (those are steps 3 and 4). Cover and bring to a boil on medium heat. When it reaches a boil, uncover, stir and reduce the heat to a simmer; recover and set the timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes of simmering, lift the lid and stir the mixture to relieve any sticking and to check for the need for more stock. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese along with the cream cheese and replace the cover and continue to cook at a simmer for 10 more minutes (all that's step 5). When the timer goes off, lift the lid and stir again to check for sticking. Test a noodle to see if it is done to your liking or needs more time. Continue to cook in 2-3 minute increments until the noodles are done to your liking. When ready, turn off the heat, cover the top with the remaining cup of cheese and recover to allow the cheese to melt (that's step 6). If you like your cheese browned, put the skillet, uncovered, into a 450 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes for a lovely brown top! Let the dish stand for at least 5 minutes (I like to let it stand 10 minutes) before eating. Enjoy!!
Some other options:
- Use a different pasta shape like shells, spaghetti or rigatoni
- Use other vegetables such as sweet peas, mushrooms or asparagus
- Use different sauce bases like Cream of Celery soup or cheese sauce
- Top with buttered bread crumbs or cubes and bake uncovered for 15 minutes for added crunch
- Replace the chicken with leftover ham or turkey
- Add a can of Rotel Tomatoes for a bit of spice and tomato sweetness and color
Just use your imagination! The idea is to use one skillet, pasta and enough water to cook the pasta and still leave a sauce. Everything else, is up to you! The technique not only saves time, it saves water (Hands up for those of you who like dumping gallons of pasta water down the drain?) and energy (no extra gas or electricity being used to precook pasta!).
The dish above makes 8 hearty and I do mean hearty, servings. I will freeze the leftovers for my lunches! The cost per serving of the dish I made today was:
$1.15 USD
I used 1/4 of the two chickens I cooked yesterday. The broth and chicken fat came from cooking those two yard birds. The broccoli, soup and milk were bought at a big discount yesterday with coupons and extra savings at Target. I love saving money while eating REALLY well! Somehow it makes me feel like a winner!! Yea, we win!!!
Here are some shots of the steps of me making this dish:
Here are some shots of the steps of me making this dish:
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