Autumn Chicken Casserole
1 ½ to 2 cups cooked chicken, chunked
3 cups Bechamel sauce (white sauce)
2 cups shredded cheese, like Jarlsberg & Gouda
1 cup chunky homemade tomato sauce (Barry likes a quick cook type with lots of garlic and fresh basil)
1 onion or leek sauteed in butter
¾ cup fresh bread crumbs, fine
3 tablespoons butter
grated Parmesan cheese for topping
1 package of your favorite tube-shaped pasta, cooked
Butter large European oval baker. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare chunky tomato sauce. In separate skillet, sautee onion or leek.
Cook pasta and drain well. In a separate bowl, toss pasta with a little olive oil and some of the tomato sauce to prevent from sticking.
Make the Bechamel sauce in medium saucepan and fold in the cheeses.
Fold the cooked chicken, onion or leek, and the white cheese sauce into the pasta, season to taste with salt & pepper.
Place mixture into the buttered baker. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and the grated Parmesan cheese.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and toss with the fine bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture on top of the casserole and bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown and bubbling around edges. About 30 minutes.
We find our beautiful bakeware holds the heat well so you have plenty of time to bring this to the picnic or pot-luck dinner!
Bon appétit!