Chicken and Asparagus Casserole

I love shopping at many of the local farms in my area.  I often find great deals on produce as it becomes ready for sale.  My kids enjoy the experience of shopping at a market with farm fresh products. It is almost a field trip for us; we check out all the veggies and fruits; we ask the workers questions about the produce. Sometimes, we bring home a delicious dessert or chocolate milk in the glass bottle!

This casserole was perfect for my family. This recipe is a bit more involved than typical recipes I try, but it is summer so I have a bit more time.


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 4 cooked chicken breasts (I boiled mine)
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T flour
• 3 cups milk, divided
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 8 oz wide egg noodles
• cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 T olive oil
• pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt 2 T butter in saucepan. Throw in onion to saute for about 3 minutes. Add garlic. Saute for 2 more minutes. Throw in 2 T flour to make a roux. Stir. Add 1 cup cold milk. Stir well. Add 2 more cups cold milk. Stir. Add cream of mushroom soup and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Allow to simmer and thicken.
3. While working with saucepan, allow a large pot of salted water to come to a boil.
4. Boil asparagus for 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon. Set aside.
5. Using the same pot of boiling water, cook egg noodles one minute less than directed.
6. Drain noodles. Put back in pot. Pour in cream of mushroom mixture. Stir. Add cooked chicken stir. Add asparagus. Stir. Add 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese. Stir.
7. Transfer noodle mixture to 11 x 14 casserole dish. Moisten bread crumbs with olive oil. Put moistened bread crumbs on top of casserole. Top with a bit more cheese.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Difficulty: Medium (I was using lots of ingredients and pots, but it was worth it!)

Time: an hour or so

Source: Food Wishes with Chef John