I remember when my Mom first learned about and made a Tuna Casserole…. My mom was so proud that she had made this ubiquitous 70’s meal! While we were eager to have something new for dinner and the noodles looked promising…. we were not happy. We ate it, but that tuna smell. I actually don’t think my little sister ate it – to this day, she does not like the smell of fish. Fast forward, my mom realized canned chicken is a great substitute for tuna and Voilà! That change was the trick to getting us kids to happily eat this dinner!
Want something warm, comforting, inexpensive and easy? If you have more than 20 minutes – like maybe 30, then you can even do it in one pot (and a colander). This is also a great dish when you need something easy on the tummy and possibly have leftovers. Ok, I always have leftovers because I always make a large pot. I love the leftovers, especially for lunch. So, what is this lifesaver dish?
One Pot Chicken Dinner. And it can be made with all pantry (and freezer) ingredients for the win!
In my quest for dinner in less than 30 minutes, I have shortened the ‘casserole’ to a one-pot meal and, hence, the name change. Don’t get me wrong, if you have a lot of time, it is definitely tastier to cheese this up and pop it into the oven for 15 minutes or until bubbly. The last time I made this dinner, I was quite hungry and it was summer time, so I just stirred in the shredded parmesan cheese until blended.
The basic recipe is really more of a formula:
1 Can of Chicken (if it’s the small can and you want more meat – use two cans)
½-1 Bag/Box of Pasta (penne or elbow) but choose your noodle of preference
Veggies of Choice – I think more mushrooms count
Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken soup – I prefer the chicken flavor
1 Can of milk – you can use the shelf-stable milk if you don’t have the fresh (good, right?!)
Cheese of choice (optional) Seasonings –this is also your choice and I like to season to match the cheese used
If you are doing the truly one pot dish, use the Dutch oven size pot. Boil water and cook the pasta al dente minus another minute. There will be carryover cooking. Drain in colander and save a bit of pasta water. Heat the un-drained chicken in the same pot on medium heat and add in the soup and the milk. I like to add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Stir and ensure the chicken/soup mixture doesn’t get too hot and scorch on the bottom. If the mixture gets to boiling too much/too fast, you may need to turn down the heat.
Add in the veggies of choice and I won’t tell your mom if you don’t. Season with some black pepper and other seasoning of choice, like oregano. Add in the pasta and stir until well coated. If need be, add a bit more milk or if you saved any pasta water, add a little. Add in the cheese of choice and stir until melty and then serve!
If you want to go the casserole route, pour into a baking dish prepped with cooking spray, oil or butter. Top with cheese and breadcrumbs (optional). Bake in a 350-degree oven until bubbly. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving so the impatient diners won’t burn their mouths. To be fancy, serve with some fresh veggies on the side and/or fresh herbs. A nice salad and some biscuits can round it out to satisfy all of the hungry folks!
Tips: Mise en place (MEEZ ahn plahs) is a French term for having all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, grated, etc. before you start cooking. Pans are prepared. Mixing bowls, tools and equipment set out. Open all cans while the water is heating to cook the pasta. Preheat the oven too. I actually prefer using pasta over egg noodles as the pasta maintains a bit more texture. If you only have like 20 minutes, boil the water/cook the pasta in different pot. Use the Dutch oven to start the chicken mixture and drain pasta and add directly to the big pot. It doesn’t take a lot of corn to add a bit of sweetness and crunch to the dish so I add a few tablespoons. I like to add some frozen peas but I am putting this last to hide them like I did when I was a kid.
