Easy Mac & Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

The name says it all... Easy! This one dish meal came together for an easy week night recipe that is light on the budget. Based on average retail prices at national supermarkets the total recipe costs $12.79 which is $2.13 a serving. You can make this your own by switching up the veggies and meat. Little Man really loves chicken and broccoli so I kept with the direction of the recipe. I saw a variation that incorporated Mexican flavors and it looked fantastic. If you're a real go getter cook your noodles ahead of time, prep the veggies, and save yourself some of the grunt work by purchasing one of those juicy rotisserie chickens from the deli section. Best part about a casserole is that there are plenty for leftovers.

Easy Mac & Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

Country Crock

Makes 6 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 4 tbsp butter melted, divided
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 8 oz rotini pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 4 cups frozen vegetables, thawed - I used a fresh broccoli crown cut into bite sized pieces.
• 2 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese - I used fat free.
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese - I used shaved Parmesan cheese. 

And Action:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 3 tbsp of butter with the milk, pasta, chicken, veggies, and cheddar cheese in an 8-inch baking dish.

Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and remaining butter in a small bowl; sprinkle on top. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. 

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 330

Calories from Fat: 80

Fat: 9 g

Saturated Fat: 3.5 g

Trans Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 10 mg

Sodium: 330 mg

Carbohydrates: 46 g

Fiber: 3 g

Sugar: 8 g

Protein: 16 g

Vitamin A: 40%

Vitamin : 8%

Calcium: 20%

Iron: 10%

Check out Weekend Potluck for other great dinner ideas!

Campbell's® Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Our Valentine's dinner wasn't anything fancy schmancy. It wasn't of the finest quality of ingredients or top dollar spent. What our Valentine's dinner was, was a chance to have Mr. Sideline Chef by my side in our small kitchen bumpin' elbows as he helped prepare the noodles and broccoli while I browned the chicken and made the sauce. It was the quality time, although short since dinner was on the table in a snap, that makes our tight knit bond that much stronger. We don't need a day marked in the calendar to tell us when to do something extra special for each other,  although I'm not complaining about my rather large Victoria's Secret gift card. My point is every day with Mr. Sideline Chef is special and I cherish my time with him everyday. I make it a point to tell him and most importantly I show him.

Enough of the sappy crap for another year. On second thought there will be more of it since our 4 year anniversary will be coming up and the fact that I love him more and more every day. Okay. Okay. Enough.

As for the Campbell's® Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo this is a hearty meal that is perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Linguine is mixed with sauteed chicken breasts pieces and broccoli coated in a rich Alfredo sauce. No, I'm not trying to endorse a product here. I just came across the recipe after Mr. Sideline Chef had requested it the other night for a later date.

The original recipe has variations for other protein choices and flavor profiles such as Asian or for a Mexican flair. I can see adding garlic and more Parmesan cheese to the original recipe for more flavor but without the additions this recipe is perfect as wrote. It is sure to become a meal that will make your family's rotation.

Campbell's® Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

MyRecipes.com and Campbell's Kitchen, December 2008

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 8 oz linguine
• 1 cup broccoli flowerets
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

And Action:

Prepare the pasta according to the package directions adding the broccoli to the pot the final 4 minutes. Drain the linguine and broccoli.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's well browned, stirring often.

Stir in the soup, milk, cheese, black pepper, and the linguine/broccoli mix into the skillet. Heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts bubbling. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

I'm marking #13 off my "Stir The Pot" page. 4 down 20 to go.

Just another reminder that the Culinary Smackdown Battle is still open. There are a handful of entries so far and I'd love to see what else will be submitted. You have until February 27, 2011 to get those recipes linked! Best of luck!