A creamy casserole for those chilly fall nights
Creamy Chicken and Potato Casserole.
AP Photo | Matthew Mead
Just as summer demands salads, fall calls for casseroles.
The combination of a chill in the air and the chaos of kids heading back to school means many families are looking for easy, warming one-pot meals that come together quickly and with little mess or fuss.
So when we created this recipe, we kept things simple. In fact, to cut down on mess and time, it is mixed right in the dish it is baked in. We also turned to that ultimate workhorse of the weeknight kitchen — the rotisserie chicken. Add a few vegetables and a creamy sauce made from pantry staples, and dinner's on the table in no time.
Some folks may turn up their noses at using cream-of-anything soup in a casserole. But busy families have been turning to it for decades for three simple reasons — it works, it's delicious and it's effortless.
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CREAMY CHICKEN AND POTATO CASSEROLE
Bagged hash brown potatoes (not the frozen type) can be found in the refrigerator section of your grocer, often near the eggs.
Start to finish: 1 hour (20 minutes active)
Servings: 8
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream-of-chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
20-ounce package hash brown potatoes
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup green beans, cut into pieces
1/2 cup grated carrot
Meat from a 2-pound rotisserie chicken, cubed, skin and bones discarded
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Heat the oven to 400 F.
In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, stir together the mayonnaise, soup, milk, pepper, salt, thyme and garlic powder. Stir in the potatoes, zucchini, green beans, carrots and chicken. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and the breadcrumbs. Bake for 40 minutes, or until bubbling and the vegetables are tender.
Nutrition information per serving: 420 calories; 120 calories from fat (29 percent of total calories); 13 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 100 mg cholesterol; 41 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 32 g protein; 700 mg sodium.
Comments
ogel1209
Sun, Sep 23, 2012 : 4:07 p.m.
What a horrible recipe!! I feel my arteries already clogging! Mayonnaise, cream of chicken soup, hash brown potatoes, 420 calories per serving, and to boot, 700mg sodium!! Who eats all this processed, fattening food? OUCH!
jns131
Mon, Sep 24, 2012 : 12:50 a.m.
The potatoes are not the problem. It is the soup and mayo that is added to it. Remove these two and add the potatoes back and it becomes less fattening and artery clogging. Potatoes are a good source of C and Avocados. A good fat. So don't fear the little spud.
jns131
Sun, Sep 23, 2012 : 3:57 p.m.
I never use processed foods when making anything like this. Basically make a thick white sauce with 1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes. As for the mayo? Use Greek or Plain Yogurt to make this a heart healthy meal. Right now as i see it? This is a processed meal with enough salt and fat to really make you wonder why you would want to eat something like this. Remember, if you don't want to become a part of the obesity problem? Eat heart smart and this recipe as it stands? Is not. Do not use condensed soups nor mayo in any cooking. We do not. Happy eating!
jns131
Mon, Sep 24, 2012 : 12:52 a.m.
I also forgot to add one thing. Forget the rotisserie chicken. Boil three boneless skinless chicken breasts and then shredded. Much healthy then what they do to that rotisserie.
say it plain
Sat, Sep 22, 2012 : 4:49 p.m.
Really? We need recipes posted that call for condensed cream soups and 1/2 cup of mayo lol?!