Chicken Noodle Casserole

I get at least 2 new cooking magazines a month and typically, I am the only person in the house who reads through them.  On one of our recent car trips, my daughter was looking particularly bored so I handed her one of my Cook's Country magazines to help kill some time.  I really didn't expect her to give it too much more than a glace through but much to my surprise, she really spent some time reading through the recipes.  (Long car trips will make any reading material seem more interesting.)  After about 15 minutes of brousing through recipes, she pointed out one in particular that she thought looked really good - Chicken Noodle Casserole.  I added that recipe to our menu for the very next week and it turns out - she has a knack for choosing great recipes.  This one's a keeper.

Chicken Noodle Casserole
12 ounces wide egg noddles
3 Tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups half and half
1 pound boneless chicken breasts
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed








Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.







Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in empty pot.  Add onion and saute until softened.

 Transfer onions to another bowl.  Melt 2 T. butter in pot.  Add flour and whisk for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in half and half and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Add chicken and cook 8 - 10 minutes.

Remove pot from heat.  Transfer chicken to a plate.








Whisk cheese, noodles, peas, onion, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/4 teaspoons pepper into sauce.

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and add to mixture.







Pour into a 9x13 pan.

Top with crushed Ritz crackers.

Bake 15 minutes at 425.

Serve.

Ciao!