Pan Fried Chicken Casserole

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Pan Fried Chicken Casserole is a fun twist on a classic Southern casserole. We pan fry up little cubes of chicken breast until brown and crispy and combine them with pasta and a delicious sauce!

Old Favorites Made New.

My Momma is famous for dozens of recipes. My Aunt Peggy probably for more. I was very blessed to be taught the art of cooking by these women plus many others. One of the many recipes my sweet Momma gets asked to make all of the time is her Chicken Casserole.

Tender baked chicken bathed in a creamy sauce and topped with butter crackers make her Chicken Casserole a legend. Much like our EASY SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN, we consider it one that everyone must learn how to make and keep in the front of their recipe box.

While we love these old, tried and true recipes, we spent a lot of time last year trying to come up with new and interesting ways to make some of these traditional dishes. And to make them more of a complete meal. Now, you can take this recipe and certainly serve it up with some delicious COLLARD GREENS and not feel like you are missing one single traditional thing. It is just a new way of thinking about your food.

Let us show you what we came up with!

How To Make It.

Like any good casserole, we do have a little prep to do first. I take the chicken breast and cube it into bite size pieces. Then I like to pan fry it just until brown and crispy in a little bit of butter or olive oil. Simple and so powerful at the same time! Here is how the rest of it comes together!

~Ingredients

1 & ½ Cup chicken, cubed and pan fried. - We like bite size pieces of breast, pan fried until golden brown in a bit of butter or olive oil
4 cups pasta, cooked al dente- cooked just about 6-7 minutes until slightly done. Still has a little bite but not mushy.
6 tablespoons butter - enough for flavor and softening all of the onions and garlic to cook well.
4 tablespoons plain flour - to make the base for the scratch made sauce.
¼ teaspoon Salt - just a pinch.
¼ teaspoon pepper - a tad bit for flavor.
¾ Cup chopped onion - this will sauté in the butter until is almost disappears in the casserole.
4 tablespoons chopped garlic - lots and lots of flavor!
½ cup sour cream - to help make the sauce extra creamy.
1 &½ cup milk - more creaminess for the sauce.
2 teaspoons smoked paprika - for a slightly sweet and smoky flavor without adding heat.
2 teaspoons dried mustard - for a slight tanginess without the bitterness of vinegar.
a pinch of Cayenne or red pepper flakes - if you like it hot! Totally optional!
I &½ Cup Cheddar cheese - would it even be a casserole without it?
2 Green Onions, chopped *optional

~Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in large Skillet. Cook onion and garlic until tender. Add salt, pepper, paprika, mustard and flour. Cook I minute.
Add sour cream and milk and whisk over low to medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and add half of the cheese, chicken and pasta.
Pour in a large greased casserole dish or 2 small casserole dishes. Top with remainder of cheese.
Bake 30 minutes. allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve & Enjoy. Garnish with chopped green onions.

Tips and Tricks

Can I used baked or boiled chicken?

Of course! The beauty of cooking is that this is just one idea! The crispiness of the pan fried chicken does add texture but I love to see people taking these recipes and making them their own. I also think whatever is easiest for you is the direction you need to go.

What Kind of Pasta should I use?

Whatever kind you have on hand. We used a tube pasta so we could make sure it grabbed all of that yummy sauce. I also believe that invention is born of necessity. So don't go out and buy a special pasta for this one. it will be just as good with what you have.

How can I make a healthy version?

Substitute the pan fried chicken with baked or grilled chicken for starters. Use a hearts of palm pasta like Palmini. Omit the flour and simply sauté your onions in half the amount of butter or even use olive oil. You can even use unsweetened, low fat almond milk in place of regular milk. And finally, instead of using cheddar cheese, using mozzarella will cut down on the fat as well.

overhead shot of fried chicken casserole

Heirloom Recipes from Your Kitchen

One of the greatest things you can do for your family and the ones you love is cook for them. Recipes have been handed down for generations. New and modified recipes can become heirlooms as well by doing the same things. Here at The Buttered Home, we invite you to modify and try new things. Old favorites cannot be born any other way!

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