It doesn’t get more classic than this Ground Chicken Noodle Bake. Buttery egg noodles in a creamy, savory sauce filled with tender seared veggies, melty cheese, and topped with crisp breadcrumbs. And who could forget the chicken? Juicy, tender, savory bits of chicken mixed into each bite! Ground Chicken Noodle Bake really has it all!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more, to taste, for greasing the baking dish
- 1 (8-ounce) bag extra-wide egg noodles
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar, grated, divided
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, color of your choice, chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup frozen lima beans, thawed
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 thyme sprigs, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 –Using the extra butter, grease a 3-quart baking dish.
Step 3 –Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Step 4 –Cook the noodles to al dente, according to the package directions, typically about 5-7 minutes.
Step 5 –Drain the noodles and set them aside.
Step 6 –Combine the breadcrumbs, the oil, and 1/4 cup of the cheddar in a bowl.
Step 7 –Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 8 –Add the carrots, the bell pepper, the mushrooms, the lima beans, the onion, garlic, 2 of the thyme sprigs, the salt, and the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the chicken and cook, while crumbling, until it is cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 10 –Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell dissipates, about 1 minute.
Step 11 –Add the wine and cook until reduced by 1/2, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 12 –Add the stock and the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer, cooking until it just starts to thicken, about 2-4 minutes.
Step 13 –Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.
Step 14 –Combine the noodles, the chicken mixture, and the remaining cheddar in a large bowl, stirring until the cheese is melted.
Step 15 –Season the mixture with more of the salt and the pepper as needed.
Step 16 –Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.
Step 17 –Top the chicken mixture with the breadcrumb mixture.
Step 18 –Bake until golden-brown, about 10-12 minutes.
Step 19 –Garnish with the extra thyme.
Step 20 –Serve.
