You know that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from hugging one of your favorite people? That’s the feeling your tastebuds receive when you take a bite of Hug Casserole! Yes, that is how it got the name! The tender egg noodles, the hearty beans and mushrooms, the juicy chicken, the creamy savory sauce… they say home cooking can warm your soul, and Hug Casserole definitely proves it. Oh, and Hug Casserole gets its own hug with a blanket of melty cheese. There are plenty of hugs to go around with this dish and that’s just what the doctor ordered!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
- 1 (8-ounce) bag extra-wide egg noodles
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated, divided
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, 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 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 –Butter a 3-quart baking dish.
Step 3 –Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles to al dente, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the noodles.
Step 4 –In a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, the olive oil, and 1/4 cup of the cheddar.
Step 5 –Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 6 –Add the carrots, the bell pepper, the mushrooms, the lima beans, the onion, the garlic, and the thyme to the butter and season with the salt and the pepper.
Step 7 –Cook the veggie mixture, stirring occasionally, until it is tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 8 –Add the chicken to the veggie mixture and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the flour to the chicken mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell disappears, about 1 minute.
Step 10 –Add the wine to the chicken mixture and cook until it is reduced by 1/2, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 11 –Add the stock and the cream to the chicken mixture and bring it to a simmer.
Step 12 –Cook the mixture until it is just starting to thicken, about 2-4 minutes.
Step 13 –Discard the thyme sprigs.
Step 14 –Combine the noodles, the chicken mixture, and the remaining cheddar in a large bowl and stir until the cheese has melted.
Step 15 –Season the mixture with the salt and the pepper.
Step 16 –Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the panko mixture.
Step 17 –Bake the casserole until it is golden-brown, about 10-12 minutes.
Step 18 –Garnish the casserole with the thyme and serve.
