Broccoli Chicken Noodle Bake

We love this simple casserole dinner and the kids are always happy when they see it coming to the table. Even our pickiest ones eat it (chicken and all!) because the egg noodles and cheese are drenched in flavor.

The best thing about this broccoli cheese noodle casserole is that it can be thrown together fast, making it a great quick and easy weeknight dinner. We often use pre-cooked chicken that’s stocked up in the freezer. It’s easy to cook a large batch of boneless chicken once every couple weeks so you can have it on hand for quick meals like this. Rotisserie chicken or canned chicken works great too.

Ingredients:

3 cups cubed chicken breast
4 cups uncooked egg noodles
4 teaspoons butter
5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 can (14½ ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat-free milk
3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat, cook chicken until cooked through. Remove from pan but keep warm.

3. In same pan, melt the butter.

4. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper until blended.

5. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

6. Remove from the heat. Drain noodles; place in a 13×9 baking dish coated with cooking spray.

7. Stir in 1 cup sauce. Layer with the chicken, broccoli, and remaining sauce.

8. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

9. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition Information:

1 cup equals:

354 calories
10 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
102 mg cholesterol
601 mg sodium
33 g carbohydrate
3 g fiber
34 g protein

Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat