marilynpeight
This creamy chicken and pasta casserole with peas and a homemade sauce took me back to my childhood in the old order Amish community. We ate a lot of casseroles, especially casseroles that were easy to toss together and filling, during the summer months when we were very busy with gardening an canning. This chicken and pasta casserole comes together in minutes and is perfect for those times where you just need a quick meal that you know the whole family (including toddlers) will love! If you enjoy Amish casseroles you may also enjoy Amish Dairy Casserole, Amish Country Breakfast Casserole, or Amish Sausage and Cabbage Casserole.
See below the recipe card for additional notes and step by step photos.
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Amish Chicken and Pasta Casserole
Equipment
- 9 by 13 inch baking dish (linked below)
- large saucepan (linked below)
- Whisk (linked below)
- measuring cups (linked below)
Ingredients
- 8 oz. Penne Pasta
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken *see note
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or add to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Topping:
- shredded cheddar or Colby cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain off the pasta water.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then whisk in the flour until smooth. Add milk and chicken broth, then bring to a boil while whisking rapidly. Reduce heat and simmer for several minutes, or until thickened (continue stirring frequently to keep the sauce from burning). Stir in seasonings and parmesan cheese, then remove from heat.
- Add the shredded chicken, peas and cooked pasta to the sauce, then stir gently to combine with the sauce.
- Pour the pasta and chicken mixture into a 13 by 9 inch pan and spread out evenly with a spoon or spatula. Top with shredded cheese, then bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted on top and the casserole is bubbly on the edges. Cool slightly and enjoy!
Notes
Equipment needed for this Amish Chicken & Pasta Casserole:
- 13 by 9 inch baking dish A 13 by 9 inch baking dish is needed to bake this Amish chicken and pasta casserole to get that cheese nicely melted.
- Large pan You will need a saucepan/frying pan that is large enough to cook the sauce in and to combine all the ingredients after the soup-less sauce is cooked.
- Whisk I prefer to use a whisk with a wire handle. Wire handled whisks dry better and don’t leave any nasty leakage behind while you are whisking up the sauce for this casserole.
- Measuring cups I prefer to use stainless steel measuring cups for measuring out the ingredients for this Amish chicken and pasta casserole.
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Ingredients needed for this Amish chicken & Pasta Casserole: Chicken broth, shredded chicken, flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, frozen peas, pasta, shredded cheese, milk and grated parmesan cheese (not shown).
Substitutions:
This chicken and pasta casserole is fairly versatile. You can top the casserole with your favorite melting cheese (my family prefers cheddar). You could also replace the peas with canned green beans, mushrooms, drained corn, steamed broccoli etc.
Step 1-2: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Make the sauce by melting the butter and whisking in the flour until smooth (aka making a roux). Whisk in chicken broth and milk, then bring to a boil while whisking rapidly. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for several minutes while stirring frequently. Stir in the grated parmesan and seasonings, then remove the sauce from the heat.
Step 3: Add shredded chicken and frozen peas to the sauce.
Step 3 continued: Add cooked pasta, then gently combine the chicken, pasta and peas with the sauce.
Step 4: Pour the chicken and pasta mixture into a 13 by 9 inch baking dish and spread the casserole out evenly into the baking dish with a spoon or a spatula. Top the casserole with the shredded cheese of your choice.
Step 4 continued: Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling on the edges. Cool slightly and enjoy!
Serving suggestions:
My husband and kids love to have applesauce as a side to any type of casserole like this chicken and pasta casserole. Ironically (the Amish I grew up in loved to mix applesauce with any type of casserole), I prefer to just have a side of salad or a slice of fresh bread with my casseroles.
Storage for leftovers:
This casserole keeps well for up to five days if covered and refrigerated. If you prefer to keep the casserole fresh for longer you can also freeze it for several months. This casserole would be a great option if you want to prep a freezer meal ahead of time. Simply cook the sauce and compile the casserole, then place into the baking dish and top with shredded cheese, then cover well and freeze. When ready to use, thaw the casserole and bake until heated through.
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I added a whole can of mixed vegetables
Instead of just peas
Yummy 😋
Glad you enjoyed it!