easy cheesy chicken casserole

(I served this with fresh green beans, roasted tomatoes and roasted bittersweet onions.)

This easy chicken casserole is an oldie from one of my favorite cookbooks called “Clockwise Cuisine” published by the Junior League of Detroit way back in 1984. Those were the days when casseroles were loaded with lots of cream soup and lots of cheese. This casserole is no exception. I have made this many, many times. I have served this at parties, baby showers and even this year on Christmas Eve to my family. It’s that good……

Here’s what you need:

12 oz. noodles, cooked and drained – the original recipe calls for only 8 ounces, but I always stretch it to 12.

8 oz. cream cheese- room temperature

1 ½ C cottage cheese

2 cans cream mushroom soup

1 C whole milk

½ green pepper, diced or sliced very thin

¼ C onion, sliced very thin

Fresh parsely

Cooked chicken –recipe calls for 4 cups, but I like to load in more

Optional: buttered bread crumbs for the top of the casserole

Here's a great way to cook chicken breasts:

use breasts with the bone in and the skin on

drizzle with olive oil and liberally season with salt and pepper

place them skin side up on a baking sheet - be sure to use one that has sides, not the flat kind

roast in a 350 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the juices run clear and a knife inserted into the thickest part of the meat slides out easily

cool for 1/2 hour

peel off the skin, tear the meat away from the bone and slice

Here’s what you do:

Mix it all together and bake. Brace yourself for the compliments.

(printable recipe)

I'm curious to know what some of your favorite old-time casseroles are? Do you make anything similar to this, old fashioned, but too good to set aside?