Zesty Chicken-Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. wide egg noodles
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tsp. whole wheat flour
• 2 cups fat-free milk
• 1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 4 tsp. seasoned dried bread crumbs

Makes 4 Servings (1 cup per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.
2. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt if desired; drain.
3. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle with flour; cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and Parmesan; cook, whisking constantly, until sauce bubbles and thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
4. Stir noodles, chicken, onion, jalapeno, and mustard into sauce. Transfer to prepared casserole dish; sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Bake until browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 10 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Casserole are the perfect comfort food to enjoy during a cold winter evening. This casserole dish is like a chicken-macaroni and cheese dish. It's a very filling and flavorful dish that will become a family favorite at the dinner table. The original recipe calls for canned chilies but using diced jalapeno peppers taste just as good.





Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces & skinned, giblets discarded
• 7 cups water
• 6 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 onions, cut into eighths
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 cups broad egg noodles
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Make 6 Servings ( 2 cups per serving)

1. Bring the chicken, water, carrots, celery, onions, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to a boil in a large soup pot. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes.
2. Lift the chicken from the soup and set aside until cool enough to handle. Pull he chicken meat from the bones, then tear or cut it into bite-size pieces.
3. Discard the bay leaves. Add the noodles and return the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the noodles are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and thyme; parsley and return 2 cups of the chicken to the soup; heat through, about 3 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts. 

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook.  This is what I call one of the ultimate comfort foods. I loved chicken noodle soup when I was growing up but it was always from a can. I never knew how good chicken noodle soup could be when I made it from scratch. This chicken noodle soup will win over anyone. It has lots of flavor and vegetables in it too. The herbs are the key to making this soup flavorful. I also added some minced garlic while cooking the vegetables because garlic always makes everything taste better.