Make Ahead Chicken Casserole Recipe 445

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN CASSEROLE RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• Allow to sit in fridge at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Can double and bake in 9x13 (increase baking time 20 minutes). I think this is a flexible recipe - it's just basically heating the casserole through, so you want to be sure you have a good ratio of solids to liquids. The first time I made it, I added more macaroni and milk instead of hardboiled eggs. I have never used the full amount of chicken, just increased the poultry seasoning. I used fresh parsley this time instead of celery, making the casserole much prettier. I think there's room with experimenting with peas or carrots too.

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN DIVAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine Cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a bowl and set aside.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, cover, and steam until tender, 2 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic; saute until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Whisk condensed soup, sour cream, milk, and mayonnaise together in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved Cheddar-Parmesan mixture and season with salt and pepper. Add the sauteed vegetables and stir to combine the sauce.
• Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Add cooked rice as the bottom layer. Add cooked broccoli as the next layer, and then layer on the cooked chicken. Cover with remaining sauce. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Cheddar-Parmesan mixture, plus extra Parmesan if desired, and continue to bake until browned, about 15 minutes more.

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., In a large bowl, combine the chicken, corn, broccoli, soup, milk, sour cream, mayonnaise, pepper and mushroom mixture; transfer to a greased 13-in x 9-in. baking dish. Top with stuffing. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until stuffing is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN BAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with cheese, chow mein noodles and almonds. Cover and refrigerate overnight. , Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned and cheese is bubbly.

DO AHEAD CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Lightly butter a 9x13-inch oven proof dish.
• Cut crusts off the bread and save.
• Place bread slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish.
• Put chicken on top.
• Sauté mushrooms in 2 tbsp butter and then put mushrooms on top of the chicken.
• Sprinkle water chestnuts and pimentos on top of the mushrooms.
• Dot with mayo and top with cheese.
• Melt two tbsp butter in skillet, stir in flour until smooth.
• Whisk in 2 cups broth, bring to a boil, whisking constantly until thickened, set aside.
• Whisk milk and eggs together and pour over the cheese.
• Spoon chicken broth sauce over the casserole.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Bring to room temperature and sprinkle with buttered crumbs (see below).
• Bake in 350°F uncovered for 1-1 1/2 hours.
• Buttered crumbs:.
• Crumble the crusts of the bread in crumbs.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter add crumbs and toast for 10-15 minutes .
• The crumbs can be made ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge.
• Do not add crumbs to casserole until just before baking.

EASY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Boil chicken until cooked through (no longer pink inside), about 20-30 minutes. Chop into bite size pieces and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Combine soup, sour cream, onion (optional) and mushrooms (optional). Pour mixture over chicken and top with crumbled crackers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes (or freeze for baking at another time).

MAKE-AHEAD CHEESY SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND PASTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, bell pepper, poblano and jalapeño chiles; cook about 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in flour and taco seasoning mix; cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually beat in broth with whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese and Cheddar cheese.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package for minimum cook time. Drain; stir pasta into sauce with chicken, frozen corn and black beans. Pour pasta mixture into baking dish, and pour enchilada sauce over top.
• Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with tortilla chips. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and sauce is bubbling around edges. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro and red onion just before serving.
• To freeze: Line 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with foil, making sure foil is as smooth as possible, as wrinkled foil may get stuck in sauce during freezing process. Leave enough overhang to lift casserole out of dish. Spray foil with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate sauce 30 to 40 minutes before assembling casserole. Mix sauce with cooked pasta, chicken, frozen corn and beans; spread in lined baking dish (do not add enchilada sauce); cover tightly with another layer of foil. Freeze unbaked casserole about 8 hours or until completely frozen. Transfer frozen casserole to labeled 2-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag. Remove air; seal and freeze up to three months. To bake: Remove foil, and transfer to 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and thaw in refrigerator until completely thawed, at least 48 hours. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove cover, and top with enchilada sauce. Bake 20 minutes; top with crushed tortilla chips. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly around edges (165°F in center). Let stand 15 minutes. Top with cilantro and red onion just before serving.

MAKE -AHEAD CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Add rice,and cook on low till liquid is absorbed - about 20 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled or sprayed 4-quart casserole.
• While rice is cooking, make Parmesan Cheese sauce and set aside.
• Preheat oven to *350. In a skillet melt butter. Add the mushrooms.bell pepper,onion,and almonds. Saute until soft-about 5 minutes.
• Stir in parsley and basil.Add to the rice in the casserole along with the chicken and Parmesan Cheese sauce and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake,covered, until bubbly - about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.
• PARMESAN CHEESE SAUCE.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter or margarine.Add flour and salt and stir until blended. Add broth and stir until slightly thickened. Add milk,wine and Parmesan cheese, and stir until smooth and flavors are blended - about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.