Turkey (or Chicken) Noodle Casserole

When it comes to hospitality, I think it’s nice to always have a casserole in the freezer—ready to be baked—just in case you need a last-minute meal. True…a casserole may not qualify as a “fancy” dinner. However, you can still make a nice tossed green salad and pick up some dinner rolls to go with it and I’d say that’s good enough to serve to company.

One of my favorite casseroles is Turkey Noodle Casserole. This is something I often make after Thanksgiving, when I have a lot of leftover turkey breast to use up. It also tastes really good made with freshly-cooked boneless chicken breasts.

I’ve served this casserole a lot to company over the years, and people seem to really like it. I’ve also taken it a lot to new moms who just had a baby or people who just had surgery of some kind and needed some ready-to-bake meals made up for them.

You can make up this casserole ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before baking. Or, if you want to freeze it, that works well too. You can keep it in the freezer for 2-3 months; just thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before baking. A lot of times I’ll double up this recipe and make one pan for now and one pan to put in the freezer for a later date. Here’s how to make the casserole:

TURKEY NOODLE CASSEROLE

1 (12 oz.) pkg. wide egg noodles (cooked according to package directions and drained)
¼ cup butter
1 large yellow onion, diced finely
1 (13.25 oz.) can mushrooms
2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sour cream
1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese (I used freshly-grated)
1 (7-oz.) jar diced pimento, drained
1 T. plus 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
4 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken

Melt butter in a skillet. Add chopped onions and cook 3-5 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms, cream of chicken soup, and milk and heat through. Stir in sour cream and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, pimento and parsley. Stir in noodles. Spoon into buttered casserole dish(es). Top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake 15 minutes more.

Enjoy!
~Becky