Leftover Chicken & Pasta Bake Recipe

For those who find themselves staying at home, limiting supermarket runs and shopping their own refrigerator, here’s a creative recipe from Todd Daigneault, the executive chef at Overlook Medical Center.

Turn leftovers and common pantry ingredients into a tasty dish! 

Yields six, 8-ounce portions

Ingredients

• 4 cups leftover cooked chicken, canned tuna or salmon from the cupboard (the cooked chicken should be off the bone and any canned tuna or salmon should be drained)
• 8 ounces cooked noodles (leftover penne, spaghetti, ziti or any other pasta)
• 1 can condensed cream of corn or mushroom soup (10-ounce can)
• 1 can condensed cream of celery soup (10-ounce can)
• 3 ounces shredded, grated or chopped cheese (such as leftover swiss, cheddar, provolone or American)
• 1 cup sour cream (substitute ricotta, cottage cheese or yogurt if needed)
• 3 cups your choice of vegetable, thawed if previously frozen (mixed vegetables, broccoli, asparagus or peas work well)
• salt and black pepper for taste 
•  ¼ tsp nutmeg 
•  1 cup ground crackers (Cheez-Its, saltines, oysterettes, bread crumbs, potato chips or Fritos)
•  ½ cup butter
  

Instructions

1. In a separate bowl, combine and mix cooked chicken or canned fish and pasta along with the two cans of soup, sour cream, vegetables and cheese. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Gently stir and mix thoroughly. Place in a 2-quart baking dish.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in crumbled crackers and top casserole with the buttery topping.
3. Bake at 350 F (175 C) for about 30 minutes, until heated through and browned on top.