Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Chicken Divan and Egg Noodle Bake -- 09/30/09

Chicken Divan and Egg Noodle Bake

Ingredients

  • For the cream of mushroom sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 turn of the pan
  • 2 tablespoons butter, plus additional to coat dish
  • 12 button mushrooms, brushed off with a damp towel and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup whole milk or cream
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground
  • Salt and pepper
  • Casserole
  • 1 pound broccoli florets
  • 1 pound extra wide egg noodles
  • 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 turns of the pan
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound chicken tenders, diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, about 4 sprigs, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine, eyeball it or chicken stock
  • 3/4 pound Gruyere or Swiss Emmentaler cheese, shredded
  • 3 tablespoons chives, 12 to 15 blades, chopped

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the broccoli and egg noodles. Preheat a broiler.

To make the mushroom sauce, heat a medium-size sauce pot over medium heat. Add EVOO and the butter. When butter melts, add in chopped button mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, until just tender. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring up to a bubble, then stir in the whole milk or cream. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer. Season sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Cook broccoli florets in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, then sift out and reserve (don’t drain the water). Drop the egg noodles into the same boiling water and cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain the noodles and return them to the hot pot. Add the creamy sauce to the pot and toss the noodles to coat in the sauce.

To prepare the casserole, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of EVOO, then the shallots. Cook for 1 minute and add the chicken to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned all over and firm, 6-7 minutes. Season with the thyme, salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the wine or stock, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the liquid cook off.

To assemble, lightly coat a casserole dish with butter then transfer the cream-of-mushroom noodles to the dish and top with the chicken, then the cooked broccoli and finally the shredded cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly, and golden brown at the edges. Garnish with chives and serve.