Overnight Macaroni Casserole

Terri Newell's Note:

I like to prepare meals a day ahead of time, so supper can be on the table quicker when I get home from work. Usually, pasta dishes are out because the noodles end up starchy and the sauce thickens if left overnight. With this recipe, I can prepare the dish ahead of time and cook just before serving for delicious creamy noodles.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 cups leftover diced cooked chicken
• 2 cups macaroni, raw
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup onion, diced

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients. Season to taste. With chicken, we like sage, rosemary, thyme and a little garlic.
2. Spread in 9x13 pan.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours.
4. Remove from fridge, put in cold oven. Bake at 350 about one hour, until hot and bubbly.
5. Note -- to make it "pizza" flavored, substitute diced pepperoni or cooked Italian sausage for the chicken, and one can tomato soup and one can cheese soup for the mushroom and chicken. Season with oregano or Italian seasoning, and garlic.

Reviews

[marliewiggins]

Too salty and soft. I ended up with a huge amount of left overs and no one wanted them after the first night. We were looking for the crunch around the edges of the casserole and it didn't happen.

[unmistakable1]

This is one of my favorite go-to meals! I especially love how versatile it is. I sometimes use canned tuna or cooked ground beef in place of chicken, and I often throw in extra veggies if I can -- green beans, corn, bell peppers, whatever is available! I also use Specialty Soup Substitutes - Cream for the canned soups and they turn out yummy! (Just a heads up: With the homemade soups, I tend to use less milk as they are not as thick as the store-bought versions.) If I'm in a hurry, I cook and drain the pasta, combine all the ingredients, and bake immediately (about 20 minutes -- just 'til cheese melts and dish is heated through). It's a hit every time! I have never thought about the pizza variation, but you can be sure I will be giving this a try soon! Thanks!

[Chef #387942]

I have made this a few times now and just love it. Just throw everything together before bed and pop in the oven when you get home from work the next day. To easy. This is so nice that I have even served it to guests. No one will guess that it was this simple. Even kids will like this one. I will be making this a lot.