Americanadvanced

White Sauce Chicken Bake

Name: White Sauce Chicken Bake
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 oz Butter; ½ cup All-Purpose Flour; 4 qt Milk; ½ lb Chicken Breast, Diced ½" cubes; 2 oz Coconut Oil, For frying chicken, substitute for preferred oil; 4 oz Mushrooms, Thinly sliced, can add extra butter for richer flavor; 6 oz Spinach, Roughly chopped; ½ cup Onion, Minced; 2 Bell Pepper, Substitute preferred vegetable if desired; 1 Boullion Cube, Can use stock as well; ⅛ tsp Nutmeg; 1 cup Cheddar, Prefer to shred from block; 8 oz Shell Pasta, Or preferred pasta shape

One of my Wife's favorites, can customize vegetables and spices to taste

brett parson@brett-parson

Prep

90 min

Cook

60 min

Total

150 min

Serves

Ingredients

for 4

8 ozButter
½ cupAll-Purpose Flour
4 qtMilk
½ lbChicken Breast, Diced ½" cubes
2 ozCoconut Oil, For frying chicken, substitute for preferred oil
4 ozMushrooms, Thinly sliced, can add extra butter for richer flavor
6 ozSpinach, Roughly chopped
½ cupOnion, Minced
2Bell Pepper, Substitute preferred vegetable if desired
1Boullion Cube, Can use stock as well
⅛ tspNutmeg
1 cupCheddar, Prefer to shred from block
8 ozShell Pasta, Or preferred pasta shape

Method

14 steps150 minPrint

Put two pots on the stove - one with salted water to boil pasta and one with two tbsp of oil. Prefer a high-wall pan, at least three inches, and ideally oven safe.
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½ lb Chicken Breast2 oz Coconut Oil
When the oil is hot add the chicken pieces, cook one side on medium high for 2-3 minutes, then flip over and cook until the chicken is cooked through - another 2-3 minutes.
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4 oz Mushrooms
Remove the chicken from the pot, leave any extra oil and add the mushrooms on medium high heat. Sauté until cooked through, season with salt and pepper.
optional
Add extra butter
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6 oz Spinach
Stir in the chopped spinach until it wilts and then remove the spinach and mushrooms into the same dish as the chicken.
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8 oz Butter½ cup All-Purpose Flour
Now, lower pan heat and let cool briefly, add the butter and when it melts sprinkle the flour over stirring frequently until the color changes and it smells a little toasty - 3-5 minutes
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4 qt Milk
Add a cup of the milk and whisk then gradually add the rest. Adding in stages makes it easier to break up clumps.
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½ cup Onion2 Bell Pepper1 Boullion Cube⅛ tsp Nutmeg
Stir in the peppers, onion, bouillon cube, nutmeg (if using) and bring the mix to a boil then simmer (stirring frequently) until thickened - about 10-12 minutes
Preheat your oven to 400° F
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8 oz Shell Pasta
Put your pasta into boil - boil according to package directions until al dente if you like it soft (it will bake in the oven) or a minute less for more of a bite. Remember to reserve a cup of pasta water when you drain it.
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½ lb Chicken Breast4 oz Mushrooms6 oz Spinach½ cup Cheddar
Once the white sauce has thickened turn off the stove and stir in the chicken, mushrooms, and half cheese. Now taste for seasoning - you want to add a fat pinch of pepper, salt according to how salty the cheese is. As it bakes the pasta will absorb the flavor so you want it to be nice and punchy right now.
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8 oz Shell Pasta
Stir in the cooked pasta, adding the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed - how much tends to vary by shape. If you forgot to reserve pasta water then milk will do.
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½ cup Cheddar
Spoon into oven safe pan, or use current high-walled cast iron or steel pan. Scatter remaining cheese on top.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes to meld the flavors. Optionally, broil for another 2-3 for a crispier top
Let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool.