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Creamy Chicken Casserole/Cream Cheese Chicken Casserole

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 servings
Author Si Foster, A Bountiful Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 6 -7 cups cooked shredded or cubed russet potatoes (skin off)
  • 2-3 cups cooked chicken breast cooked, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 8 oz cream cheese cut into cubes
  • 21/2 cups milk I use 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup 1/2 and 1/2
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • few dashes of hot sauce Tabasco
  • 2 cups grated cheese cheddar or Colby Jack

Instructions

  1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven.
  2. Grease a 9x13 or 4 quart casserole pan.
  3. Place the grated potatoes into the pan. The amount of potatoes should equal about 6-7cups.
  4. Sprinkle the chicken over the grated potatoes in the pan, set aside.
  5. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the chopped celery, onions and carrots. Cook over medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  6. Add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and dried tarragon leaves. Sprinkle with flour and mix well until flour disappears into the butter and vegetable mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
  7. Add cream cheese to pan. Mix until cream cheese melts.
  8. Add milk, a cup at a time, waiting for sauce to thicken a bit after each addition. Use a large whisk to stir the sauce and smooth out any clumps of flour.
  9. When mixture is thickened and bubbly, add chicken broth a cup at a time. Cook for an additional few minutes. Taste sauce and add salt and pepper if additional flavor is needed. Add a few drops of hot sauce.
  10. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and chicken in the casserole pan and top with grated cheese.
  11. Bake for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Recipe Notes

-This recipe can be made ahead in a few simple steps:1. Cook the potatoes, up to two days ahead, let cool, peel and grate into pan. Cover with plastic wrap by pressing closely to the potatoes to avoid browning. Store in refrigerator.2. Cook the chicken, chop and set in refrigerator until ready to use, up to four days ahead. 3. Chop the vegetables, place in a ziplock bag in refrigerator or saute in butter, cool and place in refrigerator until ready to make sauce. Or finish cooking the vegetables and making the sauce until ready to assemble casserole. -If you assemble the casserole ahead of time and don't bake immediately, reduce the amount of potatoes a bit ( I use about 6 cups of potatoes instead of 7-8 for make ahead). The potatoes absorb the sauce and the casserole dries out a bit to much if using 8 cups of potatoes. If you are making the casserole and baking immediately, 7-8 cups of potatoes works well. -If you would like to use cream of chicken soup instead of making your own sauce, reduce the butter to 2 tablespoons (for sautéing vegetables) and omit the flour and salt. Use 1 can soup, 1 cup milk, one can or about 14-16 oz chicken broth and salt to taste. Everything else stays the same. You may also use a 12 oz bag of frozen hash browns in place of the cooked and grated potatoes. The hash browns should be thawed before using. -This recipe works well in 2- 8x8 disposable pans. I make this ahead and take to friends or neighbors in need. Each pan serves about 4 adults.