I never made it to the grocery store last Friday so I thought I’d take care of it Saturday morning. This is what it looked like from the minute I woke up until the time I went to bed…
ALL. DAY. LONG.
Matter of fact that picture was taken sometime between 3 and 4 in the afternoon and is totally unedited.
UGLY.
Since my plan was to include a fairly large shopping trip at the big box store there was no way I was heading out in that risking the chance of getting caught in a downpour with all those oversized boxes and packages so I put it off again. Since I didn’t have any of the fresh ingredients I needed to follow my menu plan I had to come up with something using ingredients I had on hand. Enter…Buffalo Chicken Casserole. Doesn’t Buffalo anything just make you happy? It does me!
This is an EatingWell recipe I came across a couple of years ago. The first time I made it we realized the ratio of pasta to the other ingredients was way off. Each time I’ve made it since I’ve tinkered with it but never wrote down what I did. This time I wrote it down and think I finally have it the way I want it. Also, the first time I made it I almost left out the carrot. I thought it might be weird but it totally works so I would definitely recomend leaving it in.
Buffalo Chicken Casserole, adapted slightly from EatingWell
Ingredients:
-
5 ounces pasta
-
1 carrot
-
2 stalks celery
-
salt and pepper to taste
-
1 tablespoon oil
-
1 ½ cups milk
-
1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
-
5 tablespoons Buffalo Sauce
-
1 pound chicken meat, cooked (I used a jar of Home Canned)
-
4 ounces blue cheese, divided
Heat the oven to 400° then start by boiling pasta, cooking about 2 minutes less than directions call for. When done, drain and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, dice carrot and celery.
Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
Add carrots and saute 4 minutes
Add celery and saute another four minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
While pasta and veggies are cooking combine milk and cornstarch in a small bowl to make a slurry. Whisk to combine.
Measure out the buffalo sauce and have chicken ready.
When veggies are done, add slurry, buffalo sauce and chicken.
Heat to boiling then reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Mixture will thicken slightly.
Add pasta and toss gently to combine then fold in half of blue cheese.
Transfer to a baking dish and dot with remaining blue cheese. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 10 minutes or until bubbly. *You don’t have to cover but I find it dries out the top of the casserole so I cover it.
Even after a little editing the pictures are still dark and don’t do this casserole justice. The flavor is bright and snappy. Unlike our dreary day. That, by the way, never produced a single drop of rain.
Try this next time you have a dreary day.
It will brighten your mood.
Want to print this recipe? Click here.
This post is being linked to:
04/22/12
This will be a big hit at our house! Thank you for sharing with us this week
I hope you enjoy it and thanks for stopping by!
This looks like such great comfort food! And Ron loves buffalo-style anything! I have to try this. Hope you’re having a good weekend!
Looks Delicious, my teenage boys will love this
Did not see the blue cheese coming, but I’ll bet that makes all the difference in the world. Seems like I usually end up buying blue cheese just to use a few tiny chunks on something… but with a little coordination I could actually make this & use it up. By the way, how does one know when blue cheese has been hanging around for too long?
I don’t know about hanging around too long since it’s already stinky and moldy, lol, so I keep mine in the freezer because like you, I don’t always use it at once. It will soften a bit, like cream cheese that’s been frozen, but the flavor doesn’t change.
Ah, will you please keep reminding me that I have a freezer? And you can put stuff other than ice cubes & ice cream in there? I should put a “check in here” post it note on that door. When we moved from our old house after 12 YEARS, my husband dug out this 12 yr. old chicken I never got around to using & asked me if I could finally part with it. Never thought about freezing it, thank you!
Daily reminders on their way!
MMMM… I love buffalo chicken anything, so this is going to the top of my ‘must try’ list!
I hope you like it!