Chicken Casserole (A Family Favorite)

Recently I received in my comments, the request to share some of our favorite family meals. 

Just so all of you know, I love getting your comments, questions, and suggestions.

You're always welcome to leave them for me, and I'll do my best to create posts accordingly.

Today I'm sharing a chicken casserole that I've been making for years. It's simple, yummy, and kid-friendly.

Just a heads up, I'm no Martha Stewart! And, I don't follow a recipe. (I almost never do.)

I don't like being bossed!

(Hmmm... Maybe that's why nothing I cook is ever all that exceptional....)

Well, regardless, I made it for our supper the other night and just snapped pictures as I went along, so I hope that'll be helpful to you!

To start, you'll need 4 things:

-Chicken tenders

-Cream of chicken soup

-1 package of Italian seasoning

-A crockpot

Mix together the soup and the seasoning in a small bowl...

         

(Remember to snack on chocolate candy while you do this... ;)

        

Spray your crockpot...

Then spread half of the soup mixture in the bottom...

Fill the crockpot with the chicken tenders...

            

And spread the remaining soup mixture over the top...

           

This will cook on low for a few hours so do this around lunch time.

Whenever I've been in a pinch and in need of a super quick supper, I'll serve the chicken just like this with mashed potatoes and a vegetable side. It's great this way! 

           

I'll also say that whenever I make chicken noodle soup, chicken tortellini soup, or any other chicken casserole, I'll cook the chicken this way first. For years I always used canned chicken, and that works just fine, but when I started making my chicken recipes with homemade chicken, I realized that it makes a huge difference! My staple chicken recipes taste better when I slow cook the chicken first.

~~~~~~~

After several hours it's time to make the casserole. 

You'll need a chicken flavored stuffing mix...

             

If you've never made this, it's very easy. Just boil a little water and butter...

            

And stir in the stuffing mix...

           

Set it aside and pour a small bag of frozen broccoli (thawed) into a 9x13 pan...

           

Get out a cutting board and scoop the cooked chicken out of the crockpot...

(Working in batches)

          

And chop it up...

          

Spread the chopped chicken out over the broccoli...

          

I don't discard the drippings leftover in the crockpot because I like to use it in the sauce that I make. I know it's mostly fat but I don't care! That's where the flavor is!!!

         

I pour it into a small bowl...

        

Along with a can of cream of chicken soup and a splash of milk...

       

No, I don't know how much milk, (I knew you were going to ask me that, eye roll) it's just enough so that when you stir it up, the consistency is like this...

       

(I also added some pepper.) Pour it over the broccoli and chicken...

      

And sprinkle on some shredded cheddar cheese. Be liberal with the cheese!!! :)

     

Now, all that's left is the stuffing. It's been patiently waiting... 

It goes on top...

Into the oven it goes, uncovered, for 30 minutes at 375*

           

           

I spend the 30 minute cooking time cleaning up the kitchen and setting the table. Whenever I can, I like to tidy the kitchen before we sit down to eat. It doesn't always work out that way, but when it does, we can enjoy our meal in a nice environment, and I don't have a huge mess hanging over my head.

I've noticed that my kids like to play in the kitchen. There's an old Dolly Parton quote that goes something like, "When I was a child I always wanted to be in the kitchen. It was warm and that's where my mama was." I like to fantasize that that's the reason my children play in the kitchen, haha. 

          

So I let them play and spread out their toys, and by the end of the day the kitchen's in need of good tidy...

          

After 30 minutes the casserole comes out of the oven. It looks like this...

I guess this doesn't really look much different than when it went in, haha, but the stuffing is crispy, and the cheese, chicken, and broccoli is warm and gooey.

And that, my friends, is all! 

I love making casseroles! I find them to be quick and easy and they're almost always hearty and yummy! I would really love it if you'd let me know in the comments if you try it! 

I don't cook fancy or complicated meals, but I do believe that it's my job to nourish my family's bodies and souls. It's especially needed after a long day, so I tend to make comforting foods. It's another facet to the well-lived and well-rounded home life that I'm striving for.

I appreciate all of you who stop here! One of my goals for this blog is to continue to pour out ways that we can elevate the importance of home in a world that doesn't see much value in it. Home cooked meals made by mom is one way. It doesn't have to be gourmet, it just needs to be made with love!

Thanks for reading sweet friends,

~Courtney