Healthier Chicken and Zucchini Noodle Casserole.
The easiest dinner to make, and I really mean that! AND no one ever needs to know about those 3 cups of grated zucchini. It can be our little secret!
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 509kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups grated zucchini about 3 medium zucchini's
- salt
- 6-8 slices thick whole grain bread*
- 3/4 pound boneless skinless, chicken tenders, diced
- 1/2 of a small onion grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 carrot grated
- 1/2 pound dry egg noodles * about 4-6 ounces, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt + pepper taste
- 1 cup gouda cheese shredded
- 2-3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or more chicken broth
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes. Can sub potato chips Ritz Crackers or even use a mix of all three
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and spread the grated zucchini out in a single layer. Sprinkle the zucchini with a little salt and then cover the zucchini with another clean towel. Let sit at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- To the bottom of the baking dish, add the cubed bread, making sure the bread mostly covers the bottom of the dish. Add the chicken, grated onion, garlic, carrot, dried noodles, thyme, parsley, cayenne and a pinch of salt + pepper. Sprinkle the gouda cheese on top and add the zucchini. Add in the chicken broth (starting with 2 cups), wine, greek yogurt, butter and eggs.
- Using clean hands (I prefer using my hands) or a spatula, mix all the ingredients up until the bread is well moistened and everything is evenly distributed. If the mixture seems dry, add more broth until well moistened. Sprinkle the corn flakes over top the dish, cover with foil and bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and the casserole is no longer jiggly. Remove and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with fresh herbs if desired. YUM!
Notes
*You can use whatever bread you have on hand, but just make sure the bread covers the bottom of your baking dish. I have used beer, brioche and crusty whole grain breads with success! **If you have leftover cooked chicken on hand, you may sub 1/2 cup shredded or diced chicken for the raw chicken. ***Personally, I love the noodles in the dish, but if you want to keep this a bit lighter you can leave them out. I used egg fettuccine noodles. ****Traditionally, my grandma used to top with with crushed potato chips, but I prefer mixing my chips with half cornflakes OR I also love using half Ritz cracks and half cornflakes!
Nutrition
Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 787mg | Potassium: 693mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2670IU | Vitamin C: 14.9mg | Calcium: 359mg | Iron: 4.8mg