Cheesy Chicken Noodle Skillet

Recipe from Kraft's Food & Family
Servings: 4 (2 cups each)

This recipe was just okay. I liked the creaminess of the cream cheese, but it definitely overpowered the dish. It also lacked flavor. If I make it again, I'd add less cream cheese, more broccoli and throw in some flavor like curry powder.

3 cups egg noddles, uncooked
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli
1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 oz. (1/2 of 8 oz. package) cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Bring large saucepan of water to boil on high heat. Add noodles and chicken. Cook 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and noodles are tender, adding broccoli to saucepan after 6 minutes. Drain noodle mixture; return to saucepan.

Add broth, cream cheese and mayo. Heat just to simmer on medium-low heat. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly.

Add shredded cheese; stir 1 minute or until melted. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

Recipe from Kraft's Food & Family Magazine
Servings: 6

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I love Stove Top Stuffing. Love it. In fact, when I was a poor college student, Stove Top was one of my regular dinner items. I don't eat a bowl of stuffing for dinner anymore, but I have to say I still enjoy a healthy serving of it from time to time.

This recipe was so easy, and if you like Stove Top as much as I do, you'll love it. I don't make it a habit of having Velveeta on hand, and although it melts really well, the overly salty taste is a bit of a turn-off for me. Next time, I'll try a different cheese and see how it works.

1 package Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 pound (8 oz.) Velveeta Cheese, cut up

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package. Stir in remaining ingredients; mix well. Spoon into 2-qt. baking dish. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Easy Chicken & Dumplings

Recipe from Real Simple
Servings: 4 to 6

I saw this recipe in Real Simple's "Fake It, Don't Make It" section, and thought it would make a good quick and easy weeknight meal. I had great hopes for it as I pulled it out of the oven, but looks can be deceiving. The biscuits looked nice and golden brown on top, but underneath the top crispy layers was a doughy mess. So we removed the biscuits, and stuck them on a baking dish, popping them back in the oven until they were done. Then we added them back to the casserole and dinner was served. Overall, the casserole was just okay. Honestly, it would have been a lot easier to just eat the rotisserie chicken as it was, and just have the veggies and biscuits on the side. THAT would have been a quick and easy meal. I don't know if we'll try this recipe again.

1 3-1/2 to 4 pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1 (10 oz.) package frozen mixed vegetables
1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 10-count tube refrigerated biscuits

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Combine the chicken, vegetables, soup, salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, cover the filing with the biscuits, and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Chicken Divan

I made this for dinner last weekend and I loved it. It was super easy and tasted great. The curry powder was a great addition and added a wonderful flavor to the dish. If you're a fan of curry, you could add even more than 1/2 teaspoon for a more intense flavor. If you use the low fat, lower sodium soups like I did, you may want to season it with salt and pepper before serving.

2-3 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) boiled, chopped
2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped broccoli, cooked
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used Healthy Request soup.)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used Healthy Request soup.)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place broccoli in the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with chicken.

In a small bowl, combine the soup, milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, and curry powder. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Top with cheese.

Crush crackers and mix with melted butter. Sprinkle over dish.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.