Spinach Artichoke Casserole with Chicken

I am not usually a big casserole fan, but for some reason I have been craving pasta comfort foods these last few weeks (if my previous posts are any indication).  I also had all the ingredients for this on hand and it was a good meal to make to have leftovers on hand for my work week.  Oh and I got to use my frozen shredded chicken from my Kitchen Cheats! Score!!

Gather your ingredients…I am a big fan of mise en place…I have been burned with being at a point in a recipe where things are supposed to be chopped and ready to mix…and it just sounds fancy and professional to say “mise en place”.  Oh and I bought those little colorful bowls just for that reason.  So mise en place is satisfying on many levels.

Preheat the oven to 350. Start cooking fettucine (undercook it by a couple of minutes as it will finish cooking in the sauce in the oven).

Next, using thine old trusty dutch oven, heat butter. Then add flour, cook for about 3 minutes, stirring regularly.  Roux!  My brother in law (a good ol’ Texas cook) taught me the fabulous art of the roux.

Slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Bring sauce to a simmer, cook about 5 minutes until sauce thickens.

Turn off heat. Add cheeses and mix well.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now add chicken, artichoke, scallions, and spinach. Pretty huh? I never use capers for anything, but the recipe does call for them. So add them too if you are a caper fan. Mix. Add fettucini, mix everything reeeeaaal good. Transfer to lightly greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs and parm.  Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes until bubbly. Yum AND yum!
Thanks again to Mountain Mama Cooks for the recipe!

Spinach Artichoke Casserole with Chicken

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
pinch salt and pepper
8 oz dried fettucini pasta, broken in half
1 1/2 cups diced/shredded, cooked, leftover chicken
1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and roughly chopped
1 bunch scallions, washed and diced (whites and part of greens)
1 tablespoon capers
3 generous handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons bread crumbs (optional)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Make fettucine, but undercook by about 3 minutes(It will finish cooking in the sauce in the oven.)
3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a dutch oven. Add flour and cook 2-3 minutes stirring regularly. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook approximately 5 minutes until sauce thickens. Turn off heat and stir in cheeses. Stir in garlic salt and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add chicken, artichokes, scallions, capers, and spinach. Mix. Add pasta. Mix well.
5. Transfer casserole mixture to a lightly greased 9×9 baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
6. Bake, uncovered, in a 350F degree oven for 45 minutes.