Chicken Florentine Casserole

This delicious one-dish version of Chicken Florentine features a creamy Mornay sauce, chopped spinach, campanelle noodles, and tender chicken. It's a delicious pasta bake that deserves a spot in your regular rotation.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 573kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Equipment

sauce pan
wire whisk
heavy stockpot
9x13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

1 lb campanelle pasta or other short noodle
8 tablespoon butter
1 cup onion chopped
6 tablespoon unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 clove garlic peeled and sliced
4 cup milk
salt
black pepper
4 cup chicken (cooked and cubed) or leftover cooked turkey or chicken
3 cup chopped spinach
3 cups gruyere cheese (shredded)
½ cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Rinse and drain.
1 lb campanelle pasta
Prep sauce: Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large pot or saucepan. Add the onion and saute until clear. Add the flour and garlic and stir until bubbling. Add the milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer until thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes.
8 tbsp butter, 1 cup onion, 2 clove garlic, 6 tbsp unbleached, all-purpose flour, 4 cup milk, salt, black pepper
If the pot is large enough, you can mix everything in the pot. If not, in a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, sauce, chicken, spinach, and 2 cups of the cheese. Stir gently to combine and spoon into the prepared baking dish.
4 cup chicken (cooked and cubed), 3 cup chopped spinach, 3 cups gruyere cheese (shredded)
In a small microwave-safe dish, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the bread crumbs.
½ cup panko bread crumbs
Top the casserole with the remaining 1 cup cheese and the buttered bread crumbs.
Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Notes

Nutritional values are approximate and based on ⅛ the recipe.

Serving Suggestions: Serve this casserole as a one-dish dinner or if you like with cooked veggies or a green salad.

Shop Your Kitchen:

I use chopped fresh spinach but you can also use a frozen box of spinach provided you thaw and squeeze it dry before adding it to the casserole.
There are so many yummy things you can add to the basic noodle casserole. Consider adding: leftover cooked vegetables, meats, or cheeses, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, sun dried tomatoes, fajita vegetables, steamed broccoli, roasted vegetables, bacon bits, sliced or chopped olives, smoked salmon, chopped red onion, fresh herbs, such as basil or dill.

To Make a Meal Prep: I often prepare this dish in plastic meal prep dishes for easy lunches during the week. Prep the recipe as directed, allow the steam to blow off. Divide the pasta among six meal prep boxes. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Consume within 4 days.

Freeze Extra for Later: If you want to make this dish to freeze, be sure to cook the pasta to al dente. Cool, wrap, and label. Chill it completely before storing in the freezer. Thaw completely before baking in the oven.

To save time, consider making a bulk batch of the white sauce to freeze for another time.

Make a Plan for Leftovers: This dish reheats beautifully the next day. Just be sure to promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. If you store your leftovers in clear containers, they’re more likely to get eaten.

Love casseroles? Be sure to check out these 25 Best Casseroles You Can Make with Pantry Staples.

Nutrition