January 7, 2015 · 41 Comments

Creamy Parmesan Chicken Casserole AKA Amish Chicken

Name: Creamy Parmesan Chicken Casserole AKA Amish Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 -6
Ingredients: 1/2 stick (1/4 cup butter); 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 1/2 cups chicken stock; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (finely chopped); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup milk; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese; 8 oz whole grain rotini pasta noodles (cooked al dente); 2 cups diced cooked chicken

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Creamy Chicken Casserole: AKA Amish Chicken. An old fashioned rich and creamy chicken dish that has been elevated with wine and thyme.

Creamy Chicken Casserole

Is it cold where you are?

Are you desiring a meal that will fill you up with warmth and comfort?

What about a casserole that pleases the pickiest of eaters and is made with REAL food? No canned soups here!

A serving of this creamy casserole is like a warm hug from your Nana. It is hearty, rich, warm, and filling.

Whenever I think of this dish I don’t get excited like I do for a fiery Mexican dish or a rich tomato pasta, but every time I take a bite of it I truly feel filled up with love.

It speaks of my childhood to me, it is comfort food at it’s finest–rich and soul-satisfying, yet SIMPLE.

Amish Chicken

While growing up, one dish my mom was known for was a creamy chicken casserole she referred to as Amish Chicken.

It is funny she was known for this dish, because it was not one of her favorites. She prefers bold flavors and this dish had been historically blander in flavors.

I think it was something that people loved it for a couple reasons:

My mom typically delivered this meal to people who were in need of a hot cooked meal, like after a baby was born or someone was ill.
Picky eaters and kids seem to inhale this meal–leaving a busy parent satisfied that they could serve one meal without any complaints.
It is relatively easy to make.
It is warm and filling, which for Ohio winters, was greatly appreciated.

Regardless, people, including myself, LOVE this meal referred to as Amish Chicken.

However, the original recipe was fairly boring and I wanted to jazz it up so that I could serve this meal to my family with a bit more culinary flair (but that picky eaters would still devour!)

My Creamy Chicken Casserole:

The Base: I start with whole wheat rotini pasta which provides the dish with more fiber and protein than the traditional white pasta. I love to use rotoni pasta for this casserole beacuse the creamy sauce gets stuck in every nook and cranny of the pasta.
The Chicken: I use my diced roasted chicken because I almost always have it in my freezer and if not, it is so easy to whip up and so much more tasty than boiled chicken.
The Sauce: This is where I get fancy with it–because it takes all of 2 seconds more and takes the dish up about oh, 100 notches!! I start with a typical roux with flour and butter and then deglaze the pan with a dry white wine. I also use my homemade chicken stock, milk, and fresh thyme.
The Cheese: Growing up, my mom always used that grated cheese that came from a green can in this dish. I use freshly grated Parmesan Cheese–as my mom only does now as well.

So you need to make this recipe.

Like now. For your family, for your friends, for someone who just had a baby, for a sick relative…OR just because you feel like a big hug in the form of a delicious meal!!

The Recipe

5 from 3 votes