Chicken Noodle "Cacciarole"

I got invited out for both Shabbos lunch AND dinner this week....I love when that happens :-) I had to come up with something unique for each meal so....this week you get TWO recipes from me! I know, it's a lot to handle :-P

For my lunch invitation, my host asked me to make either a side dish or to help out with the main dish. I perused my usual recipe websites and couldn't find any inspiration, until it hit me....why not make a side dish out of a main dish? I know, I know, bear with me.

Casseroles and kugels are such a great Shabbos side dish. They're usually one-pot or one-bowl dishes and they take no time to make. But a standard potato or broccoli kugel recipe isn't so filling. So I decided to adapt chicken cacciatore into a casserole....almost a cross between chicken cacciatore and chicken noodle casserole. Get it? Chicken Noodle Cacciarole? I'm so clever :-P (Oh man, I'm turning into Rachael Ray. Up next? Stoup and meatsagna....) But seriously, this is a great dish to make if you're having a larger crowd and already have one meat or chicken dish on the menu, but still want something else that's filling and has protein to round out the meal.

Chicken cacciatore means "hunters' chicken" in Italian, and this is a dish that families in Italy make because it's so rustic and easy. It usually involves sauteed vegetables, some wine and tomatoes that are made into a sauce and cooked over chicken; the final product is usually served with pasta. I decided to combine all the components into one pan. This is a great recipe to use up leftover chicken....or, if you're lucky like me and have a kosher grocery store down the street, just buy a rotisserie chicken from the prepared foods aisle. Throw in any vegetables you have on hand...whatever your family likes. This dish freezes really well, too!

Now, for my honest opinion: the flavor was good and the sauce was sort of creamy, but not as tomato-y as I would have preferred. Some people may like it this way, and I got a lot of compliments on it as is at lunch. But I think if I were to make this again, I'd cut out the chicken broth and replace it with a can of tomato sauce and about a 1/2 cup of water. But that's just me. Feel free to make it either way and decide! Also, it didn't stay together as well as a casserole or kugel should. But it was still good, as long as you don't mind scooping!

Chicken Cacciatore Casserole
1 12-oz. bag of wide egg noodles
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2-in. long slices
2 green peppers, cut into 2-in. long slices
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4 rings
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup wine - white or red
1 14-oz. can chicken broth
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
4 cups shredded chicken
1 cup bread crumbs

1. In a large pot, boil the egg noodles according to the package directions until almost completely cooked. ((Note: The noodles will absorb some of the cooking sauce and finish cooking in the oven, so you do not want them fully cooked or they will become mushy in the final product.)  Drain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, melt the margarine over medium heat. Add the peppers and onions and sautee until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle in the flour. Mix the flour with the margarine-coated vegetables until no lumps remain. (Note: The mixture of fat and flour is called a roux and is used as a thickening agent.) Allow to cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and whisk together, allowing it to cook out for an additional minute.
5. Pour in the chicken broth and tomatoes and increase the heat to high. Allow mixture to come to a simmer. (Note: Any thickening agent will only do its entire job once the mixture boils or simmers.) Simmer for 5 minutes, or until liquids have thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
6. In a large bowl, combine cooked noodles and shredded chicken. Pour vegetable sauce over them and mix thoroughly. Pour the entire mixture into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
7. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the casserole; spray lightly with cooking spray so they brown. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the casserole has set.