Chicken Noodle Casserole

When we went to my best friend's wedding two Saturdays ago, my dad and stepmom came over to watch Andrew while we were gone. To thank them, I made a chicken noodle casserole for them to have for dinner. Fortunately for Joe and me, they opted to order pizza instead, so we were able to have a lovely, hearty dinner the next evening.

This casserole is one of our favorites. While it's probably more suited for a winter meal, it was still nice to have something so warm and comforting for dinner. I found this recipe on a cooking website a few years ago, and since then I've made some changes to the original. They're in purple.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Source: Meals.com

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 16-ounce package noodles (I use egg noodles, and I never use the entire package since they plump up so much. Half to three-quarters of a bag is usually enough.)
8 ounces process cheese (Velveeta, what else?)
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 small green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cups crushed Corn Flakes (I use Ritz crackers instead)

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken and shred or chop. In large pan cook noodles (not quite done) and drain. I always cook the noodles in half water, half chicken broth.

2. In large pan, saute onion and peppers until onions are translucent and peppers are semi-soft. Mix in cheese and soups. When cheese is melted, add chicken and noodles. Pour into casserole dish. Top with corn flakes or Ritz crackers and dot with butter.

3. Bake in a 350° oven for 1 hour.