Sunday, February 1, 2009

Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake

This is definitely a grown-up casserole. I know there's a lot of people that hate casseroles, but I would definitely give this one a try. This is a recipe I clipped from my Better Homes and Gardens magazine (who know how long ago) that we finally decided to make. We will definitely be making this again. The only change I made was using roasted red peppers instead of the tomatoes because a) Jim couldn't find them at the store and b) Jim isn't a HUGE fan of tomatoes.

8 oz dried bow tie pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp. butter
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped - this is where I used roasted red peppers instead
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. butter, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium skillet cook onion in 1 tbsp butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside. In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir in chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, half of the Parmesan, cooked pasta, and onion. Transfer to 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. In small bowl combine remaining Parmesan, bread crumbs, paprika, and melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over pasta. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until golden.

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