This dish reminds me of a Southern grandmother’s cooking and is a wonderful meal to reheat for lunch and dinner. There’s lots of room for adding whatever vegetables, grain and poultry you have available. Begin by cooking two pounds of shredded and seasoned chicken (or turkey) breast in an oiled skillet for a few minutes until golden brown. Add them to a 9x13 baking dish and while your oven is heating to 350, cook a small yellow onion, a few cloves of garlic and 24 ounces of mushrooms until caramelized and then add them on top of the chicken. Lastly, make your sauce: begin by melting four tablespoons of butter and adding two tablespoons flour, stirring until combined. Add two cups of half and half (or one cup of milk, one cup of heavy cream) plus one cup of chicken broth and four ounces of cream cheese. Let this mixture simmer for a couple of minutes, while tasting and seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables and bake for twenty minutes covered, finishing for about two minutes uncovered to brown on the top. Cook some rice, garganelli pasta or spaghetti to serve the casserole on top of, along with some braised greens.
