Chicken-Corn Casserole
Submitted by mac1204
A big-batch freezer casserole with diced chicken, sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and pimientos in a homemade cream sauce, topped with buttered breadcrumbs and baked golden. Makes four pans.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
1 hrsThis recipe was built for the freezer, and that’s exactly what makes it brilliant.
A full batch fills four 8×8 pans, so you bake one tonight and stash the other three for those evenings when cooking from scratch isn’t happening.
Diced chicken and sweet corn get folded into a rich, from-scratch cream sauce thickened with chicken broth, butter, and flour, then studded with cheddar cheese and chopped pimientos for color.
Buttered breadcrumbs on top bake into a golden, crunchy crust that makes the whole thing feel special.
Pro Tips
- Line pans with heat-resistant freezer wrap before filling. Once frozen, lift the whole block out of the pan and wrap it tight. You get your pan back and the casserole stores flat.
- Spread the mixture firmly into the pans to eliminate air pockets, which cause freezer burn
- Only add the breadcrumb topping to pans you’re baking immediately. For frozen pans, add the crumbs fresh when you’re ready to bake.
- Stir the sauce constantly as you add the broth to prevent lumps
Ingredients
Directions
Line four 8×8×2-inch baking pans with heat-resistant freezer wrap.
Allow enough extra wrap to fold over top.
Use one pan for each six servings or one-fourth of the recipe.
Do not line pans for food to be served without freezing.
Melt fat.
Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and onion. Add broth slowly.
Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
Mix hot mixture with chicken, corn, cheese, and pimentos.
Pour one-forth of mixture into each baking pan.
Spread well to avoid air pockets.
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
For each pan to be baked right away, mix ¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine.
Sprinkle over chicken mixture in baking pan.
Bake 45 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned.
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