Scalloped Chicken

This is retro comfort food at its most honest. A simple roux of oil and flour gets whisked with chicken broth into a thick, savory gravy that binds everything together. Cooked chicken, elbow macaroni, and breadcrumbs get folded in, then layered in a baking dish with sliced hard-boiled eggs tucked between for pockets of rich, creamy yolk in every serving.

The scalloped technique here is all about the layers. Alternate spoonfuls of the chicken-macaroni mixture with sliced eggs, building up the casserole so you get a bit of everything in each scoop. Buttered breadcrumbs on top crisp up during the hour-long bake into a golden, crunchy cap.

This is the kind of casserole that stretches cooked chicken into a full meal for four with pantry staples you probably already have on hand.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the roux until it’s smooth and bubbling before adding the broth. This cooks out the raw flour taste
• Stir the broth in gradually to prevent lumps. Add a cup at a time and whisk until smooth before adding more
• Use leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken for the fastest prep
• The buttered crumb topping needs the full hour to go properly golden and crunchy. Don’t cut the bake time short

Variations

• Add a cup of frozen peas or diced carrots to the chicken mixture for color and nutrition
• Stir in a handful of shredded cheddar to the gravy for a cheesier version
• Use crushed Ritz crackers instead of breadcrumbs for a richer, butterier topping