Ingredients :
- 2 slices high-quality sandwich bread lightly toasted
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces spaghetti broken in half
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- hot sauce to taste, optional
- 2 cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded
- 1 cup frozen peas
Directions :
- Tear the slices into 2-inch pieces. In a food processor, process the pieces until finely ground. In a small bowl, add bread crumbs and melted butter and toss until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain well and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Return the same large pot to medium-high heat and melt butter until foaming. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in flour and cook until golden, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Whisk in broth and half and half. Bring to a simmer and continue to whisk until sauce thickens, about 1 minute longer.
- Remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce if desired. Do not skip this step or your casserole may be bland!
- To the pot with sauce, add cooked pasta, chicken and frozen peas, and toss to combine. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumb topping.
- Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping has browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
