Chicken Pot Pie Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 1 whole roasted chicken
• 1 bay leaf
• 0.5 cups unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 carrots
• 3 ribss celery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 0.25 teaspoons dried thyme
• 0.25 teaspoons garlic powder
• 0.13 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 0.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon paste
• 1 cup green peas
• 0.33 cups cream
• 1 pound pasta shells

Instructions

1. 1

   Pull meat from chicken and refrigerate until needed.

2. 2

   Add 2 quarts of water to a pot and transfer in chicken bones, skin, and any meat scraps. Add bay leaf and bring to a simmer on high heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 2 hours. Remove to cool, about 1 hour. Strain broth and reserve in refrigerator until needed. This may make more broth than the 6 cups needed.

3. 3

   To make the pot pie mixture, add butter to a pot and melt over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and salt. Cook, stirring, until onions start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Season with pepper, thyme, garlic powder, and cayenne, and cook for 1 minute more. Add flour and cook until flour toasts to a golden brown on the bottom of the pot, 3 to 4 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir in 6 cups of broth, and bring to a simmer on high heat, then reduce to medium. Add peas and cream and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Cut chicken meat into small bite-size pieces and add it in. Cook 5 minutes more. Turn off heat and reserve.

6. 6

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

7. 7

   Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in pasta and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, i minute less than specified in package directions.. Drain very well; stir pasta into pot pie mixture. Transfer everything into a large, deep baking dish (about 4 1/2 quart size), and distribute evenly.

8. 8

   Stir panko, salt, and melted butter together in a bowl; sprinkle evenly over casserole.

9. 9

   Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is bubbling around the edges and top is browned, 45 to 60 minutes. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.