Paprika Chicken Casserole

Happy Friday everybody!  How was everyone's first week of 2013?!

We're still on the up and up over here!  We've been having a lot of comfort foods in our house lately, and this casserole ranks up near the top.  It's dead simple, absolutely delicious, and the leftovers make amazing lunches!

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup mirepoix (small diced carrot, celery, and onion)
 1 & 1/2 tablespoons paprika
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
3 parsley stems
1 bay leaf
pinch of dried thyme
 1 onion, julienned
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 lb. egg noodles, cooked
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

In a large pot or casserole dish, melt butter under medium heat.  Add mirepoix and saute for about 3-4 minutes.  Push mirepoix aside and add chicken breasts in an even layer.  Cook for about 4-5 minutes, flipping once.  Sprinkle paprika over chicken and turn heat down to medium low.  Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Add flour to the chicken and stir into mirepoix and cooking juices to make a paste.  Bring heat to medium and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes over medium heat.

Add stock, wine, parsley stems, bay leaf, and thyme to the pot.  Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer.  Cover and cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked throughout.  Remove chicken from pot and set aside.

In a medium saute pan, add olive oil.  Add the onions and mushrooms and saute until they are caramelized and softened.  Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, to taste, and set aside.

Bring the cooking liquid for the chicken to a boil and reduce mixture by half and slightly thickened.  Stir in heavy cream and continue to reduce sauce until it is at desired consistency.

Stir in cooked egg noodles and season sauce to taste.

Slice the chicken breasts into 1/2 inch thick pieces.  Layer in a casserole dish and top with onions and mushrooms.  Pour sauce and noodles over top of chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.

This definitely is enough to feed a family of 4.  It's filling and definitely delicious!  I could definitely drink the sauce like a glass of water.  It's too good not to make!  Warm up with a nice plate of this and have a great weekend, guys!