#3798 - Chicken Mac and Cheese

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups raw elbow macaroni
2 TBSP olive oil
salt
pepper
1lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
11oz. frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained; your choice of type of vegetable mixture)
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP butter
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp. onion salt
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
4-5 slices buttered bread

Cook macaroni in salted water according to box directions--drain but DO NOT rinse. Spread the drained macaroni evenly in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken, then cut it into bite sized pieces. In a skillet over medium heat add the olive oil and chicken pieces--cook/stir until chicken is browned and no longer pink. Spread the cooked chicken pieces over the drained macaroni. Spread the thawed/drained vegetables over the chicken. In the skillet you used for the chicken add 3 TBSP butter--melt over medium heat. Slowly add the flour while whisking--whisk until mixed with the melted butter. Slowly add milk while whisking. Add onion salt, 2 cups of the shredded cheese and the soup--whisk over medium heat until mixed and smooth. Evenly pour the hot cheese mixture over the vegetables/chicken. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Sprinkle the garlic salt and pepper over the cheese. Cut the buttered bread into 1" pieces and spread them all over the cheese (if you don't have enough, butter extra bread and cut into 1" pieces--enough so the whole top is covered). Bake at 375 degrees 30-35 minutes or until heated through and bread pieces are nice and brown.