Gluten-free chicken noodle casserole is loaded with veggies and all the comfort food vibes! It's creamy, cheesy, and delicious! Easy to make from scratch with no canned soup!
Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, finely dice the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper to about the size of peas.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large saute pan over medium heat. Saute onions, carrots, and celery until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Sprinkle rice flour over vegetables and stir. Cook 1-2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Stir and cook until thick, five minutes.
Gradually stir in half & half.
Stir in chicken, cheese, peas, bell pepper, and cooked pasta.
Pour mixture into greased 9x13 casserole dish.
Combine panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, or until center is hot and edges are bubbly.
Notes
Casserole can be made ahead and refridgerated until baking. Remove pan from refridgerator while preheating the oven. Please note, baking times may be a little longer than stated above if the casserole is still cold.
Don't over brown the casserole. If the noodles along the edges get too brown they tend to become too crunchy to eat.
Don't forget to plan ahead! This recipe calls for cooked chicken. I usually bake about 1 pound of chicken breasts ahead of time and store in the fridge for this recipe. Be wary of rotisserie chickens, they may not be gluten-free.
I used sweet white rice flour but brown or white rice flour should also work.