Zippy Chicken & Noodles Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (regular or light)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green pepper or red pepper, finely chopped (or combination)
• 1/2 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 12 ounces egg noodles or your favorite pasta, cooked & drained
• potato chips, crushed or buttered bread crumbs

Directions

1. 1

   In a large bowl, stir together the soup, mayonnaise, and lemon juice until well mixed.

2. 2

   Add the remaining ingredients except for the crumbs, and GENTLY stir until combined.

3. 3

   Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish, then top with potato chips or buttered crumbs.

4. 4

   Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, about 30 minutes or until hot throughout, and golden brown on top.

5. 5

   If you like, you can make it in your microwave oven, rather than bake it in the oven.

6. 6

   Here are the changes: Since I'm not going to be baking it, which would soften the veggies a bit, I microwave the onion and peppers in a glass measuring cup for just a couple minutes to make sure they're going to be tender enough in this dish.

7. 7

   (Alternately, you could saute them on top of the stove) Then I combine as above, and put it in a microwaveable dish with a cover.

8. 8

   I heat it on 70% for about 10 minutes, to get it hot and bubbly.

9. 9

   Of course, this may take longer or shorter in your microwave, depending on starting temperature of ingredients, and the wattage of your oven.

10. 10

    The last time I made this was for a church potluck dinner.

11. 11

    I doubled it.

12. 12

    The only thing large enough to hold it was my 5 quart crockpot, so I took out the removeable stoneware crock, greased it& filled it up.

13. 13

    Mine has a glass lid, so I covered it with that and stuck the crock in the microwave oven.

14. 14

    (Micro-cooking in a slow-cooker crock, stand back so you don't get sucked into the time warp!) If yours has a plastic lid, I take no responsibility if you melt it in the microwave.

15. 15

    After it was good and hot, I plopped it into the electric jacket-thingy part of the crockpot cooker.

16. 16

    I'm sure there's a technical name for it, but I don't know it.

17. 17

    I had plugged it in and set it on low, so it was nice and warm already.

18. 18

    I use a couple heavy rubber bands stretched across the handles to secure the lid.

19. 19

    This whole thing I slid into a box I keep on hand for just this purpose, and cover with a towel, tucked around it.

20. 20

    The crockpot fits snugly and no worries about it tipping over in the car.

21. 21

    A friend once spilled an entire crockpot of french onion soup all over the floor of her minivan.

22. 22

    I try to learn from OTHER people's mistakes!