Chicken and Avocado Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 cup broad flat green noodles
• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 2 1/4 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

• 6 (6 ounce)  boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 cup roasted peeled, and coarsely chopped fresh chili pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Prepare noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. 2

   Drizzle avocado slices with lime juice and set aside. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and Tabasco over low heat until mixture bubbles.

3. 3

   Add half-and-half slowly, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.

4. 4

   Add cheese and stir until it has melted. Reserve 1 cup of this sauce. Mix remainder with cooked noodles. Place chicken in bottom of a 9-by-l2-by-3-inch rectangular baking dish. Cover with chopped green chiles.

5. 5

   Spoon noodle mixture over chicken and chiles. Place avocado slices on top and pour reserved sauce over avocados. Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes.