Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

Hot chicken salad was something I'd never tried up until I made this tasty Hot Chicken Salad Casserole. It was as comforting and delicious as I thought it would be, The combination of cheddar and Gruyere cheese gives this dish a sophisticated taste.

You can of course use different types of cheese if you'd prefer. For a milder flavor, you might want to use all colby jack cheese.

Melty and delicious!

Hot Chicken Salad Casserole is a comforting dinner that my entire family gobbled up. Enjoy!



Hot Chicken Salad Casserole
Makes a 10-inch pie, about 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 10" unbaked pie crust
• 3 cups cooked chicken diced. (Rotisserie chicken works great)
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds toasted in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Watch closely.
• 1/2-1 cup sweet yellow onion sauted in 1 Tablespoon olive oil & 1 Tablespoon butter until translucent.
• 1/2 cup celery diced sauted with the onion until translucent.
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup or celery soup
• 1 small can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained, diced or sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon Parisien Bonnes Herbs (Penzeys Brand. It is a mix of chives, dill weed, French basil, French tarragon, chervil and white pepper.)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional (You can use regular paprika, but smoked has a nice flavor.)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese. Half cheddar + Half Gruyere combination works well. The gruyere is strong, so adjust if you have sensitive eaters by using less gruyere or substituting.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375-f degrees.
2. Place the pie dough in a 10" pie plate.
3. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients with half of the cheese (3/4 cup). Mix well.
4. Pour into the pie crust.
5. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. 
6. After 30 minutes, sprinkle the last 3/4 c cheese over the pie. Cover just the crust at this point if it is getting too brown. Strips of foil work or a pie crust protector.
7. Bake 10-15 minutes more. The pie should be set in the middle and crust golden brown.
8. Take out of the oven and let the pie rest/cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Adapted slightly from The Cookie Rookie.