Alice Springs Chicken Casserole

A friend's recent post on Facebook introduced me to the idea of Alice Springs Chicken.  I searched and found a casserole recipe on line that I had to try.  There were some yummy sounding versions that were much higher fat content. I noted my alterations below.  I also altered the way the sauce was made.  The original recipe just wasn't' doing it right.  Browning the flour used to thicken the sauce is very important to the end flavor.  In the end, the Sturgeon taste testers strongly approve this recipe.

Alice Springs Chicken Casserole

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halves, cooked

1/4 tsp. sage

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp onion powder  (I probably used double this by sprinkling over the chicken and not measuring exactly)

1 lb. sliced mushrooms (I used 2 cans of mushrooms)

8 oz. diced Canadian Bacon (I used strip bacon, the lower sodium version)

1 jar Alfredo sauce

3/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chicken stock  ( I may have used more than 1/2 cup when making the sauce)

2 Tbsp. flour

Spray baking dish with non-stick spray.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with spices.  Mix well.

Layer in bottom of prepared casserole dish. 

Saute mushrooms in a little olive oil until all water is released, then layer on top of chicken.

(I used canned mushrooms and after draining well, layered on top of the chicken.)

In frying pan, saute bacon until slightly crisp.  Layer bacon on top of mushrooms.

Using the bacon grease as the basis for a roux,  add 2 Tbsp. flour to the 1/4 cup or so of bacon grease still in the skillet and stir well for about 1 minute so that the flour can brown slightly and the basis of the sauce will thicken and blend well.

To this roux, add room temperature chicken broth and continue stirring over medium heat until the sauce thickens.

Once the sauce is thick enough, whisk in Alfredo sauce and heat through.

Pour sauce over chicken in casserole dish, letting sauce run down to the bottom of the pan.

You may need to use a table knife and "cut into" the casserole so that the sauce can penetrate the other ingredients.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes. 

Uncover and sprinkle cheese over top and bake another 20 minutes until cheese is slightly brown and casserole bubbly.