Chicken Balsamico Casserole

The home ec teacher at the school where my husband works made this amazing casserole for us when our daughter was born. I told Bill he had to get me the recipe since we both loved it so much. Turns out it's a Campbell's Kitchen recipe that she simply modified into a casserole. You can find the original recipe here, but if you want to make it into a casserole, follow the directions below.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups rotini or penne pasta (use whole wheat or multigrain for extra nutrition)

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tsp Greek spice mix (recipe below)

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped white onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup water

1 can Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 cup diced pitted kalamata olives

1/2-3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Greek Spice Mix

equal parts of dried parsley, thyme, marjoram, and oregano

1/2 a part of coarse black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring several cups of water in a large pot to a boil, season with salt, and add pasta. Cook to al dente (don't overcook as it will finish cooking in the oven and you don't want the pasta to be soggy).

Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with the Greek spice mix and either fry in a pan or bake in a 350°F oven until cooked through. Chop into bite-sized pieces.

While the chicken and pasta are cooking, heat a bit more olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium high heat and sauté the onion and green pepper until just tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic for the last minute, just to soften it up a bit. Add the balsamic vinegar and water, cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the soup, tomatoes and olives, and heat to a boil, stirring constantly to ensure the soup breaks down and mixes well with everything.

Once you've drained the pasta, combine it with the chicken, feta, and sauce (in the skillet if there's room, or combine all in a large bowl).

Transfer to a large casserole dish, cover with tin foil, and bake in oven until heated through and bubbling, about 20-25 minutes.

Serve hot alone or with a green salad. Quick, easy, and delicious!

Note: I made this with pork once and it was just as delicious.