Recipe Spotlight: Cheesy Chicken Noodle Skillet

The term "comfort food" means something different to everyone. To me, comfort food is reminiscent of foods I enjoyed as a child; foods that remind me of home and nourish both my body and my soul. I've been feeling under the weather this week, but I'm never one to lose my appetite. (That would be serious!) Instead, I make a large batch of a delicious comfort food to get me through the week. This week I cooked up a big Cheesy Chicken Noodle Skillet. I don't know if my mom ever made this for me, but it reminds me of the 80's. In fact, everything about this dish reminds me of being a kid, from the retro egg noodles to the frozen broccoli to the mayo and sour cream-infused cheese sauce. After eating it I may as well watch Little House on the Prairie while folding washcloths! It may not be health food, but a piping hot bowl of cheesy noodles and chicken makes me feel better every time.

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Skillet 
Creamy comfort food sure to transport you back to the days of Nintendo and Nickelodeon.

Serves 4
1 package egg noodles (I used whole wheat to up the fiber)
1 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 package (about 2 cups) frozen chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Bring large saucepan of water to boil on high heat. Add noodles and chicken.
Cook 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and noodles are tender, adding broccoli to saucepan after 6 minutes. Drain noodle mixture; return to saucepan.

Add broth, cream cheese and mayo. Heat just to simmer on medium-low heat. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly. Add shredded cheese and stir until blended. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Kraft.com.

I paired my steaming bowl of noodley comfort with a simple side salad. It rounded the meal and made it feel (almost) healthful!

Italian Side Salad
Romaine lettuce
Mild banana peppers
Red onion, slivered
Green pepper, diced
Soy nuts

Italian dressing, to taste