Cheesy Chicken and Squash Casserole

Name: Cheesy Chicken and Squash Casserole
Total time: 85
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 pounds yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices; 1 medium onion, diced; 3 sprigs fresh parsley (Optional); ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves; 1 bay leaf; 4 tablespoons butter; 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 ½ cups milk; 1 teaspoon seasoned salt; ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 2 egg yolks, beaten; 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese, divided; ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper; salt and ground black pepper to taste; 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken; ½ cup dry bread crumbs; 2 teaspoons melted butter; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (Optional)

Recipe by Bibi from allrecipes.com

Dinner 1 Hr. 25 Mins.

Ingredients

6 servings

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2 pounds yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
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1 medium onion, diced
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3 sprigs fresh parsley (Optional)
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¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
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1 bay leaf
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4 tablespoons butter
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4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1 ½ cups milk
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1 teaspoon seasoned salt
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½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

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¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
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2 egg yolks, beaten
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1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
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⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
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salt and ground black pepper to taste
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2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
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½ cup dry bread crumbs
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2 teaspoons melted butter
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (Optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish and set aside.
Bring about 5 cups of lightly salted water to a boil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add squash, onion, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring back to a boil and cook over medium heat until squash is fork-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and discard parsley sprigs and bay leaf. Lightly press squash to remove additional liquid, then set aside.
Wipe out the saucepan and return to the heat. Melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir, working out any lumps, until flour and butter start to bubble, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk and heat to a boil, constantly stirring. Cook and stir until sauce thickens, 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, and nutmeg. Drizzle 2 tablespoons into egg yolks, constantly stirring to avoid lumps. Repeat with 2 additional tablespoons. Drizzle warmed eggs slowly back into the saucepan and stir until sauce is smooth. Stir in 1/2 of the Gruyère cheese and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
Place well-drained squash and onion into the prepared baking dish. Top with chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and squash and stir gently to coat.
Combine 2 teaspoons butter, remaining Gruyère cheese, and bread crumbs for topping. Spread evenly over casserole.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is browned and bubbly, about 35 minutes. Allow cooling for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.