Love Machine Casserole–thick noodles in a creamy basil parmesan sundried tomato sauce with chicken and bacon crumbles. This dinner is love at first taste!
Love Machine Casserole
Today’s recipe has a funny name and if you want the whole story you can read the story on Modern Honey. There’s no doubt that you will LOVE this pasta dish. The thick pasta noodles, tender bites of chicken, creamy sauce and the bacon just come together so nicely. I took the original recipe and turned it into my own by changing the cooking method (hello Instant Pot) and adding a few twists. This is comforting food that tastes great served alongside a green salad and garlic bread.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Butter
- Yellow onion–or white onion
- Garlic cloves
- Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon
- Frozen egg noodles–I used Grandma’s brand. Look in the frozen bread area at the grocery store.
- Rotisserie chicken–or 1 1/2 pounds raw chicken tenderloins
- Heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Fresh basil
- Sundried tomatoes
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- Real bacon crumbles
- Italian seasoning
Steps
Take the frozen noodles out of the freezer and let them start to thaw on the counter while you cook. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the butter and let it melt. Add in the onion and saute for 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
Break up the noodles as much as you can (I threw the package down on my counter a few times to break them up).
Add the noodles into the pot. Add in the chicken.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 6 minutes.
While the noodles are cooking add the cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, sundried tomatoes and ½ cup of the parmesan into a blender. Pulse a few times until mostly smooth.
When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
Stir a half cup of the hot liquid from the Instant Pot into the mixture in the blender to temper the cream. Stir the mixture into the Instant Pot. If there are any noodles that are sticking together use a couple of forks to break them apart.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch pan. Sprinkle it with ¼ cup of parmesan, the bacon and Italian seasoning.
Bake for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with a green salad and Italian salad dressing and garlic bread.
- I haven’t tried this dish with another type of noodle but I’m sure you could use fettuccine or linguine. Increase the broth to 4 cups and use the same cooking time. Break the pasta in half before adding it into the pot and lay it in a criss cross pattern.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with bacon crumbles are Instant Pot 5-Ingredient Potato Casserole and Soccer Mom Soup.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Love Machine Casserole
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
Thick noodles in a creamy basil parmesan sundried tomato sauce with chicken and bacon crumbles. This dinner is love at first taste!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (16 oz) package frozen egg noodles (I used Grandma’s brand)
- 3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken (or 1 1/2 pounds raw chicken tenderloins)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (drained of the oil)
- 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup real bacon crumbles
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
Instant Pot and Oven Instructions:
- Take the frozen noodles out of the freezer and let them start to thaw on the counter while you cook. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the butter and let it melt. Add in the onion and saute for 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Break up the noodles as much as you can (I threw the package down on my counter a few times to break them up). Add the noodles into the pot. Add in the chicken.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 6 minutes.
- While the noodles are cooking add the cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, sundried tomatoes and ½ cup of the parmesan into a blender. Pulse a few times until mostly smooth.
- When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir a half cup of the hot liquid from the Instant Pot into the mixture in the blender to temper the cream. Stir the mixture into the Instant Pot. If there are any noodles that are sticking together use a couple of forks to break them apart.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch pan. Sprinkle it with ¼ cup of parmesan, the bacon and Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Stove and Oven Instructions:
- Cook the package of noodles according to package instructions. Reserve a half cup of the pasta water for later.
- Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Add in the butter and let it melt. Add in the onion and saute for 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Take the pan off of the heat.
- Add the noodles and chicken into the pan and stir.
- Add the pasta water, cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, sundried tomatoes and ½ cup of the parmesan into a blender. Pulse a few times until mostly smooth. Stir the mixture into the noodles.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch pan. Sprinkle it with ¼ cup of parmesan, the bacon and Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot and Oven
More Instant Pot Noodle Recipes…
Instant Pot Amish Chicken Corn Soup
A slightly creamy chicken and noodle soup with corn. This soup takes chicken noodle soup to a whole new level. You can make this fast in your Instant Pot or let is simmer all day in your slow cooker.
Instant Pot Beef and Noodles
A hearty beef and noodles dish with tons of flavor! This is an easy recipe that takes only a few minutes of prep.
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
This recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is fast and easy to make. No need to cook the chicken ahead of time, just add it straight to your pressure cooker along with the veggies and broth. We love making this recipe on a cold day or when we have a sick one in the house.
Instant Pot Amish Beef Noodles
Tender bites of roast with mushrooms and egg noodles. A homey, comforting dish.
Instant Pot Cafeteria Noodles
Buttered egg noodles kicked up a notch! A super fast and easy recipe for classic comfort food.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I made this last night for supper and it was a big hit. I have tried a few of your recipes and so far all have been great. I did have to bake this a little bit longer because after the 20 min. it was real runny. I enjoy all your recipes and look forward to making more.
Okay good to know on cooking longer!
Can frozen chicken be used for this recipe?
you could use 1.5 pounds of frozen chicken tenderloins because they are so small they’ll cook at the same rate as the pasta. If you tried to use big chicken thighs or breasts they wouldn’t cook all the way through
Can you use egg noodles from the pasta section rather than the frozen section of the grocery store? What changes would you make to the recipe?
you could but they only need a 1 minute pressure cook time with a 5 minute pressure release.
Stores near me don’t carry the frozen egg noodles. How could I adjust the recipe?
I haven’t tried this dish with another type of noodle but I’m sure you could use fettuccine or linguine. Increase the broth to 4 cups and use the same cooking time. Break the pasta in half before adding it into the pot and lay it in a criss cross pattern.
Can you cook on stove top instead of the instant pot, then bake in the oven.
Yes, scroll down to the recipe card and you’ll see instructions that say “Stove and Oven Instructions.” Follow those 🙂
Can this recipe be used in slow cooker?
This recipe isn’t a great candidate for the slow cooker. Sorry!
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen frozen egg noodles where I live. Is there any kind of substitution for them?
I haven’t tried this dish with another type of noodle but I’m sure you could use fettuccine or linguine. Increase the broth to 4 cups (if using the Instant Pot) and use the same cooking time. Break the pasta in half before adding it into the pot and lay it in a criss cross pattern.
Thanks so much!
In the stove/oven version of the Love Machine recipe it doesn’t state when/if to add broth… Should it be omitted if making it the stove/oven way?
Yes, omit it for the stove method. You’ll just boil the pasta in water as stated on package directions.