Chicken & Broccoli Gnocchi Casserole Ala Judys' Foodies

                                                                                  

This big casserole will have your family or friends ooohing & aaahing with pleasure! This size casserole will serve 6 to 8 people and you can cut it in half for for a family of 4! But leftovers are not promised! This is loaded with tender white chicken, soft plump Gnocchi which is like a potato noodle/dumpling! The broccoli is a nice addition to make this a one pot main course. We had this tonight with baked Hawaiian rolls that can be found in your supermarket. Any good roll or hot crusty bread is a nice thing to serve with a hearty casserole. This is a very good meal! ENJOY, FOODIES!
2, 14 oz.  Packages of Frozen Gnocchi
1, 16 oz. Bag Frozen Chopped Broccoli thawed
2 LB Thawed White Meat Chicken Breast cut into bite sized pieces
3 TBS Flour
3 TBS Butter
3 Cups Milk
3 Cups Cheddar Cheese Shredded
1 Cup Bread Crumbs ( I used Italian Flavored Crumbs)
1 TSP Minced Garlic
3 Dashes Red Pepper or to taste
3 Dashes of White Pepper or to taste
2 TSP Parsley Flakes
1/2 Teaspoon Paprika + more to sprinkle

Cook Gnocchi in enough boiling water, with 1 tsp salt added to the water, to cover the Gnocchi. Bring to a rolling boil & cook & stir about 8 minutes or until Gnocchi is floating in the water & looks puffy. In a colander place the thawed broccoli. As soon as gnocchi is cooked drain over the broccoli, this helps to slightly cook the broccoli. Now in the pot you used to cook the noodles add the 3 TBS butter. Melt over low heat. now stir in the flour whisking until there are no lumps! Whisk in the milk & stir until this is nicely thick & bubbling! Stir in the cheese, peppers, & paprika, & cook until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. In a 9x13 casserole dish spray the bottom & sides with a cooking spray then ladle about 1/4 cup of cheese sauce in the bottom. Lay 1/2 of the raw chicken in the bottom of the dish evenly spread out. Now spoon 1/2 of the broccoli Gnocchi mixture over the chicken, layer the rest of the chicken over the Gnocchi mixture & now cover with a layer of the Gnocchi & broccoli. Spoon the cheese sauce over the entire casserole. Sprinkle with an even coating of bread crumbs. Sprinkle a pretty dusting of Paprika over the top. bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes up to an hour until the bread crumbs are browned & the sauce is bubbling!  THIS IS JUST SO GOOD!