Foodie Fridays - Chicken, Artichoke (and Sun Dried Tomatoes!) Casserole

So don't think for a second that just because I haven't posted a recipe since January that it was because I just didn't have time to post anything.  I literally did not cook or buy food for about 8 weeks.  Straight delivery for 8 weeks, my friends.  I'm not proud of it.  But that is what happens during busy season.  I actually even had a weekend here and there when I could have cooked or baked, but I just wasn't feeling it.  So imagine my surprise when I finally came home at my regular 7:30 on Monday night and was actually in the mood to cook. Squeeee!

I generally am not a huge fan of chicken, unless in the wing form (be it buffalo, or bonchon), but one chicken dish I can get down on includes artichokes and sun dried tomatoes.  So I literally googled "chicken and artichoke recipes" and this one came up.  I made a few alterations (mostly because the idea of baking mayo makes me gag, and  hello, I wanted sun dried tomatoes) and Tom and I agreed it turned out FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC. This could be because it was the first non-Indian/Middle Eastern/Chinese/Thai dish we've eaten in months, or it could be because these ingredients just sing together so well. Plus, whenever I see "casserole" in my head I think - yay - only one dish to clean! But that is never really the case.  I actually had to wash a pan, a pot, three knives, two forks, and a measuring cup, and eventually the baking dish.  But it was totally worth it.

Chicken Artichoke (and Sun Dried Tomatoes!) Casserole
via Taste of Home

• 2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta (I used shells)
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I used 1/3 cup)
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup onion and garlic salad croutons, coarsely crushed (I skipped these because I forgot to buy them)
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped (not part of the recipe, but you MUST include these - they pack a double punch of taste and color)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, artichokes, soup, cheese, mayonnaise, milk, garlic, onion powder and pepper. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture.  

Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Both of these photos are of the casserole before it went in the oven. It was so good that we ate it before I  remembered to take a shot of it fully baked!

My suggestions: I thought it tasted just great with less mayo, but if you are the type that likes to follow recipes to the T - let me know how it comes out.  Also, it's not really a chicken, artichoke and sun dried tomato casserole without the sun dried tomatoes.  After I chopped a few up, I mixed in about 2/3s of them with everything else to evenly distribute, then the remaining amount I sprinkled on top just because they really popped against the rest of the mostly cream colored ingredients.