Baked Sesame Chicken Noodles

I always think of chicken spaghetti, turkey tetrazzini, tuna noodle casserole and the like when I think of comfort food. This recipe is chicken spaghetti meets sesame chicken stir-fry. And it's delicious. It's also pretty healthy. Especially if you use whole wheat pasta and fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth. I made too much when I fixed it for dinner the other night. So I put the leftover unbaked mixture in a casserole dish, leaving the breadcrumbs off (didn't want them to get soggy) and put it in the freezer. Will be interested to see if it freezes well. If it does, we'll have another evening to enjoy this great casserole.

Baked Sesame Chicken Noodles
Adapted from Cooking Light
Makes four generous servings.

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti or linguine, broken in half
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 cup red bell pepper strips
8 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups thinly sliced bok choy (or Chinese cabbage)
3/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, divided
Cooking spray
1 cup panko (coarse, dry) breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add red bell pepper strips, mushrooms, celery and water chestnuts; sauté 2 minutes. Add chicken, ginger, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

In measuring cup, combine broth and cornstarch, stirring well with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan, and cook 2 minutes or until mixture is slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar, and crushed red pepper. Add pasta, bok choy, green onions, and 2 teaspoons sesame seeds to pan, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray.

Combine breadcrumbs, butter, and remaining sesame seeds; sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until breadcrumbs begin to brown.