Tuna Noodle Casserole with Potato Chip Crust

Ingredients

• 12 oz wide egg noodles
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 cans albacore tuna in water, 5 oz each, drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 2 cups kettle-style potato chips, crushed

Before you cook

• Dice the onion and celery.
• Slice the mushrooms.
• Drain the tuna and flake it into large pieces with a fork.
• Crush the potato chips into rough pieces in a zip-top bag.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Cook the egg noodles for 2 minutes less than the package says, so they still have real bite.
4. Drain the noodles and set them aside.
5. Melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat.
6. Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms and cook for 8 minutes, until the vegetables soften and the mushroom liquid cooks off.
7. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 90 seconds.
8. Pour in the milk and broth slowly, whisking hard to keep the sauce smooth.
9. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes, whisking often, until it thickens to the texture of heavy gravy.
10. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar until it melts.
11. Stir in the Dijon, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
12. Fold in the drained noodles, the flaked tuna, and the frozen peas, keeping the tuna in chunks rather than mashing it.
13. Spread the mixture into the buttered dish.
14. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over the top.
15. Cover the whole surface with the crushed potato chips.
16. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the chips brown.
17. Rest the casserole for 5 minutes so the sauce sets before you serve it.