Huntington Chicken -- creamy, savory & just plain yummy

Check out my story about the main dish that brings Abilene High School's retired teachers back to school every fall during American Education Week — Huntington Chicken Memories @ MyAbileneKansas webpage.
The story  also includes this  recipe form Helen Hettenbach, the kitchen manager at Kennedy Grade School from the mid 1970s to mid 1990s. She shared her home-style version of Huntington Chicken with me years ago.

Huntington Chicken    Yield: 8x12-inch pan

8 tablespoons (1 stick) margarine or butter

8 tablespoons (½ cup) all-purpose flour  

4 cups chicken broth (homemade, canned or use bouillon cubes or granules to make broth)

1 to 1½ teaspoons salt

½ to 1 teaspoon pepper

4 cups cooked & diced chicken

2 cups (before cooking) shell macaroni — cook in salted water according to package

directions

About ½ lb. cheese, shredded  (about 2 cups+) — use American, Cheddar or preferred choice

4 cups bread crumbs

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

1.  Over low heat in a saucepan, melt margarine or butter.

2.  Stir in flour until smooth, and cook 3 to 5 minutes to develop flavor.   

3.  Gradually add chicken broth and whisk to thicken as mixture continues to cook over low heat.

4.  Add salt and pepper and continue cooking to improve flavor. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

5.   In a large bowl, combine and mix: prepared chicken & macaroni, cheese and thickened broth. 

6.  Place mixture in a greased 8x12-inch baking pan or dish.

7.   In a skillet, brown bread crumbs in melted margarine or butter; then spread on top of chicken mixture. 

8.  Bake in a preheated 325° oven for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.