Ingredients:

  • 12 oz Wide Egg Noodles
  • 10 oz Canned solid white albacore tuna in water, drained well
  • 1 cup Frozen petite peas, thawed
  • 1/2 cup Sliced celery
  • 4 tbsp Unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups Whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 cup Low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
  • Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cups Sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
  • 2 cups Thick-cut kettle-cooked potato chips, crushed
  • 1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, minced

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13 inch (3-quart) baking dish with butter or non-stick spray. Note: This prevents the starch from the noodles from sticking to the edges.
  2. Cook the 12 oz wide egg noodles in heavily salted water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain them and toss with a splash of oil. They should feel slightly under done.
  3. Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup all purpose flour. Cook for about 2 minutes until it smells like toasted nuts but remains pale in color.
  4. Slowly pour in the 2 cups of room temperature milk and 1 cup of broth. Whisk constantly. Note: Adding liquid slowly prevents lumps from forming.
  5. Continue whisking over medium heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This usually takes about 5 minutes.
  6. Stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Turn off the heat and fold in 1 cup of the shredded white cheddar until melted.
  7. In a large bowl or the noodle pot, combine the par-boiled noodles, tuna, peas, celery, and the prepared cheese sauce. Stir gently to combine.
  8. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar, the Parmesan cheese, and the crushed potato chips.
  9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the potato chip topping is deep golden brown. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.