Creamy Chicken Negresco

Combine the chicken, celery stalks, a pinch of salt, and black pepper in a saucepan. Add enough water to the saucepan to completely submerge the ingredients, making sure they are fully covered. Place the saucepan over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, approximately 20-25 minutes. Use a food thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Remove the cooked chicken from the saucepan to a cutting board to cool. Once cooled, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Discard the water and celery.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Prepare a 9x13-inch casserole dish by spraying it with cooking spray.

In a large pot, bring a substantial amount of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until they are cooked through but still retain some firmness to them, about 5 minutes; drain the noodles. Transfer the cooked noodles to a large bowl and combine them with the chicken pieces, mixing well.

In a separate saucepan, gently warm milk over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Keep the milk at a simmer until you're ready to use it.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in flour into the melted butter, adding small amounts at a time and ensuring each addition is fully incorporated before adding more; cook the flour mixture until it reaches a light blonde color, about 5-10 minutes. Slowly pour the warmed milk into the flour mixture while continuously stirring; bring the mixture to a boil and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons of salt, garlic powder, and nutmeg into the milk mixture; pour it over the noodle mixture and stir to coat everything evenly.

Spread bread crumbs into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Pour the noodle mixture over the bread crumbs. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top of the noodle mixture. Drizzle olive oil over the Parmesan cheese.

Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the top layer of noodles is a golden brown color, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.