Get ready to cozy up with a big scoop of chicken noodle casserole!
It’s packed with tender egg noodles, shredded chicken, and colorful veggies covered in a creamy, cheesy sauce. It’s like classic chicken noodle soup but in hearty casserole form!
It’s great for busy weeknights since you can prep it ahead of time. I like to keep one in my freezer for an easy, make-ahead meal!
I usually serve it alongside a salad and some crusty bread for sopping up the sauce. It’s to die for!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Noodle Casserole
Comfort Food Classic: Chicken noodle casserole is the ultimate comfort food. It’s like a warm hug on a plate.
Easy Prep: Using shortcuts like rotisserie chicken and frozen veggies, it comes together quickly and easily. It’s a low-stress meal.
Crowd-Pleaser: Chicken noodle casserole is a family-friendly dish everyone loves.
Versatile Recipe: Swap in different veggies, use various noodle shapes, add cheese, or experiment with the topping.
Ingredients
- Wide Egg Noodles: The perfect pasta shape to hold onto all the creamy, cheesy sauce.
- Cooked Shredded Chicken: Tender, pulled chicken adds hearty protein to this comforting casserole.
- Cream of Chicken Soup: It creates a rich, velvety base for the sauce.
- Sour Cream: It gives the filling an extra creamy texture and zip of flavor.
- Whole Milk: Whole milk helps thin out the sauce while keeping it rich.
- Onion: Diced onion adds some nice aromatics.
- Frozen Peas and Carrots Mix: This blend adds color, nutrition, and texture.
- Seasonings: I use garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper.
- Cheddar Cheese: It gets melted into the casserole and sprinkled on top for cheesy goodness.
- Ritz Crackers: Buttery cracker crumbs create a crispy, crunchy topping.
- Butter: To bind the cracker crumbs and add even more rich flavor.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Casserole
Making this casserole is a cinch!
1. Cook the noodles. Cook the egg noodles in a large pot of salted water for 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain well.
2. Mix the ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, diced onion, peas and carrots, garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Fold in the cooked egg noodles.
3. Transfer the mixture. Pour the chicken and noodle mixture into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
4. Make the topping. In a small bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter. Sprinkle the buttery cracker crumbs evenly over the casserole.
5. Bake the casserole. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown. It should be hot and bubbly throughout.
6. Rest and serve. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Chicken Noodle Casserole
Follow these tips for the best casserole you’ve ever tasted:
- Put in a little elbow grease. Shred the cheese from a block yourself for the best melty, creamy texture.
- Go nice and slow. When combining the sauce ingredients, add the milk or liquid slowly to get the ideal consistency.
- Be generous with the seasonings. Don’t skimp on the seasonings. Add more garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to boost flavor.
- Add some extra cheese. Feel free to sprinkle on another cheese, like Parmesan, for additional flavor.
- Switch it up. Use cream of mushroom or celery soup. You can also make it with leftover turkey instead of chicken.
How to Store
Enjoy your casserole at a later date with these tips:
To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Ensure they cool completely before covering and storing.
To Freeze: Assemble the casserole as directed, but don’t add the cracker topping. Wrap the unbaked casserole tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Scoop individual portions onto a microwave-safe plate and heat until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes. You can also reheat the casserole in a 350°F oven, covered with foil, for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Note: While you can freeze this dish, I don’t recommend it. The pasta can turn mushy, and the sauce might become watery.
Chicken Noodle Casserole
6
servings15
minutes30
minutes350
This chicken noodle casserole is as comforting as it gets! Packed with chicken, veggies, and egg noodles in a creamy sauce, you’ll flip for it.
Ingredients
12 ounces wide egg noodles
3 cups cooked shredded chicken (from rotisserie chicken)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cups frozen peas and carrots mix, thawed
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
2 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the egg noodles in a large pot of salted water for 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, diced onion, peas and carrots, garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Fold in the cooked egg noodles.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter. Sprinkle the cracker mixture evenly over the casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the casserole is hot and bubbly throughout.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Using rotisserie chicken and frozen veggies keeps the prep quick and easy.
- Sour cream and whole milk make an extra creamy sauce.
- Topping with buttery Ritz cracker crumbs adds a delicious crunch.
mine is in the oven now. used more seasoning because I can’t have salt and the soups already are high sodium. looking forward to eating it. Will definitely keep recipe.
I loved and so easy to make
OMG! I just made this for Sunday dinner and it is fantastic!!! I cooked boneless chicken breasts in butter and garlic in a skillet. Seared on both sides then covered and lowered temp for 5 minutes each side. It was juicy and shredded so nice! Only had frozen mixed veggies but it worked out great!! This recipe is definitely a keeper
Love this recipe
The chicken noodle casserole is exactly like one my mom made often but that was 50 years ago but it’s still delicious and fast and easy to make!
I love comments like this! It always warms my heart when people find recipes that bring back that little bit of nostalgia. <3
This is my second time making it. It’s so delicious and easy my family loves it 😋
Can’t wait to make this.
can this be frozen?
Hi Sharon!
You’ll find info for freezing in the post above the recipe card 🙂
Here’s the rundown:
Assemble the casserole as directed, but don’t add the cracker topping. Wrap the unbaked casserole tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
But while you can freeze this dish, I don’t usually recommend it. The pasta can turn mushy, and the sauce might become watery.
It’s my second time making this….it sure takes a lot longer than 15 minutes to put together and I used a lot of pots and bowls!!!! It’s delicious though 🥰
It always takes me a bit longer than the prep time on most recipes, too. I used to do HelloFresh and HomeChef, and my son would always tease me because the recipe cards that came with the meals would say “5 mins. prep” and it would take me like 15 to 20 minutes to cut everything up. Haha.
So trust me! You are not alone in this!
I made this for the first time tonight. Absolutely delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Terrie!
Hi Can you use canned peas and carrots.
Hi, Roxana.
I wouldn’t recommend canned peas and carrots for this recipe. Because they’re already fully cooked, they will likely become mushy in the casserole.
I made this casserole today and it turned out perfect.
I used some leftover turkey that I had frozen and one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of celery. For the veggies I used some frozen veggies, diced celery and onion, and I also had rosemary and sage I had leftover from Thanksgiving. Delish this is a keeper.
Love this dish. Making it for our third time. We use salt reduced soup and we use 3 instead of 2 cans of soup to make it more creamy. We also prefer fresh, minced garlic rather than powdered and we use plain Greek yoghurt instead of sour cream. It turns out beautifully every time. Definitely recommend.
I’m 100% with you on the fresh garlic, Patricia.
While I do use powdered garlic for some things, I always opt for fresh when possible. It just has such a FANTASTIC taste.