Cheesy Chicken Casserole is a family-friendly meal loaded with tender pasta, juicy chicken, green chiles, and peppers in a creamy cheesy sauce. Baked until hot and bubbly, this easy casserole is perfect for busy weeknights.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Cheesy Chicken Casserole
- Flavor: This casserole is rich, creamy, with savory chicken, sharp cheddar cheese, mild green chiles, and a hint of warmth from chili powder and seasoned salt.
- Why Make It: Made with leftover chicken or poached chicken breasts, this casserole is super quick to prepare. It can even be prepped ahead of time!
- Recommended Tools: You’ll need a pot, a skillet, a large mixing bowl, and a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Serving Suggestions: Pair with a simple vegetable side, such as roasted asparagus or honey roasted carrots, to balance the rich and creamy flavors.
Total Time: 1 hour Servings: 6 Cooking Method: Baked Casserole
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked Chicken: Rotisserie chicken, leftover baked chicken, or poached chicken all work for this casserole. Turkey or ham can also be used.
- Pasta: Any medium pasta will work in this recipe. But be sure to cook it just to al dente, so it doesn’t become too soft while baking.
- Red Bell Pepper: It adds a touch of sweetness and color to the casserole. Green bell pepper can be used instead for a slightly sharper, more savory flavor.
- Chili Powder: It adds a warm, gentle hint of spice without making the casserole overly hot. Taco seasoning can be used as a substitute, but start with less since the flavors are stronger.
- Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup: It creates a creamy, flavorful sauce quickly and helps bring the casserole together with minimal prep. Any cream-based soups can be used, so use whatever you have in your pantry.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the most flavor, while mild cheddar creates a softer taste. For extra spice, replace part of the cheddar with pepper jack cheese.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken Casserole
- Boil the pasta until just firm (full recipe below).
- Sauté the onion and bell pepper in butter, then season.
- Mix all the ingredients (reserving some cheese).
- Spread everything into a casserole dish, top with the remaining cheddar, and bake.
Leftovers You’ll Love
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then reheat portions in the microwave or warm larger amounts in the oven, covered, with a splash of milk if needed to loosen the sauce.
What to Serve with Chicken Casserole
Did you enjoy this Cheesy Chicken Casserole Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups medium shells uncooked
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion finely diced
- ⅓ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1⅓ cups milk
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups cooked chopped chicken
- 4 ounces canned mild green chiles
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Cook shells al dente according to package directions.
- In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and seasoned salt.
- In a large bowl, combine soup, onion mixture, milk, 2 cups cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Stir in chicken, green chiles, and pasta.
- Spread into a 9×13 casserole dish. Top with remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Cooking is not my greatest talent, but this recipe is fantastic! Everyone who ate it raved about how good it was and said they couldn’t believe “I” made it
My husband is still talking about it today!
So glad you were able to impress your family with this recipe, Candace! :)
This dish is delicious! Unfortunately I did something wrong and mine is soooo runny! I don’t know what I did wrong nor how to correct it. It’s more like a cream based soup or a pot pie than a casserole.
I will definitely try it again, though.
Did you add extra liquid to the soup or did you use it condensed right from the can?
Hi Holly
I used condensed right from the can. No liquid other than the milk was added.
Thanks
Hmm, I can’t say for sure what went wrong as I haven’t had that problem before. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you.
We are making this and having a lot of fun! We want to eat it later. Should we cook it and reheat it later, or should we not cook it at all, pop it in the fridge and just bake it once? So far it smells delicious!
I would suggest baking just before eating if possible.
So yummy and SO easy! Thank you!!
Loved this recipe! Even my husband, who is not a casserole fan, liked it! Will be making again for years to come!
I love this recipe but it always makes so much and we are not big on leftovers, do you have a recipe for an 8×8 or 9×9 pan???
Hi Carrie, we don’t have a version of this recipe for an 8×8 or 9×9 but you could half the recipe and bake it in a 9×9 pan if you would like :)
I made this delicious casserole tonight and it was a hit! I used cream of onion soup instead of cream of chicken for a little more flavor. I also cooked my chicken in my pressure cooker with Holly’s recipe before assembling the casserole. It took under an hour from start to finish!
So glad you loved it Natasha, I bet the cream of onion was delish in this!!
What could I sub for the chicken soup? I have all the ingredients but that one. Love your recipes! They are great for my family of 10
Do you have “cream of” anything else? If not, I have a homemade condensed cream of mushroom here.
No I dont have any condensed soups and no mushrooms
You can add in your favorite veggies in place of the mushrooms and try your hand at making your own condensed “cream of” soup
Holly, I just want to tell you how much I love your recipes. I get so excited to see a new one and they’re always so delicious. Thank you and God bless you and your family.
Aww thank you so much Erica! I’m so glad you’ve loved them!
Looking forward to making this soon!
One of my all time favorite recipes. My husband and daughter love it, as well. My picky daughter didn’t pick anything out of it. She devoured the first serving and came back for seconds. Will definitely make this over and over again.
That is great Anna! So happy you all enjoyed it.
I’m making this recipe for my family however how do you recommend cooking the chicken?
Hi Makenna, you can use any leftover cooked chicken you have on hand. You can also use oven baked chicken breasts or poached chicken for this recipe. Both would be delicious!
I’m going to try some of these yummy recipes.
I would love some new recipes. Also love casserole dishes
Hi Karen, you can subscribe to our newsletter for new recipes emailed directly to you. You should check out our casserole section for some delicious recipes too!
I made the cheesy chicken casserole, and although the nutrition information is noted, it does not specify what the serving size is for the nutritional information provided. Would you happen to know what serving size that information is based on? In
Hi Ronda, the nutrition information is for ⅙ of the casserole. This would be approximately 1 to 1½ cups per serving.
Great recipe!! My husband does all the cooking but I will get in the kitchen if I find a recipe I wanna try…We are a family of 6 so this was perfect..It pleased everyone even the picky eater..Definitely will make again. Thank you
So glad your family loved it!
Looks good
Can this be cooked and frozen for quick reheating later?
I haven’t tried freezing this recipe although dairy doesn’t always freeze well.
Seriously, this is delicious and even better the next day.
Loved this! I cut the chicken up and baked it seasoning it with black pepper, seasoned salt, onion powder and smoked paprika. I didn’t have shells so I used rotini. Otherwise followed the recipe. Will definitely make this again!
Need recipes for 2 elderly people. This would make to much. But looks great.
You can also freeze this, if you decide to make it Mary! This might help :https://www.spendwithpennies.com/how-to-freeze-a-casserole/