This baked chicken noodle casserole will be on the dinner menu rotation all year long!
A cozy creamy casserole with chicken, egg noodles, and green peas is smothered in a creamy sauce and baked until bubbly.
This recipe uses a shortcut sauce (from scratch instructions are included too!) to create a belly-warming meal in no time at all!
An Easy Take on Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Who doesn’t love chicken and noodles? And who doesn’t love a hearty casserole? Two favorites are combined into one easy meal!
- Made with pantry ingredients that you probably already have on hand (I’ve also included an easy from-scratch sauce if you prefer).
- Makes great use of leftovers from meats to veggies, it’s the perfect way to clean out the fridge.
- Save dishes by skipping mixing in a large bowl, stir directly in the baking dish!
- This 30-minute meal can easily be prepared in advance for a great weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Keep the basics like cream of chicken soup and the meat, but feel free to substitute the add-ins depending on what you have on hand!
Pasta – Try substituting any medium pasta like fusilli, penne, or even tortellini for the egg noodles.
Chicken – I use either rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken in used in this recipe. Try substituting diced ham or leftover turkey for a new dish.
Veggies – Add any frozen veggies to the mix. Frozen peas, carrots, or broccoli all are great choices.
Sauce – To keep this meal quick, the sauce is made with cream of chicken soup but I have included a “from scratch” version in the notes of the recipe too.
Variations – Shredded mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar cheese adds a new flavor twist! For some extra kick try adding Monterey or pepper jack. Try using crushed ritz crackers instead of panko bread crumbs in the topping.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Casserole
This easy comfort food favorite is ready in just a few steps!
- Boil noodles in a large pot until al-dente.
- Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish per the recipe below.
- Sprinkle on toppings and bake until golden brown and bubbly.
It’s that easy to make a delicious weeknight meal!
Tips for a Great Casserole
- Cook the pasta until it is just al dente in salted water. It will cook a bit more in the oven as the casserole bakes.
- Always start with pre-cooked meat. If you don’t have cooked chicken, you can boil and shred chicken breasts. Save the boiling water to cook the pasta for a boost of flavor.
- If substituting fresh veggies, add them to the pasta water during the last few minutes until tender. This saves the step of cooking them.
- Cheese is optional but adds great flavor to the topping.
How to Freeze Casseroles
Freezing casseroles is a great way to have a future dinner ready at the last minute or a potluck meal to go. Just be sure not to freeze a casserole with raw meat in it. Here’s an easy method for freezing any kind of casserole!
- Line the bottom of a casserole dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper and have it overlap by at least 6 inches on each side.
- Assemble the casserole as directed. Cover and chill the casserole overnight in the refrigerator.
- Wrap the casserole tightly in plastic wrap and label it with the date on it.
- Place the casserole in the freezer. Once frozen, the foil can be lifted out of the pan so your pan can be used again!
Our Favorite Casserole Recipes
Did you enjoy this Chicken Noodle Casserole? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry egg noodles
- 2 cups cooked chicken diced
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup, see notes for homemade version
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup frozen peas or frozen vegetables
Topping
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- ½ cup cheddar cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cook egg noodles al dente (firm) according to package directions. Drain well.
- Combine egg noodles, chicken, soup, milk, and vegetables in 2qt casserole dish. Top with cheese if using.
- Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the casserole.
- Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly. Broil 1 minute to brown topping if needed.
Notes
- Cook pasta just until it is just al dente.
- If you don’t have cooked chicken, chicken can be simmered in a bit of water or broth. Save the chicken water for cooking the pasta too!
- If substituting fresh veggies, add them to the pasta water during the last few minutes until tender. This saves the step of cooking them.
- 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese can be added to the sauce if desired.
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup light cream
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
Place over medium heat and continue whisking until thickened. Stir in butter and season with salt & pepper to taste and use in place of canned cream of chicken soup.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Main Course, Pasta
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.
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I LOVE this new twist on a chicken casserole! I added sliced almonds to the mix, which gave it a little more crunch.
In the recipe for condensed cream of chicken soup, it doesn’t say when to add butter or how much chicken put in
Sorry for the confusion Terri, the butter is added at the end once the mixture is thickened. If using the cream of chicken soup in this casserole, I skip the chicken in the condensed soup (there is lots in the casserole). If using in other recipes, I stir in about 3 tablespoons of finely chopped chicken.
Delicious! Enough for 3 meals for 2 people. Freezing 2nd and 3rd portions for later date. Added frozen corn with peas.
It’s good to go back to basics. Ritz crackers is my new topping. Who would’ve thought…..
I give it 4 stars because it’s an easy to make and a good basic casserole. I added some pepper but next time would also add some salt, garlic and/or onion powder. I doubled everything except for the cream of chicken. I used 1 can because that’s all I had but added a little extra milk and used some of the pasta water. It gave it a creamy consistency but not too heavy. I also used fresh broccoli to use it up so steamed it a bit before adding it to the mix.
Can I used pre grilled/cooked chicken?
Hi Abigail, for this recipe we recommend using cooked chicken so you can use pre-grilled, pre-cooked, or even rotisserie chicken! Whatever works best for you.
Made this today for the first time It was tasty but was on the dry side. Not at all creamy. If I make it again, I will add more liquid.
Sorry to hear that, Rose. You can increase the milk or add additional cheese or condensed soup to this recipe to increase the creamy-ness of the sauce.
Made this casserole last night. It was great!
We both thought it was great! Significant other loved it, especially considering it was a chicken dish and a casserole, neither of which he’s too fond of. It was quick and easy. I baked 3 chicken breasts with some Seasoning Salt & Montreal Steak Seasoning. Used farfalle pasta, cream of mushroom w/garlic and mixed vegees as that’s what I had on hand. Threw a little grated cheddar on top and then a little more with the bread crumb mixture.