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My simple chicken noodle casserole recipe combines all of the best things about your favorite chicken noodle soup into a warm, comforting casserole in under an hour. Kids love it!
Chicken Noodle Bake
If you know me, you know how much I love chicken noodle soup. One of my most popular recipes of all time is my copycat Chick-fil-A chicken noodle, a dish I make regularly and that my grand-kids love, too!
It's not always great "soup weather", though, especially living here in Florida where warm weather is a constant. Sometimes what I want is an easy, hot meal that reminds me of the coziness of chicken noodle, but not a soup, and that's exactly what this casserole is.
I call my chicken noodle casserole the "smile-maker". If you put this on the table, you're guaranteed to be met with smiles all around! It's rich, savory comfort food that packs protein and veggies into a creamy sauce and reheats well.
Jump to:
- Chicken Noodle Bake
- Chicken Noodle Casserole Ingredients
- How to Make Chicken and Noodles Casserole
- Also try...
- Family Favorite Casserole Recipes
- Tips for Making Chicken Noodle Casserole
- How to Store Leftover Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole FAQ
- More Recipes with Shredded Chicken
- Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Reviews
Chicken Noodle Casserole Ingredients
- Shredded Chicken: I like using homemade shredded chicken, but you can also use canned chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken!
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Canned cream of chicken soup makes up the bulk of the sauce! I use the 10.5 oz cans of condensed soup. If you want, you can use one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of mushroom soup.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds a little bit of tang that helps balance out the rich soup! You can also use unflavored, full-fat Greek yogurt.
- Milk: The milk thins out the condensed soup, forming it into a rich sauce. You can split it half and half with chicken broth, as well.
- Egg Noodles: I love the unique flavor and chew of egg noodles in casseroles! You can also use macaroni noodles or your favorite pasta.
- Shredded Cheese: You can use any cheese you like for this recipe. I like to use a blend of mozzarella, parmesan, and gruyere cheese, but cheddar cheese is delicious too! I recommend shredding your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese comes coated with an anti-caking powder that makes it melt with lumps!
- Frozen Peas: You can use fresh peas, but frozen peas are super convenient, budget friendly, and cook up just as delicious!
- Frozen Carrots: Again, fresh vegetables will also work great. I love frozen carrots because they're already diced, which makes this dish so, so easy. You can also buy a frozen mix of carrots with peas.
- Onion Powder: Onion powder is quick, easy, takes no dicing, and has a touch of sweetness that compliments the dish well! You can also dice up a small white onion to use instead.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder has a more mellow flavor than fresh, which is ideal for this recipe; fresh garlic can be a bit too sharp!
- Salt and Pepper: I highly recommend freshly cracked black pepper; it'll have a delicious bite that really comes through in a creamy recipe like this.
- Panko: Panko bread crumbs are the perfect topping for this casserole! You can also use crushed up crackers or homemade bread crumbs.
- Butter: This butter will be added to the breadcrumbs. Use salted butter if you're using panko, and unsalted if you're using crackers.
- Thyme (optional): I love topping this dish with a bit of fresh thyme, but it's optional!
Isabel's Top Tip
Check the ingredients in the soup if you're cooking for loved ones with dietary needs! When I make this casserole for my loved ones with gluten intolerance, I often need to make my own soup, as canned soup contains flour as a thickener.
How to Make Chicken and Noodles Casserole
1: Cook the Noodles
Prepare the noodles according to package directions, then drain and set them aside. Toss the noodles in a little butter or oil to keep them from sticking. While they're cooking, preheat the oven to 350°F.
2: Mix the Ingredients
In a large bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, shredded chicken, sour cream, milk, onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper, shredded cheese, peas, and corn.
3: Add the Noodles
Add the noodles to the bowl and gently stir until fully incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix and break the noodles!
4: Assemble Casserole
Prepare your casserole dish with nonstick oil or butter, then pour the mixture into the dish and top it with breadcrumbs.
5: Melt and Add Butter
Melt the butter (I like to slice it into chunks and then microwave it), then pour it over the panko topping.
6: Bake and Serve!
Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, and serve!
Family Favorite Casserole Recipes
- Stuffed Cabbage Casserole: Hearty, cozy, and so, so easy! Tastes like a trip to grandma's house on the weekend.
- Ham and Potato Casserole: This casserole is so good I usually end up eating three servings at a time. Oops...
- Chicken Artichoke Casserole: Make extra, seriously! I never have any left over it gets eaten so fast.
- Easy Taco Casserole: All the joy of tacos, with no mess!
- Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Truffle Mac and Cheese
Tips for Making Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Adjust the ingredients as you see fit! There's a lot of wiggle room with a recipe like this. Feel free to add in more veggies like chopped mushrooms, broccoli, and spinach, or swap the cream of chicken out for cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup.
- Reduce the dishes by leaving the pasta in the strainer and using the same large pot for mixing the rest of the ingredients!
- Check the casserole after 15 minutes of baking. If you think it's browning too fast, cover it with aluminum foil for the rest of the cook time.
- You can make this with other kinds of meat! I like using any shredded meat I have, like shredded pork, turkey, or even diced ham.
How to Store Leftover Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Refrigerator: This easy chicken noodle casserole recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to wrap the baking dish with plastic wrap until there are only a few portions left, at which point I move it to airtight containers.
- Freezer: This casserole freezes well! Freeze it in airtight containers and reheat in the microwave for 45-second bursts, stirring each time.
- Make-Ahead: This is a fantastic casserole for making ahead! Fully assemble the casserole except for the panko and butter, then wrap it in plastic and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, until ready to bake. Then top with panko and butter and bake for a dinner with barely any prep!
Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole FAQ
You probably won't need to cover this casserole, as it doesn't bake for long enough or at a high enough temperature for the panko to burn. However, all ovens are built different, so make sure to check it and cover it with foil if it's starting to brown too soon.
You can absolutely make this recipe with rice for a rice casserole! Replace the noodles with 2 cups of Instant white rice, and add 1 cup of water to ensure that the rice has enough liquid to cook fully.
More Recipes with Shredded Chicken
- Chicken Chili - One of my most reader-beloved recipes!
- Chicken Empanadas
- Chick-fil-a Chicken Tortilla Soup - Another reader favorite, for good reason!
- Chicken Tinga Tacos - Bring a whole new world of flavor to shredded chicken!
- Chicken Taquitos - Try my homemade taquitos and you'll never buy them frozen again!
This is a great meal for freezing!
Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole
Equipment
- Large pot for boiling noodles
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 10.5 oz cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen carrots
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- 1 cup seasoned panko
- 1 stick salted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. While it's heating, cook the noodles to package instructions and set them aside.12 ounces egg noodles
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, both soups, sour cream, milk, all seasonings, shredded cheese, and vegetables. Mix well to combine.2 cups shredded chicken,2 10.5 oz cans cream of chicken soup,1 cup sour cream,1 cup milk,1 tablespoon onion powder,1 tablespoon garlic powder,1 teaspoon salt,1 tablespoon pepper,1 cup shredded cheese,1 cup frozen peas,1 cup frozen carrots
- Add the noodles to the mix and stir gently until combined.
- Pour the mix into a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray, and spread it out evenly.
- Top the casserole with panko, then melt the butter and pour it over top.1 cup seasoned panko,1 stick salted butter
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly and browned. Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Adjust the ingredients as you see fit! There's a lot of wiggle room with a recipe like this. Feel free to add in more veggies like chopped mushrooms, broccoli, and spinach, or swap the cream of chicken out for cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup.
- Reduce the dishes by leaving the pasta in the strainer and using the same large pot for mixing the rest of the ingredients!
- Check the casserole after 15 minutes of baking. If you think it's browning too fast, cover it with aluminum foil for the rest of the cook time.
- You can make this with other kinds of meat! I like using any shredded meat I have, like shredded pork, turkey, or even diced ham.
s says
Looks good, simple, and easy to freeze. Tried to watch the video three times. Tried to skip the ad at the appropriate time, watch the ad, and do nothing . . . video always gets knocked out.
Isabel Laessig says
Thank you for letting me know - we'll be sure to look into that. Enjoy!
Keri says
This recipe looks delicious. I found it through a link on your website for freezer meals, but there are no freezer directions. Does this freeze well?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Keri! Thank you for the heads up - I'll be certain to fix that. It does freeze well! I would allow it to cool first, then store it wrapped tightly in a freezer safe container for up to 3-4 months or so. Make sure to label with the date.