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Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole

This easy chicken noodle casserole is a deliciously creamy comfort food that the family will love. You’ll love the way it satisfies even the biggest appetites. There are quite a few ways to make it, and I’ve tried many of them. This is my favorite.

casserole dish and serving of chicken casserole

Even if you follow this recipe, you still have several choices. Make it with regular noodles or gluten-free noodles.

Then it’s time to decide what shape to use. It really doesn’t matter. Just remember that the more surfaces on the pasta the more places there are for the flavor to stick.

Packed with chicken, vegetables, noodles, and creamy goodness, this will become one of your family’s favorite dinners!

Rotisserie Chicken Leftovers

This time, I used leftovers from a rotisserie chicken. However, you can also use freshly cooked or canned chicken.

I keep my pantry stocked with canned chicken for those times when I need to quickly throw a meal together. This is one of those meals.

I like to keep this simple and use the Costco rotisserie chickens. They’re not only almost double the size of most I’ve seen at grocery stores, but they are also juicy and perfectly seasoned. 

If you get one of the Costco chickens, you can probably get several meals out of it. Of course, that depends on how many people you’re feeding. Since there are only 2 of us in the house now, I often get 3 or 4 meals.

In addition to this casserole, I make a wide variety of dishes with rotisserie chickens. One that we really enjoy is this Greek chicken with zoodles.

Another one that’s delicious is this super easy chicken and rice casserole. The traditional flavor gives us what we need at the end of a long day.

We also make this basic chicken salad from rotisserie chicken. Sometimes we even add more ingredients to spice it up a bit.

Another delicious casserole with chicken is this chicken pot pie that you can make for two or for the whole family.

Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole Ingredients

The creamy goodness of this recipe comes from several of the ingredients.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 cup of chopped cooked chicken
  • 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
  • One 15-ounce can of mixed vegetables, drained
  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 cup of milk (any kind you have on hand)
  • 1-1/2 cups of noodles (your favorite shape of regular or gluten-free pasta)
  • 3/4 cup of shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby, Monterrey jack, or a mixture)
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of crushed potato chips
chicken noodle casserole ingredients

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

You can use whatever type of milk you prefer. We always have almond milk in the fridge, so that’s what I used.

For a super rich and ultra creamy sauce, try using half-and-half … or even heavy cream. Those are higher in calories, but they deliver out-of-this-world flavor!

almond milk

If you don’t have mixed vegetables, you can use peas and carrots. I’ve done that many times, and it’s just as wonderful!

Since I’m cooking for 2 people, we typically have leftovers for lunch the next day. However, if you’re cooking for a crowd, you can double all of the ingredients.

Of course, if you do that, you’ll need a larger pan. I’ve tried to squish more ingredients into a smaller pan, and I wound up with a mess in my oven. So please use a bigger pan for a larger amount.

How to Make an Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole

This is a super easy casserole to make. Even if you mess up one of the steps, chances are, it will still come out tasting great. The only thing that I’m somewhat rigid about is the very first step. I don’t care for mushy noodles. So here goes …

First, boil the noodles until they are almost done—not quite al dente. They’ll continue cooking in the oven, so don’t overcook them.

Secondly, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 1-1/2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Drain the noodles and pour them into the casserole dish.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, soup, vegetables, sour cream, milk, noodles, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Mix with a spoon until everything is coated.

chicken noodle casserole ingredients mixed

Next, pour the mixture into the casserole dish, over the noodles.

Using the back of your spoon, spread everything out so it’s level in the pan.

uncooked casserole

Now, sprinkle the shredded cheese and crushed potato chips over the top.

I like to sprinkle half of the cheese, then half of the potato chips. Then I repeat the process with the cheese and potato chips.

shredded cheese and crushed potato chips on top of casserole

Bake the casserole for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve hot.

You can also make this chicken noodle casserole in a crockpot. But you’ll need to lengthen the cooking time by a couple of hours.

cooked chicken noodle casserole

If you are cooking for more than 3 or 4 people, double all of the ingredients in the recipe and use a 9” x 13” casserole dish.

Do You Have to Cook the Chicken Before Putting It in the Casserole?

You need to use cooked chicken in this casserole. In fact, most chicken casseroles call for cooked chicken.

However, there may be other recipes that don’t require it. So check the recipe and follow the directions.

close-up serving on a plate

Questions You May Have about Chicken Noodle Casserole

I want to make sure your questions are covered, so I’ve listed some of the most common ones below. I hope my answers help.

What Kind of Pasta Can You Use in this Chicken Noodle Casserole?

You can use whatever pasta you have in the pantry. Since I have a gluten intolerance, I have to find a gluten-free pasta. Fortunately, there are several different types that I can choose from.

We like spiral, penne, or elbow noodles. If I could eat regular pasta, I’d probably choose the flat egg noodles because they have a wide surface that works well with the creaminess of this casserole.

I’ve found gluten-free egg noodles in the past, but they’re usually out of stock where I shop.

Can You Freeze Chicken Noodle Casserole?

I have frozen the chicken noodle casserole in the past, and it reheats fairly well. However, the texture of the noodles changes slightly.

If you think you might want to freeze this casserole, make sure the noodles are al dente rather than soft. That said, the flavor is still very good.

You can safely freeze a chicken noodle casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight before reheating it at 350˚ F for approximately 25 to 30 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165˚ F.

casserole dish above a serving of chicken noodle casserole

More Recipes

This casserole has everything you need in a meal. However, nothing says you can’t have crunchy salads and delicious side dishes.

One of the salads we enjoy with almost any meal is this nutrition packed broccoli slaw. It also adds some nice color to the plate.

This apple spinach salad with pecans has a delightful blend of sweet and savory, giving you a full and wonderful dining experience.

These green beans with mushrooms from Julia’s Simply Southern blog add a delicious and colorful element to your plate.

If you enjoy the flavor of a balsamic glaze, you’ll enjoy this balsamic glazed zucchini. Loaded with flavor, this is another way to serve nutritious vegetables!

Don’t forget about the bread! Try this yummy, southern style cornbread to complete your meal.

Yield: 4 servings

Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole

serving of chicken noodle casserole

This delicious creamy chicken noodle casserole is the perfect meal for a bunch of hungry people.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of chopped cooked chicken
  • 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
  • One 15-ounce can of mixed vegetables, drained
  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 1-1/2 cups of noodles (your favorite shape of regular or gluten-free pasta)
  • 3/4 cup of shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby, Monterrey jack, or a mixture)
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of crushed potato chips

Instructions

  1. Boil the noodles until they are almost done—not quite al dente. They’ll continue cooking in the oven, so don’t overcook them.
  2. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 1-1/2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, soup, vegetables, sour cream, milk, noodles, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix with a spoon until everything is coated.
  4. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish. Using the back of your spoon, spread everything out so it’s level in the pan.
  5. Sprinkle the shredded cheese and crushed potato chips over the top.
  6. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.

Notes

If you are cooking for more than 3 or 4 people, double all of the ingredients in the recipe and use a 9” x 13” casserole dish.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 501Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 72mgSodium 896mgCarbohydrates 43gFiber 5gSugar 5gProtein 22g

The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.

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Miz Helen

Saturday 23rd of January 2021

Congratulations! Your awesome post is featured on Full Plate Thursday, 520 this week. Thanks so much for sharing it with us and you have a great week! Miz Helen

Marilyn

Friday 15th of January 2021

Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn

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