Chicken Noodle Casserole is loaded with tender meat, veggies, cheese, and a delicious cream sauce. It’s everything you need for a balanced, filling meal in one tasty dish! Plus, it’s easy to prep ahead and versatile enough for a refrigerator clean-out. Make this chicken noodle casserole recipe tonight in under an hour!
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Sometimes I’m craving all the comfort of chicken noodle soup, but I’m hungry and need something a bit more filling.
That’s when this creamy chicken noodle casserole, loaded with plenty of meat and veggies, saves the day!
It’s so easy to throw together, even on the busiest nights — especially when I have the meat, veggies, and noodles prepped and ready ahead of time.
Recipe Video
To see us make this easy chicken noodle casserole from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
No matter what you are in the mood for, I have plenty of easy casserole recipes to choose from.
There’s even one with eggs, bacon, and sausage so you can enjoy an easy breakfast that can also be prepared ahead of time!
My Tater Tot Casserole combines ground beef, veggies, and cheesy tots for a meal the whole family will love.
Or, try these tuna noodle or potato and bacon varieties for something a little different!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Meat – I’ll typically cook a whole chicken in the air fryer and use the meat for this recipe — the mix of white and dark meat adds such amazing flavor!
Boneless chicken breasts work just as well, or use your favorite rotisserie chicken to save prep time!
- Soup – You can use any combination of cream of mushroom, cream of celery, and cream of chicken. Just be sure to use two 10.5-ounce cans total.
- Cheese – Always buy a fresh block and shred it yourself!
Bagged shreds contain an anti-clumping agent that will cause the sauce to thicken and your chicken egg noodle casserole to come out dry.
- Vegetables – This chicken noodle casserole recipe is really flexible, so feel free to substitute whatever frozen veggies you prefer.
The only thing that stays the same is thawing them first!
- Ritz Crackers – If you prefer, replace these with crispy fried onions or panko breadcrumbs.
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Chicken Egg Noodle Casserole
- Combine everything in a bowl first.
This guarantees that everything is well distributed and will prevent any spills over the side of your baking dish.
- Use two pans if needed.
Be sure your baking dish is large enough to hold everything. A deep casserole or lasagna pan usually does the trick!
Otherwise, it’s best to divide the mixture evenly between two smaller ones.
Not only will you avoid spillovers in the oven, but your chicken noodle casserole will heat through more evenly.
- Need to thaw veggies quickly?
Place them in a large, microwave-safe bowl and use the defrost setting for about 10-15 minutes.
Drain any excess water really well. This step is crucial!
Otherwise, you’ll have a soggy mess and the cream soup may separate.
- Crush crackers with ease.
The easiest and fastest method for crushing crackers — or anything, really — is to pulse them in a food processor.
You can also seal them in a Ziploc bag and use your hands or a rolling pin to create the crumbs for your noodle casserole topping.
Prep Ahead
- Cook and dice chicken
- Boil egg noodles
- Thaw frozen veggies
- Shred cheese
- Crush crackers for topping
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- 9×13 Baking Dish – This set is one of my favorites! It comes with a lid for easy storage and is great for casseroles too.
- Large Pot and Strainer for the pasta
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Box Grater – As much as I love buying bagged shreds because it’s easier, freshly grated cheese melts down so much smoother and tastes better too.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
This easy chicken noodle casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Or, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months!
When you’re ready to reheat, pop it back in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through and bubbly.
If frozen, be sure to let it thaw in the refrigerator first.
Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe FAQ
Do the noodles need to be cooked first?
Yes, you will want to cook them to al dente and drain them thoroughly so the noodle casserole doesn’t become too soggy.
Can I make chicken noodle casserole ahead of time?
Absolutely! Get everything prepped and in the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, allow it to rest on the counter for about 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to remove the chill.
Should the casserole be covered for baking?
Leave it uncovered! It’s the only way for the cracker topping to get browned and crispy.
And since all of the ingredients in chicken egg noodle casserole are already cooked, it really just needs to get hot and bubbly.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole +Video
Donna Elick
Chicken Noodle Casserole is loaded with tender meat, veggies, cheese, and a delicious cream sauce. Make this recipe tonight in under an hour!
5 stars from 3 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Main
Cuisine American
Method Oven
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted (divided)
- 12 ounces uncooked extra broad egg noodles
- 20.1 ounces cream of chicken soup, 2 cans, 10.5 ounces each
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup fresh shredded Cheddar cheese
- 2 cups frozen corn, about 12 ounces, thawed
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots, about 12 ounces, thawed
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, about 34 crackers, crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 13×9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with 1 tablespoon melted butter, reserve the remaining 4 tablespoons for the cracker topping.
Cook and drain egg noodles thoroughly according to the package directions. Set aside.
Meanwhile: in a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, and Italian seasoning. Whisk to combine.
Add the chicken, cheese, thawed vegetables and cooked egg noodles to the casserole dish. Pour the soup over top and stir until completely combined.
Crush the Ritz crackers. They should look like coarse bread crumbs, it’s okay to have bigger chunks of the crackers in there too.
Combine the cracker crumbs, remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter, and dried parsley in a small mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the cracker topping over the casserole evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly.
Video
Donna’s Notes
You can mix up your soups between cream of mushroom, cream of celery and cream of chicken. Just be sure to use 2 10.5 ounce cans.
Be sure to shred your cheese fresh. The anti-clumping ingredients in the pre-shredded cheeses will cause your sauce to thicken and can cause your casserole to be dry.
My Air Fryer Whole Chicken is my favorite in this casserole. It adds amazing flavor and looks beautiful too. Just carve the chicken and dice it into bite size pieces. Or use your favorite rotisserie chicken.
If you are having trouble stirring all of the ingredients in your casserole dish, it may be helpful to stir the mixture in a large bowl before placing in your dish.
If you are having a hard time fitting all of your ingredients into your baking dish, you can use a larger dish or separate into two smaller ones.
To quickly thaw your vegetables, you can place them in a large, microwave-safe bowl and defrost for about 10-15 minutes. Make sure you drain any excess water before adding to the baking dish.
You can substitute any of your frozen vegetables in this recipe. Just make sure to thaw them before adding in.
To crush your crackers, you can put them in a food processor and pulse until they are crushed into crumbs. Alternatively, you can place the crackers in a ziploc bag and crush with your hands or roll a rolling pin over to create crumbs for your topping.
You could also substitute panko bread crumbs or crispy fried onion for the cracker topping if you don’t have them on hand.
This can be made ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Take the casserole out about 30 minutes prior to cooking and allow it to rest before baking.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 601cal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 763mg | Sugar: 4g | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 3mg
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Originally published March 2021, updated and republished January 2024
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