Never Think About What to Make for Dinner for the Next Two Months with My Lazy Cooking Bundle
Packed with juicy chicken, fresh vegetables, and easy-to-cook egg noodles, this chicken casserole is one of our family’s favorite dishes. Perfect for busy weeknights because it’s quick to make, it’s a creamy and filling meal that the whole family will enjoy. With a cheesy, Ritz cracker topping, this dinner casserole has an unexpectedly delicious crunch!
If you’re still looking for more of that irresistible cheese flavor, our Cheese Biscuits pair perfectly with our Chicken Casserole. If you need more ideas or inspiration for a great side dish, try out our Potato Salad.
MORE CASSEROLE RECIPES:
Hamburger Casserole | Corn Casserole
ingredients for Chicken Casserole
You will need:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- One red bell pepper, chopped
- One medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 3 cups cooked egg noodles
- 2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded (shred your own cheese so it melts best!)
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 10.5 ounces
- 1 cup half and half
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
- 4 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
Substitutions and Additions
Pasta: You can substitute the egg noodles 1:1 with any other medium pasta. Be sure to cook the pasta so that it’s still a tad firm because it will cook more while in the oven.
Vegetables: Fresh and crisp vegetables like mushrooms, broccoli, or carrots make great additions, and if you’re thinking about adding vegetables to your casserole, make sure they are pre-cooked. Leftovers work great for this!
How to Make this Chicken Casserole Recipe
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
STEP TWO: In a Dutch oven add olive oil, bell pepper, onion, and celery then cook until onion is translucent and peppers and celery are becoming tender, about 5 to 6 minutes.
STEP THREE: Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to prevent garlic from burning.
STEP FOUR: Add cream of chicken soup and half and half, then stir to combine.
STEP FIVE: Once heated through, add cheese. Continue to stir to melt.
PRO TIP: It’s best to shred your own cheese, it melts better that way and you can shred more as needed.
STEP SIX: Add the cooked egg noodles and shredded chicken once the cheese is all melted.
STEP SEVEN: Season with parsley, salt, and pepper.
STEP EIGHT: Remove from the heat and pour into the prepared 9×13 baking dish.
STEP NINE: Place the Ritz crackers in a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.
STEP TEN: Add crackers to a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter and 1 cup shredded cheddar. Spread the topping over the casserole dish.
STEP ELEVEN: Place the dish in a preheated oven uncovered and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
STEP THIRTEEN: Serve warm and enjoy!
PRO TIP: If you prefer, you can serve this dish straight from the pot!
storage
While the egg noodles might not hold up too great if you freeze them, they can still be stored in the fridge.
IN THE FRIDGE: Cover the casserole dish, and leave stored in the fridge for up to three days.
This cheesy chicken casserole recipe will easily be a family favorite with its delicious egg noodles, creamy filling, and crispy, Ritz cracker topping. With plenty of melted cheese, this filling casserole is a delicious, family-friendly meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
FOR THE CASSEROLE
- 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup 10.5 oz
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 cups sharp cheddar shredded (shred your own cheese so it melts best!)
- 3 cups egg noodles cooked
- 1.5 lb chicken breast cooked and shredded
- 1 tbsp parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE TOPPING
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
- 1 cup sharp cheddar shredded
- 4 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a 4-quart Dutch oven add olive oil, bell pepper, onion, celery. Cook over medium-high heat until onion is translucent and pepper/celery are becoming tender, about 5 to 6 minutes
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to prevent garlic from burning.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add cream of chicken soup and half and half then stir to combine.
- Once heated through, add cheese. Continue to stir to melt.
- Add cooked egg noodles and shredded chicken once the cheese is all melted.
- Season with parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Remove from heat and pour into the prepared 9×13 baking dish.
- Place the Ritz crackers in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add crackers to a medium bowl.
- Stir in melted butter and 1 cup shredded cheddar.
- Spread topping over casserole dish.
- Place the dish in a preheated oven uncovered and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Such a delicious dish. My whole family loves this and it’s so easy to make.
This was the perfect casserole with balanced flavors combined. Easy and quick to make. We are looking forward to leftovers today.
This is one of our family’s favorite dinners! Easy and filling – keeps everybody happy!