Chicken Noodle Casserole is all the comfort of chicken noodle soup and chicken casserole in just 45 minutes with a bonus cheese sauce and crispy topping kids will love!
Similar to our super popular Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti but more of a classic than our 5 ingredient Cheesy Taco Pasta that went crazy viral on Pinterest, this Chicken Noodle Casserole is a classic kid favorite!
CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE
This chicken noodle casserole recipe is a good one for first time cooks in the kitchen, since it is easy to make and you will be impressed with the result. It’s also a great weeknight dinner for when you have a million other things you have to do. This casserole recipe takes our easy Chicken Casserole recipe just a couple steps further by adding some mixed vegetables and noodles to the mix.
We include a breadcrumb (well, it is Ritz crackers which is essentially buttery breadcrumbs) topping, so this takes the casserole immediately over the top. Plus it creates a second texture to your food. Texture is important in creating a sense of fun with food, especially with kids.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Casserole
You start by preparing your pasta. Always boil the noodles for a minute less than what the instructions on the package tell you, because you will also be baking them and you don’t want them overcooked.
Once the noodles are cooking, cut your chicken breasts into cubes and cook them in a skillet in olive oil, making sure they cook all the way through. You can also use a rotisserie chicken if you don’t want to cook your own chicken breasts.
You can even use what leftover rotisserie chicken meat you have. Some stores (Costco and Sprouts immediately come to mind) even sell specific rotisserie chicken breast meat already taken off freshly cooked chickens.
Once they are done, set them in a large bowl and add the cooked pasta and all of the other ingredients, leaving the crackers and butter for last.
Crush the crackers and combine them together with the butter, then spread the mixture over the top of the chicken casserole. All that’s left to do is set the pan in the oven and let it cook until its golden brown.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH YOUR CASSEROLE
Roasted Vegetables: And these are perfectly Rainbow hued, what’s not to love!
Garlic Bread: The perfect crunchy, bread or Dinner Rolls, the perfect soft bread option.
Olive Garden Salad: This delicious recipe is as easy as making cereal!
Peach Cobbler or Apple Crisp: A delicious baked dessert you can bake along side this dinner!
If you are craving something sweet after dinner, follow your casserole up with some Oreo Cheesecake.
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WHAT DOES CASSEROLE MEAN?
It comes from the French word “casse,” which means “pan.” Casseroles started looking the way we picture them in the 1800s, and American chefs fell in love with the idea of a complex dish baked and served in one pan in the 1950s, says Wikipedia. Seriously, what’s not to love about not having to clean up a bunch of dishes?
SAFE TEMPERATURE
According to the USDA’s webpage, a casserole should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (73.9 degrees C). You should check with a probe thermometer before chowing down just to make sure everything has cooked through.
STORING YOUR CASSEROLE
Serve: If you leave your chicken noodle casserole out at room temperature for longer than two hours, you definitely shouldn’t eat it. Get your food covered and refrigerated as soon as it cools.
Store: Your casserole can be in the fridge for three days before it goes bad, due to the meat in it.
Freeze: Chicken noodle casserole is absolutely freezer friendly, and can stay good for up to 4 months once frozen.
More Easy Recipes for Dinner:
- Perfect Roast Chicken: This is your classic Rotisserie Chicken – you can use the breast meat for this recipe.
- Classic Beef Meatloaf: There is no better meatloaf out there I promise (well, except for this Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf).
- Ultimate Sloppy Joes: Another classic family friendly recipe (and here’s a fan favorite: Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes).
- Ultimate Meat Lasagna: The classic baked noodle recipe with homemade Marinara Sauce.
Creamy chicken, veggies, noodles and cheese make this Chicken Noodle Casserole a perfect weeknight comfort food casserole the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles , uncooked
- 2 chicken breasts , boneless skinless
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 20 ounces cream of chicken soup , (2 cans)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables , (corn, peas and carrots)
- 20 Ritz Crackers , crushed into fine crumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of the directions then drain (do not rinse).
- Cut the chicken into 1" cubes and cook in a skillet on medium high heat with the olive oil.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, then remove from the pan to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the pasta, salt, pepper, garlic, soup, milk, cheese and vegetables and carefully mix then place into a 9x13 baking dish.
- Add the Ritz crackers and butter to a small skillet on medium heat until the butter is melted, stirring occasionally until the cracker crumbs start to toast, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cracker crumbs over the chicken noodle mixture and bake for 30-35 minutes uncovered.
Nutrition
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Crazy question but do I have to add the cheddar cheese? If I do not add it do I have to substitute something for it?
I know your meal is long gone now, sorry for the delay. You could certainly skip the cheese, but it sort of binds things together a bit better and helps it be more “Casserole” like. Maybe a different cheese?
Loved it! I added green pepper and used panko bread crumbs for the top. I will make this casserole often. Thanks for posting it.
You’re welcome, Lori.
So good, the toasted Ritz make it. I added some garlic and parsley to the crackers while roasting. Husband and son loved it.
So glad you all enjoyed it!
I love this casserole. I used canned vegetables instead of frozen. (Just what I had on hand). It turned out perfect. I recommend this to all my friends. Excellent, you really should try it!
Glad you liked it! Canned veggies are always a good, cost effective swap.
Great recipe!! Love some of the suggestions that were given and the casserole was a hit, will make this again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Toni.
Very tasty. Followed the recipe exactly!
This is so good. My husband and I loved it. Easy recipe with a ton of flavor.
So glad you both enjoyed it!
What a terrific recipe, Sabrina! I’m anxious to try it later this week, but with some changes, …. due to my family’s needs & preferences. I plan to use Whole Grain Egg Noodles, since that’s what I always buy. I will use ‘Heart Healthy’ soup, and I’ll also add in several large fresh sliced Baby Bella (Crimini) mushrooms, some diced Celery, diced Onion, and a small shredded Carrot. When making any casserole which calls for milk, I ALWAYS use Evaporated Milk, since it provides a creamy texture, and you won’t find water at the bottom of your casseroled dish when it finishes cooking. That’s because ALL of the water is extracted from the milk before it’s put into the can, so you’re using pure milk. I’m sure that we’ll all love this dish, but I hope that you aren’t upset that I changed it up to suit our personal needs. BTW, I’m SO looking forward to your new Friday posts.
I hope you all enjoyed it, Angelina!
OH!!! Such a great dinner idea. Delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I love how you changed this up and used chicken! Our family loved this version!
You’re welcome! So glad you all loved it.
This was such a savory dish, it has quickly become a family favorite recipe! Delicious!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Sara.
This is comfort food at its best!
Definitely!
This casserole saved me this week when I needed to get a dinner together fast, luckily I had all the ingredients on hand! It was a hit, thanks!
Yay! Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
sabrina- what is the recipe for the ritz topping?
It’s all listed in the recipe card (step 6). Enjoy!