Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Casserole
Chicken Noodle Casserole is one of my favorite comforting dinner recipes! All of the elements of chicken noodle soup are tossed together and baked to cheesy, creamy perfection beneath a crispy layer of breadcrumbs. It’s so easy to make with inexpensive ingredients!
If you’re a chicken noodle soup lover, you’ll really love this easy casserole recipe! It’s filled with tender egg noodles, shredded chicken, and a medley of classic vegetables all held together in the best cheesy, creamy mixture. All of those classic chicken noodle soup ingredients are then baked beneath a layer of panko breadcrumbs that add the very best crunch to each bite!
This is a great dinner idea when it’s nice and cold outside to feed the whole family. It also works as a potluck recipe – everyone loves chicken noodle soup, even my Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, so you can bet this recipe is always a hit with crowds! All of the ingredients are pretty kid-friendly as well. Yes, even the veggies! They’re perfectly nestled in the creamy and cheesy casserole so they might not even notice how many vegetables they’re actually eating.
Cheddar cheese and half and half are the key ingredients to achieving that amazing consistency in this casserole. They really hold everything together in the best way! Plus, this recipe is pretty easy to customize – add more or less cheese, take some veggies out or add even more, etc. Scroll down to check out some helpful tips and variations to try to make your creamy chicken noodle casserole recipe the very best!
It All Starts with Simple Ingredients
- Egg Noodles – I love the texture of wide egg noodles because they’re lighter in texture than traditional pasta but you can use your favorite noodles for this casserole.
- Vegetables – A blend of fresh mushrooms, onion, garlic and frozen mixed vegetables make this a one pot meal. You can use your favorite frozen vegetables, like broccoli florets, for your own twist.
- Chicken – Cooked chicken breast makes this casserole a breeze to assemble. It’s a great way to use up leftover chicken. When time is tight, I’ll use leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, ground nutmeg, ground cayenne and black pepper form the perfect marriage of flavor for the creamy sauce.
- Cheese – I use grated cheddar cheese for the cheesy sauce. Be sure to use a cheese you love since the flavor of the sauce will be heavily influenced by the cheese. Also, for best results grate your own cheese and resist the temptation to buy pre-shredded cheese from the store.
- Cornstarch – I like to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce. You can use flour, if you prefer.
- Chicken Stock – Homemade chicken stock makes the sauce rich and robust. If you don’t have it on hand, you can use your favorite chicken stock or chicken broth from the store.
- Dairy – I use Half and Half for a rich flavor with less calories. You can use heavy cream, whole milk or even sour cream for a richer, more luxurious, sauce.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Casserole
You’re going to love how quick and easy this cheesy chicken noodle casserole recipe is! The recipe is made mostly from scratch without using canned cream of mushroom or condensed cream of chicken soup.
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish.
- Cook the egg noodles. Boil the noodles to al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the veggies. Heat some oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toss in the onions and cook until softened. Stir in the mushrooms to brown, then add garlic and cook for just one more minute.
- Combine the first bunch of ingredients. Let the veggies cool, then transfer them to a large bowl. Stir in the chicken, cooked noodles, and Italian seasoning.
- Create the creamy mixture. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the cornstarch and cook until a paste forms. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a boil, and let it boil until slightly thickened. Lower the heat and whisk in the half and half. Cook until thickened.
- Make it cheesy and flavorful. Stir in the shredded cheese and medley of seasonings. Remove from the heat.
- Assemble the casserole. Spread the noodle mixture in an even layer in the baking dish. Pour the sauce all over to coat. Sprinkle the panko bread crumbs all over the top of the casserole.
- Bake. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes at room temperature prior to serving.
My go-to baking dish set for all things casseroles, brownies, dips and more. I’ve been using these ceramic baking dishes for years. Oven to table to dishwasher!
Substitutions and Variations to Try
Here’s how to make your chicken noodle casserole the very best it can be:
- Use a rotisserie chicken. Grab an already cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to save yourself some time.
- Or, make it in the Instant Pot. Cooking shredded chicken in the Instant Pot is super quick and easy!
- Homemade stock. Instead of using a store-bought broth/stock, try your hand at making the real deal with my homemade chicken stock recipe! It’s awesome to have on hand with recipes like this one.
- Check on your casserole. Towards the end of the cook time, you’ll want to keep an eye on the casserole. Once it’s golden and bubbling, it’s ready to go. Don’t let those panko breadcrumbs burn!
How to Store Leftovers
Let the chicken noodle casserole fully cool to room temperature prior to storing. Any leftovers you have will stay good for about 2-3 days when kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
Best Sides for Chicken Noodle Casserole
Check out more of the best easy casserole recipes!
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Easy Reuben Casserole
- Baked Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
- Easy Potato Pierogi Casserole
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Get the Recipe: Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package wide egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Equipment
- 1 casserole dish
- 1 mixing bowls
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Boil noodles to al dente or for 6 minutes until they’re still slightly firm in the middle. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until starting to brown.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Cool slightly and transfer to a large bowl.
- Stir in the vegetables, chicken, noodles and Italian seasoning.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the cornstarch and cook for 1-2 minutes until a paste consistency.
- Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until slightly thickened.
- Turn the heat to low and whisk in the half and half. Continue to cook until thickened.
- Stir in the cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, nutmeg, cayenne, and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- Add the noodle mixture to the baking dish and pour the sauce over top to coat.
- Sprinkle with the panko breadcrumb topping.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is golden and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
3 Comments on “Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Casserole”
Is this just as tasty without using cheese? We do not use cheese.
I haven’t made this yet but I have everything I need except for the Panko bread crumbs that you didn’t put in the recipe lists. Now, I have to go back to the store.. I’ll let you know how good it is. I’m excited.
Thank you, Sylvie!