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This Chicken Noodle Casserole is comfort food at its best. Tender egg noodles, shredded chicken, classic veggies, and a creamy homemade sauce, finished with a crunchy panko topping. It comes together in about 45 minutes and bakes up golden, bubbly, and family-friendly (a little like chicken noodle soup, only casserole-style). If you need an easy chicken and noodle casserole recipe for busy nights, potlucks, or freezer meals, this one delivers.
Bonus: the creamy sauce is made from scratch (no condensed soup), so you get big flavor without the “canned” taste.
Table of Contents
- why My Casserole Works
- Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Casserole
- 3 Quick Success Tips
- How to Make Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Best Baking Dish for Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Make Ahead Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Kellie’s Tips and Variations to Try
- How to Store Leftovers
- Best Sides for Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Check out more of the best easy casserole recipes!
- Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
why My Casserole Works
I tested this casserole multiple times to get the texture just right: noodles that stay tender (not mushy), a sauce that bakes up creamy (not watery), and a topping that turns crisp and golden without burning. Below you’ll find the exact cues I use, like how thick the sauce should be before mixing and the easiest ways to prep ahead, freeze, and reheat.
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!
Cheddar cheese and half and half are the key ingredients to achieving that amazing consistency in this casserole. 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!
Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Casserole
- 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 or Perfect Oven Roasted Chicken Breast.
- 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.
3 Quick Success Tips
- Cheese: For the smoothest melt, grate your own cheese if you can, pre-shredded cheese can melt a little grainy.
- Noodles: Cook 1 minute under package directions so they don’t turn soft after baking.
- Sauce thickness: Before combining, the sauce should coat the back of a spoon (think: creamy gravy consistency).
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.
- Cook the egg noodles just to al dente (they’ll finish cooking in the oven).
- Sauté the aromatics and veggies in a large skillet over medium heat until tender, then build the creamy sauce and thicken it until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Fold in chicken, noodles, and cheese, then spread into a 9×13 dish, and top with panko breadcrumbs.
- Bake until bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden; rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
Why this Works
The key is slightly undercooking the noodles and fully thickening the sauce before baking, those two steps keep the casserole creamy instead of dry or watery.
Best Baking Dish for Chicken Noodle Casserole
A 9×13-inch baking dish works best for the ideal casserole thickness and even baking. If you use a smaller, deeper dish, plan on a slightly longer bake time. Glass and ceramic baking dishes bake more evenly; metal baking pans tends to brown faster around the edges.
Make Ahead Chicken Noodle Casserole
You can assemble this casserole up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate, then bake when ready (add 5–10 minutes if going straight from the fridge). This is also a great one to prep as a freezer meal, see the freezing tips above.
Kellie’s Tips 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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Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 1 casserole dish or baking dish
- 1 mixing bowls
- saucepan
- whisk
- measuring cup
- measuring spoon
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
Topping
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs, plain
- 4 tablespoon butter, melted, for extra browning, optional
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. 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.
- Mix the panko with the melted butter to make the crumb topping.
- 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.
Notes
- Cook noodles slightly al dente, they’ll finish in the oven.
- Thicken the sauce until it coats a spoon before mixing.
- If the topping browns too fast, tent with foil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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!
Yes, assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then bake (you may need a few extra minutes).
Don’t overbake, remove the casserole it when it’s bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden. Also, make sure the sauce is thickened before mixing and bake covered if your oven runs hot.
Absolutely. Freeze baked (cool completely first) or unbaked (assemble and wrap well). Thaw overnight for easiest baking.
Not required, plain panko works great. For extra crunch and deeper browning, toss the panko with 2–4 tablespoons melted butter before topping.
Yes, rotisserie chicken is the easiest shortcut and works perfectly here.
Yes, crushed buttery crackers (like Ritz) are delicious. Mix with melted butter the same way and sprinkle on top.
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!
I too missed the panko. Just plain panko? Or is there a recipe for the topping? We’re just going with plain panko this time since it’s ready to go in the oven but would love to know for next time!
Just plain panko.