Ultimate Chicken Casserole is creamy egg noodles, tender shredded chicken, sweet corn and smoky bacon baked in a cheddar sauce under a crackly layer of French fried onions. Make it on a busy weeknight with leftover or rotisserie chicken, or carry it to a potluck.
How to make ultimate chicken casserole: stir cooked egg noodles, shredded chicken, corn, bacon and cheddar into cream of chicken soup whisked with milk, spread it in a 9×13 dish, top with French fried onions and bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Ten minutes of hands-on work. Once the noodles are boiled, everything gets stirred together in one bowl.
- A good home for leftover chicken. Rotisserie, leftover roast chicken or drained canned chicken all work.
- Two textures in every scoop. Soft, saucy noodles underneath and a crisp, salty onion crust on top.
- Easy to get ahead. Assemble it the day before, keep the onions aside, and bake when you need it.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken. Use 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. Breast, thighs and rotisserie meat are all fine. Cook it fully before it goes in; the casserole only heats it through.
Egg noodles. Wide egg noodles give the casserole its soft, hearty body. Boil them only to al dente. They keep cooking in the sauce in the oven.
Cream of chicken soup. Two 10-ounce cans, whisked with 1 cup of milk, make the whole sauce. Cream of mushroom or cream of celery works the same way if that is what is in your pantry.
Cheese. Cheddar is the classic. Mozzarella, pepper jack or Monterey Jack melt just as well. Shred it yourself from a block so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
Bacon and onions. Cook the bacon until crisp and crumble it before it goes in. The diced raw onion and minced garlic soften in the oven, so there is no need to sauté them first.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked to al dente and drained
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 2 cans (10 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup French fried onions
How to Make Ultimate Chicken Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook the noodles. Boil the egg noodles only to al dente, then drain them well. They keep cooking in the sauce in the oven, so noodles that start soft end up mushy.
3. Make the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk the milk and the cream of chicken soup together until smooth, with no lumps of soup left.
4. Stir in the rest. Add the shredded chicken, cooked noodles, corn, onion, garlic, crumbled bacon, cheddar, salt and pepper. Fold until every noodle is coated.
5. Fill the dish. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish, all the way into the corners.
6. Add the topping. Scatter the French fried onions evenly over the top just before the dish goes into the oven.
7. Bake uncovered. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges, the onions turn golden and the center reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
8. Let it set. Rest the casserole for 5 minutes, then serve it warm.
Soft Noodles, Crisp Onions: The Timing That Matters
This casserole has two textures to protect: tender noodles that still have a little bite, and a topping that crackles when the spoon goes in. Both come down to timing, not extra ingredients.
The noodles are boiled once on the stove and then bake for another half hour in a hot, creamy sauce. Pull them while they are still al dente and they finish tender in the oven. Cook them all the way on the stove and the casserole turns soft and pasty.
The French fried onions are the other half. Keep them in the bag until the very last minute before baking, and bake the dish uncovered so the top stays dry and turns golden. Anything you plan to hold, whether made ahead or frozen, goes into the fridge or freezer without the onions. They go on fresh when it bakes.
| When you bake it | Noodles | French fried onions |
|---|---|---|
| Right away | Al dente | On just before baking, bake uncovered |
| Made ahead (fridge) | Al dente, assembled and covered | Left off, added right before baking |
| Frozen | Al dente, assembled and wrapped | Left off, added after thawing |
Tips for Success
Why are my noodles mushy?
The noodles were cooked fully before they went into the dish, then cooked again in the oven. Next time drain them at al dente, while they still have a slight bite in the middle.
Why did my topping go soft?
The onions sat on the wet casserole too long before baking, or the dish was covered in the oven. Add them right before it goes in and bake uncovered.
Why is the middle still cool?
A casserole that goes in straight from the fridge needs a few extra minutes. Check the center with a thermometer and keep baking until it reads 165°F.
Variations
- Change the topping. Crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs both make a crunchy top in place of the French fried onions.
- Change the base. Cooked white or brown rice, or diced cooked potatoes, can stand in for the egg noodles.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, as USDA FSIS advises. To freeze, assemble the casserole without the onions, wrap it well and freeze it for up to 3 months; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, never on the counter, then top and bake. Reheat portions in the microwave or the covered dish in a 350°F oven until the center reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
A crisp Caesar or garden salad, a basket of garlic bread or a sheet of roasted broccoli or asparagus rounds this out nicely. If you love a creamy chicken bake, try the Ritz cracker chicken casserole with its buttery crumb top, or go richer with the million dollar chicken casserole. If you were looking for a chicken bake under a stuffing topping, the Swiss chicken casserole is the one you want. For more chicken and bacon, there is the chicken bacon ranch casserole with potatoes, and for pure comfort food the chicken and dumpling casserole or the creamed chicken and biscuits casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make it ahead or freeze it, and when do the fried onions go on?
Yes. Assemble it without the onions, cover it and refrigerate it for up to a day, or freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the fridge. The onions always go on right before baking; a casserole that goes in cold needs a few extra minutes.
What can I use instead of egg noodles or corn?
Penne, rigatoni or bowtie pasta can replace the egg noodles. In place of the corn, use broccoli, peas, diced carrots or green beans.
Can I use canned or rotisserie chicken?
Both work. Rotisserie chicken is the easiest: pull the meat off the bones and shred it. For canned chicken, two 12.5-ounce cans, well drained, give you about the 2 cups you need.
Final Notes
I always keep the onions in their bag until the oven is hot, because that is what keeps the top crisp. If you make it, tell me in the comments how it turned out or what you swapped in.
Ultimate Chicken Casserole
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles cooked to al dente and drained
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup 10 ounces each
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 6 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup French fried onions
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Boil the egg noodles only to al dente, then drain well. They keep cooking in the sauce in the oven.
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk and the cream of chicken soup together until smooth.
- Add the shredded chicken, cooked noodles, corn, onion, garlic, crumbled bacon, cheddar, salt and pepper and fold until every noodle is coated.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish, all the way into the corners.
- Scatter the French fried onions evenly over the top just before the dish goes into the oven.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges, the onions are golden and the center reaches 165°F.
- Let the casserole rest 5 minutes, then serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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