Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
There’s nothing quite like a classic Chicken Noodle Casserole when you need an easy, comforting meal. Tender egg noodles, juicy chicken, and a creamy sauce come together in one dish that’s baked to golden, bubbly perfection. It’s simple, hearty, and guaranteed to please everyone at the table—just the kind of meal that makes weeknights feel a little more special.
This Chicken Noodle Casserole is perfect for serving to company or for Sunday dinner. It’s topped with a thin layer of crushed buttery Ritz Crackers. There’s nothing like a good cheesy casserole to satisfy your comfort food craving.
Why You Will Like This Casserole
- It’s made with a homemade cream sauce – no need for cream of chicken soup.
- If you are pressed for time, you can use leftover chicken from that store-bought rotisserie chicken you got at Costco or Sam’s.
- It has both fresh and frozen veggies in it, making it a one-dish meal.
Casserole Ingredients
For this ultimate comfort food casserole, you need the following:
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 1 ½ tsp table salt plus salt for cooking pasta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
- 1 yellow onion chopped fine
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups half-and-half
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 4 ounces deli American cheese chopped coarsely
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded (1 cup)
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 25 Ritz Crackers crushed coarse
Equipment
- 13 by 9-inch baking dish
- Dutch oven
How To Make Chicken Noodle Casserole
Spritz (spray) a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a Dutch oven. Add egg noodles and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until just al dente, about 3 minutes.
Drain noodles and rinse with cold water until cool, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain again and set aside. (Yes, that’s right – you will drain and rinse three times.)
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl set aside.
Now is the time to start making the creamy sauce. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in half-and-half and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken breasts and cook the chicken until it is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Off heat, transfer the chicken to a plate and let it cool slightly, then shred it with 2 forks into bite-sized pieces.
Whisk cheese into the sauce until it’s smooth. Stir in peas, black pepper, salt, and bell peppers into the cheese sauce. Add the noodles. Finally, add the shredded chicken to the noodle mixture.
- Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish (or similar-sized casserole dish) and top with crackers. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let the casserole cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
If creamy casseroles are your kind of comfort food, you’ll love a few more of my family favorites. Try my Chicken and Rice Casserole, cozy Chicken Pot Pie with Homemade Crust, or flavorful Southwest Chicken and Potato Casserole. Each one is hearty, delicious, and perfect for weeknight dinners.
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 1 ½ teaspoon table salt plus salt for cooking pasta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
- 1 onion chopped fine
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups half-and-half
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 4 ounces deli American cheese chopped coarse
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded (1 cup)
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas
- 1 ¼ teaspoons pepper
- 25 Ritz Crackers crushed coarse
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add noodles and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until just al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water until cool, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain again and set aside.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl set aside. Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in again-empty pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in half-and-half and broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Off heat, transfer chicken to plate. Let chicken cool slightly, then shred with 2 forks into bite-size pieces. Whisk cheese into sauce until smooth. Stir peas, pepper, salt, noodles, bell pepper mixture, and shredded chicken into cheese sauce.
- Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish (or similar size casserole dish) and top with crackers. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let casserole cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Substitutions
If you are in a pinch, you can still make this recipe with a few substitutions.
- For the frozen peas, you can substitute an equal amount of frozen mixed vegetables.
- For the chicken, you can use pre-cooked chicken, like the rotisserie chicken mentioned above.
How To Make The Casserole Ahead
If you want to save time on the day you wish to serve this dish, you can prepare it the day before. What you need to do is not add peas or top the casserole with crushed crackers. The casserole can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
To serve, cover the casserole dish tightly with greased aluminum foil and bake in a 400-degree oven until hot throughout. It will take approximately 45 minutes. Uncover, stir in peas, and top with crushed crackers; bake until the topping is crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.
The Chicken Bible
This recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen’s The Chicken Bible: Say Goodbye To Boring Chicken With 500 Recipes For Easy Dinners, Braises, Wings, Stir-Fries, And So Much More. It’s the ultimate guide to cooking chicken, created by the experts we know and trust.
With over 500 recipes covering everything from quick weeknight meals to show-stopping roasts, this book truly lives up to its name. In fact, 181 recipes take 45 minutes or less—faster (and tastier) than heading out to eat! You’ll find every style of chicken dish imaginable, including salads, soups, casseroles, curries, and even air fryer and Instant Pot recipes.
The book also includes helpful tips on choosing, storing, and safely handling poultry, as well as step-by-step guides for breaking down a whole chicken. Some standout recipes include Southern-Style Stewed Chicken and Rice, Chicken Tikka Masala, King Ranch Casserole, Chicken Divan, and more.
Last Bite
Love this Chicken Noodle Casserole? Don’t forget to pin it, share it with a friend, or leave a comment below to tell me how it turned out. It’s one of those classic recipes you’ll want to keep in your regular dinner rotation!
