This Ultimate Chicken Casserole is a creamy, cheesy comfort food dinner made with tender noodles, shredded chicken, bacon, and a buttery French fried onion topping. It's one of those easy chicken casserole recipes that's perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or make-ahead freezer meals.
I know… "not another casserole," right? That's what my casserole-skeptical husband thought, until he had seconds of this one.
One night I didn't want to think about dinner, so I grabbed some shredded chicken and made this easy chicken casserole. It's simple, flavorful, kid-friendly, and great for leftovers.
You can use rotisserie chicken, leftover cooked chicken, or even canned chicken, making it a perfect pantry-friendly meal. Everything bakes into one rich, creamy casserole with a savory, crispy topping the whole family loves. If you're craving another comfort food dinner, my Ritzy Chicken Casserole and Chicken Stuffing Casserole are both must-tries.
Quick Look: Ultimate Chicken Casserole
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 8
- 🥘 Type of Dish: Creamy chicken casserole with noodles
- 🧀 Flavor: Cheesy, savory, comforting
- 👩🍳 Difficulty: Easy, beginner-friendly
- 📅 Perfect For: Busy weeknights, potlucks, make-ahead meals, freezer dinners
- 🍗 Best Chicken to Use: Rotisserie, leftover cooked chicken, or canned chicken
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy weeknight dinner made with simple ingredients and minimal prep
- Great for rotisserie, leftover, or canned chicken! Perfect for pantry cooking
- Creamy, cheesy comfort food with tender noodles, bacon, and savory flavor
- Family and picky-eater approved with mild, crowd-pleasing flavors
- Make-ahead and freezer friendly for stress-free meals later, just like my Best Ever Chicken and Rice Casserole.
I have made it before for just my husband and I. I made this for 20 people this weekend and everyone LOVED it! It is so delicious!
Ingredient Notes
See the printable recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Chicken: Cooked, shredded chicken works best. Rotisserie chicken, leftover baked chicken, or well-drained canned chicken are all great shortcuts. Two (12.5-ounce) cans of chicken equal about 2 cups, which is the amount needed for this casserole.
- Egg Noodles: These give the casserole its hearty texture, but any short pasta like rotini or penne can be used instead.
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Creates the creamy base. You can substitute cream of mushroom or cream of celery if needed.
- French Fried Onions: Mixed in and sprinkled on top for that classic crispy, savory finish.
- Cheese: Cheddar is my go-to, but Colby Jack or Monterey Jack melt just as well.
- Corn: Adds a little sweetness and texture. You can swap it for broccoli, peas, diced carrots, or green beans depending on what you have.
Easy Variations to Try
- Swap the noodles for cooked white rice, brown rice, or even diced cooked potatoes
- Add extra veggies like sautéed mushrooms, diced bell peppers, or spinach
- Change the topping by using crushed Ritz buttery crackers or panko breadcrumbs instead of French fried onions
- Make it cheesier with a blend of cheddar and mozzarella or Colby Jack
For another creamy, flavor-packed option, check out my Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole. It's loaded with bacon, ranch seasoning, and melty cheese.
How to Make Ultimate Chicken Casserole
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the cooked egg noodles, shredded chicken, corn, milk, cream of chicken soup, onion, garlic, cheese, bacon, and salt and pepper.
Step 2. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined and evenly coated in the creamy sauce.
Step 3. Pour the chicken casserole mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
Step 4. Sprinkle French fried onions evenly over the top for a crispy, savory finish.
Step 5. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the onions are golden brown.
Step 6. Remove from the oven, let sit for a few minutes, then serve warm.
Cooking Tips
- Cook pasta just to al dente so it doesn't get mushy after baking in the creamy sauce.
- Customize it by swapping veggies, changing cheeses, or adding extra bacon to make it your own.
- Don't overbake. Once it's hot and bubbly, it's ready.
Storage, Make-Ahead & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Cool completely, then store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make Ahead: Assemble up to 48 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Add a few extra minutes to cook time if baking cold.
- Reheating: Warm portions in the microwave or cover and reheat the casserole in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Ultimate Chicken Casserole Recipe FAQs
Yes! Use about 2 cups of well-drained canned chicken (roughly two 12.5-ounce cans). The creamy sauce and seasonings give it plenty of flavor.
Since this is a hearty, creamy chicken casserole, lighter sides pair perfectly. Try it with Buttery Bread Machine Dinner Rolls or Bacon Wrapped Green Beans for a well-rounded meal.
Absolutely. Assemble the casserole, cover, and refrigerate up to 48 hours before baking. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Yes, this casserole freezes well. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Yes! Use a gluten-free cream soup and swap the noodles for your favorite gluten-free pasta or cooked rice. For the topping, use crushed gluten-free crackers or gluten-free breadcrumbs instead of French fried onions.
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ULTIMATE Chicken Casserole
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups egg noodles cooked
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken rotisserie, leftover, or canned
- 2 cups corn frozen or canned, drained
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup 10 oz cans
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup bacon chopped
- ¾ cup French fried onions
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked egg noodles, shredded chicken, corn, milk, cream of chicken soup, onion, garlic, cheese, bacon, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle French fried onions evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and the topping is golden.
- Let stand a few minutes before serving warm.
Notes
- Chicken Options: Use rotisserie chicken, leftover cooked chicken, or about 2 cups canned chicken (two 12.5 oz cans, drained).
- Pasta Tip: Cook noodles just to al dente so they don't get too soft while baking.
- Make It Ahead: Assemble up to 48 hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Freezer Friendly: Freeze baked or unbaked casserole tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.
- Veggie Swaps: Substitute corn with broccoli, peas, carrots, or green beans if preferred.
Nutrition
Betsy says
We liked it! Next time I will cook the onions in the pan after the bacon,just to soften a bit. Overall,yummy!
Kristin says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed!!
CJ says
I may cut this in half and use a square baking dish. Cooking for 2. And I will be using canned chicken breast. This recipe sounds good.
Kristin says
Great idea! Hope you enjoy!
Aubrey says
Is it 2 cups pasta before cooked or w cups cooked pasta?
Kristin says
2 cups of cooked pasta, prior to assembling the casserole!
Paul Stache says
Do you bake this covered, or uncovered?
Kristin says
This gets baked uncovered! Hope you enjoy!
Lisa says
Easy and tasty. I added Thyme and celery seeds to boiling water for chicken, then boiled the noodles in the same water. We added leftover mushrooms from pizza night. Has anyone tried adding broccoli?
Kristin says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed and great idea on the addition of mushrooms! As for broccoli, I would definitely think you could add in about 1-2 cups of chopped broccoli (it cooks faster than large pieces)
Debbie says
Have you tried freezing this casserole before baking? I think it will turn out good, maybe adding the fried onions once it’s going in to the oven, before freezing.
Kristin says
Yes! It works great to freeze prior to baking! Just omit the french onions until ready to place in oven! I tend to take a small bag and place the onions in there. Then, when ready to enjoy, I simply grab the casserole from the freezer and bag from pantry and dump/cook! Enjoy!
Cheryle Vadeboncoeur says
Brought this recipe for my Mom to try on a recent visit. She made it for us and substituted crushed croutons for the dried onion rings and it was delicious. Making this for dinner tonight for my husband. Thank you for sharing a delicious recipe.
Kristin says
Great idea on the croutons! Love it! Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!!
Judie says
This sounds good. It would be easy to cut in half. There is only my husband and me.
Kristin says
Yes!! That would work perfectly! Hope you both enjoy!
Rox says
Can the noodles be like the Reames frozen egg noodles,? , or bags of Amish noodles? Or are they the dry egg noodles in a bag?
Kristin says
This recipe calls for the dry egg noodles in the bag. I’m not sure that the frozen ones would work and haven’t tried the Amish noodles, so I’m not sure if it would still turn out!
Chrystal says
How much is a serving size?
Kristin says
About 1 1/2 cups per serving size
[email protected] says
Can you use chicken from a can like tuna fish.
Kristin says
Absolutely! That works great too!
Darcy says
Terrible! I made this exactly as recipe was written. Had a very odd taste and wasn’t good at all. Barely finished my helping and threw the rest of the casserole away. My husband did not like it either. Sorry I wasted my time. Will not make again.
Kristin says
So bummed to hear this as its a favorite in my house! Do you know what the odd taste was by chance? Sorry it wasn’t a favorite!
Katie says
Instead of using corn we used peas and carrots. Delicious!
Kristin says
Great idea! Glad you enjoyed!
Jessica says
I stead of French Fries Onions could you use Ritz Crackers
Kristin says
Absolutely! That works great too!!
Sharon says
Excellent I added celery and covered casserole dish when baking.
I didnt use bacon
Kristin says
Great idea on the celery!! Hope you enjoyed!