Description
This Super Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole is a comforting, creamy dish combining tender chicken, cheddar cheese, egg noodles, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping. Perfect for a family dinner, it’s packed with simple ingredients and comes together quickly in about 45 minutes, delivering hearty flavors and satisfying textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cans chunk chicken breast, drained (12.5 ounces each, or about 3 cups diced rotisserie chicken)
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup (10.5 ounces each)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 finely diced onion (optional) or 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 1 package egg noodles, cooked and drained (12 ounces)
Topping
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup melted salted butter (1 stick)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the casserole so it cooks evenly and the topping crisps up nicely.
- Cook Noodles: Boil the egg noodles according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside. This forms the base of your casserole.
- Prepare Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained chicken, cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, milk, finely diced onion or dried onion flakes, shredded cheddar cheese, frozen peas and carrots, and the cooked egg noodles. Stir everything together until well blended.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the mixture into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish, spreading evenly for uniform baking.
- Prepare Topping: In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with melted salted butter until the crumbs are fully coated. This will create a golden, crunchy crust.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle the buttered panko evenly over the casserole mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. This allows the casserole to set for easier portioning.
Notes
- You can substitute canned chicken with shredded rotisserie chicken for a fresher taste.
- The onion is optional but adds a nice flavor; dried onion flakes are a convenient alternative.
- For a lower fat version, substitute mayo with Greek yogurt and use reduced-fat cheddar cheese.
- Frozen mixed vegetables can be swapped for peas and carrots according to preference.
- Make sure the noodles are not overcooked to avoid a mushy texture in the casserole.
- This dish can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
