Chicken Casserole

If you need a quick and easy dinner for busy weeknights, try my family-favorite creamy chicken casserole! With a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time (the filling just stirs together!), this comforting casserole is beyond convenient. I developed this recipe to be very adaptable and, in this post, I share all kinds of tasty additions you can add — think veggies, marinated artichokes, cooked pasta, fresh herbs, and much more!

A reader, Kadie, says: “Excellent casserole for a cool rainy fall-like day. The seasonings were perfect and nothing extra was needed. Next time I may consider adding a veggie to it. We used the shredded chicken from your IP recipe too. Chicken was tender and flavorful.” ★★★★★

Key Ingredients

These are the main ingredients you need to make a creamy chicken casserole. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

Condensed cream of chicken soup — this creamy soup makes a convenient and quick sauce, forming the foundation of the casserole’s thick, creamy consistency.

Sour cream — sour cream adds richness and a hint of tangy flavor. No sour cream in your refrigerator? Make your own using my homemade simple sour cream recipe! You can also replace it with 2% or 5% Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.

Seasonings — onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper are simple seasonings that add plenty of flavor to the chicken casserole.

Chicken — you need cooked chicken for this recipe, and there are plenty of options. You can pull the meat off of store-bought rotisserie chickens for ultimate convenience, quickly boil 2½ pounds of boneless chicken in chicken broth or salted water, or use roasted chicken, Instant Pot shredded chicken, or baked chicken thighs.

Cheese — I chose sharp cheddar cheese for its punchy flavor. I recommend shredding cheddar cheese from a block for the best melty topping. Pre-shredded cheese sold at stores usually contains anti-caking agents to prevent it from clumping…which also stops the cheese from melting correctly.

Crackers — lightly crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter form a lovely crisp topping for the chicken casserole recipe. For a less messy crushing experience, crush them inside a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin.

Variations

While chicken casserole is a complete meal on its own, this simple recipe lends itself well to a bunch of variations to add flavor or make it more hearty. You can add so many different things to it, making it perfect to use what you have on hand! Here are some ideas:

• Add vegetables: Partially cooked broccoli florets, fresh or frozen green beans, frozen peas, chopped blanched asparagus, baby spinach, or roasted butternut squash are all delicious additions.
• Add more herbs and seasonings to the sauce: Feel free to include 2 to 3 teaspoons of chopped thyme, sage, rosemary, or chives along with the other spices in Step 2.
• Use fresh onion and garlic: I love to use ½ onion chopped and 4 minced garlic cloves for this recipe in place of the dried spices if I have a few minutes to spare. Cook the onions in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Let the mixture cool slightly before adding it to the chicken mixture. You can also swap the garlic powder for 6 smashed cloves of rich, nutty air fryer roasted garlic.
• Add a briny, tangy element: Add marinated artichoke hearts, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, capers, or olives for a bit of zing.
• Swap the topping: Use potato chips, Panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs (about 2 cups/120g), or other crackers you have on hand. Cheez-Its or rosemary crackers would be delicious!
• Add rice or pasta: For a heartier casserole, add cooked rice or pasta. Double the creamy sauce if adding more than 2 cups of rice or pasta. They will absorb liquid in the oven, and increasing the amount of sauce will keep your casserole nice and creamy. If not, it may dry out as the rice or pasta absorbs the liquid.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Use a glass or ceramic casserole dish. When I developed this recipe, I chose ceramic because it insulates better than metal, keeping the sides from browning too much and turning crispy or hard. Glass works the same way! If you look at the other casseroles on the site, you’ll notice I typically use glass or ceramic ovenware for the best results.

To quickly shred chicken, place any boneless, skinless cooked chicken pieces, like chicken breast or thighs, or any large pieces pulled from a rotisserie chicken, in a mixing bowl. Then beat it at medium speed with a hand mixer until it is shredded. This will shred the chicken effortlessly in about a minute!

How To Make Chicken Casserole

Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making this easy chicken dinner casserole. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.

1. Add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and 1½ cups of shredded cheese to a large bowl and stir to combine.

2. Fold in the cooked chicken. Transfer the chicken mixture to a 13×9-inch casserole dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside while you prepare the cracker topping.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the crushed crackers and melted butter, and add them on top of the chicken mixture in the baking dish.

4. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake at 375°F until the filling bubbles nicely and the crackers are lightly golden brown. Serve after 15 to 20 minutes to give the chicken casserole time to thicken and set properly.

4.96 from 75 votes

Chicken Casserole Recipe

Chicken Casserole is perfect for an easy dinner tonight! Stir together the creamy chicken filling and top it with cheese and crisp, buttery crackers.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Calories 925kcal

Author John Kanell

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream (240g)
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons onion powder
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 8 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 1kg/2 rotisserie chickens)
• ▢ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided (225g)
• ▢ 2 full sleeves Ritz crackers lightly crushed (250g)
• ▢ 4 tablespoons melted butter (56g)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, stir together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Fold in the chicken and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle crackers over the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the crackers are lightly browned. Allow the casserole to cool and thicken for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Letting the casserole cool slightly before serving it allows the cream sauce to thicken up so the casserole isn’t soupy. Plus, you don’t want to burn your mouth on a piping hot forkful! It will still be very warm after the short cooling period.
• This casserole is delicious served with fluffy dinner rolls or buttery cornbread. A loaf of crusty bread or sliced garlic bread is also a delicious accompaniment.

Nutrition

Calories: 925kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 2043mg | Potassium: 632mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1143IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 415mg | Iron: 6mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

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How To Make-Ahead and Store

Make-Ahead: You can assemble the casserole, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking it. For the crispiest topping, I recommend waiting until right before you bake to add the cracker and butter topping. Otherwise, it will become soggy from the liquid in the sauce. To avoid thermal shock cracking the casserole dish, set it out 30 minutes to an hour before baking.

Storing leftovers: Leftover chicken casserole will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To keep the crispy topping, I recommend reheating it in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until warmed through. If you’re not too worried about the topping and need a quicker option, feel free to use the microwave!

Freezing: You can freeze this easy chicken casserole, baked or unbaked. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator when ready to eat or bake. Then bake as directed or reheat until warmed through. Use aluminum containers if you plan on freezing the casserole, so you don’t risk thermal shock on ceramic dishes.

More Casserole Recipes To Try

Looking for more comfort foods? Try these fuss-free casserole recipes next!

Turkey casserole is a brilliant way to give new life to turkey leftovers. Egg noodles, peas, and a creamy cheese sauce make a simple, delicious meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.

Green bean casserole is a classic Thanksgiving side dish that’s so easy to put together. Plus, you can make it up to 2 days in advance!

Another classic side dish, sweet potato casserole has a crunchy pecan streusel topping covering creamy, buttery sweet potatoes.

My easy breakfast casserole is excellent for making ahead. And with its generous yield, it’s great for feeding a small crowd!

My French toast casserole is a twist on French toast, an iconic brunch staple. Slightly stale, dry bread is best, making this recipe a great way to use up any old bread you have in your pantry.

If you’ve tried this chicken casserole recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!