Pantry & Instant Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Chicken Noodle Casserole
Tender egg noodles and canned chicken folded into a creamy, herb-flecked sauce and baked under a crispy topping — the ultimate cold-weather comfort bake.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Crispy
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
- 2
Boil the pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions. In the last 2 minutes of boiling, add the frozen mixed vegetables to thaw them. Drain well.
- 3
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of chicken soup and the milk until smooth.
- 4
Fold the drained chicken chunks, cooked pasta, and vegetables into the soup mixture until evenly coated.
- 5
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
- 6
Top with crushed butter crackers and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the cracker topping is golden brown.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
77/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving680
Calories
46 g
Protein
94 g
Carbs
12 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
The creamed casserole is a hallmark of mid-century American home cooking, built around the canned condensed soup that turned a few pantry staples into a one-dish family dinner. Chicken noodle casserole takes the comfort of chicken noodle soup and bakes it into something sturdier, a potluck and church-supper regular across the Midwest and the South. It has stuck around because it is forgiving, freezer-friendly, and tastes like home.
Listahan note
This version keeps the classic canned-soup binder but brightens it with real chicken, vegetables, and a crisp topping so it feels a notch more wholesome. It is meant to be the reliable weeknight casserole you can build from a stocked pantry.
Technique cues
- Undercook the noodles by a minute or two before baking; they keep absorbing liquid in the oven and turn mushy if started fully cooked.
- Loosen the condensed soup with a little milk or broth so the sauce coats the noodles evenly instead of sitting in thick clumps.
- Add the crunchy topping only for the last fifteen minutes so it crisps and toasts without burning.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Boil the noodles while you whisk the soup with milk and shred the chicken, so everything is ready to fold together at once.
- Make-ahead
- Assemble without the topping, cover, and refrigerate up to a day; add the crumbs and an extra ten minutes of bake time when cold.
- Leftover move
- Loosen leftovers with a splash of broth and serve them as a creamy chicken noodle skillet, or thin further into a quick soup.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Use the pasta pot to mix everything so you bake in one dish; rinse the pot while the casserole bakes and cleanup is nearly done by dinner.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
egg noodles
the tender base
Purpose: Wide egg noodles hold the creamy sauce in their curls and give the casserole its body.
Handling: Boil them just shy of done and drain so they finish cooking in the oven.
Adaptation: Any short pasta works, and a gluten-free noodle keeps it celiac-safe.
cooked shredded chicken
the protein
Purpose: Real chicken makes the casserole a full meal and adds savory depth the soup alone cannot.
Handling: Shred or cube leftover roast or rotisserie chicken into bite-size pieces.
Adaptation: Canned chicken or a plant-based shred both work for speed or a meat-free table.
condensed cream of chicken soup
the instant binder
Purpose: It is the quick, creamy sauce that holds everything together with no roux to make.
Handling: Whisk it smooth with a splash of milk or broth before folding in the noodles.
Adaptation: A homemade bechamel or cream of mushroom soup both stand in cleanly.
frozen peas and carrots
the vegetable color and bite
Purpose: They add sweetness, color, and a little texture so the dish is not all beige.
Handling: Stir them in straight from frozen; they thaw and cook through in the oven.
Adaptation: Frozen mixed vegetables or thawed chopped broccoli work just as well.
buttery cracker or breadcrumb topping
the crunchy contrast
Purpose: A crisp topping gives the soft casserole the textural pop that makes it feel finished.
Handling: Toss crushed crackers or breadcrumbs with a little melted butter before scattering on top.
Adaptation: Crushed cornflakes or gluten-free crumbs deliver the same crunch.
Technique notes
- Saute a diced onion and a clove of garlic in butter first and stir them in; that small step lifts the canned-soup base into something that tastes cooked from scratch.
- A squeeze of lemon or a spoon of Dijon stirred into the sauce cuts the richness and keeps the dish from tasting flat.
- Bake covered for the first stretch so the noodles steam and stay moist, then uncover to brown the top.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Use gluten-free noodles, a gluten-free condensed soup or homemade bechamel, and gluten-free crumbs for the topping.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Choose a low-sodium soup and unsalted broth, and season at the end with herbs and lemon instead of more salt.
- Lighter direction
- Swap half the soup for plain Greek yogurt stirred in off the heat for creaminess with less fat.
Serve alongside
- a green salad with vinaigrette
- steamed green beans with almonds
- buttered dinner rolls
- roasted Brussels sprouts
- an unoaked Chardonnay
- sparkling apple cider
- iced herbal tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate covered for up to four days; the noodles soften over time, so loosen with broth when reheating.
- Reheat covered in a 350F oven or in the microwave with a splash of milk to bring the sauce back together.
- It freezes for up to two months before baking; thaw overnight and add the topping fresh just before it goes in the oven.
Equipment
- a large pot for boiling noodles
- a 9-by-13 baking dish
- a whisk for smoothing the soup
- a colander for draining the noodles
Make this household-aware
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Plan it in Listahan
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