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If you’re craving the ultimate cozy dinner, this Chicken Noodle Casserole is just the thing. Tender pasta, juicy chicken, and a rich, creamy sauce get baked together under a blanket of melty cheese for a meal that’s hearty, nostalgic, and downright crave-worthy.
This recipe comes straight from my Grandma’s recipe box, and it’s been a family favorite for generations. What makes it special is the luscious sauce—thicker, creamier, and more flavorful than most casseroles you’ve tried. With just 10 minutes of prep and everyday ingredients, you’ll have a bubbly, golden dish on the table that’s perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or Sunday suppers.
And if your family loves creamy favorites like my Chicken Tetrazzini or Chicken and Dumpling Casserole, this casserole will feel right at home. For a fun twist, try my cheesy Dorito Casserole, or switch things up with tender Crockpot Pork Tenderloin.
Let’s make this casserole!
Why This Recipe Works
- Grandma’s touch: A creamy, nostalgic recipe that’s been loved for generations.
- Cozy comfort: Tender pasta, melty cheese, and a rich sauce—what’s not to love?
- Weeknight-friendly: Only 10 minutes of prep before the oven takes over.
- Family-approved: Simple ingredients that please even picky eaters.
✨Before You Start
✨ Use quality pasta: Stick with a sturdy brand like Barilla spaghetti so it holds up well in the oven.
✨ Cook pasta just al dente: Remember, it’ll keep cooking in the oven—this keeps your casserole from turning mushy.
✨ Sauté the veggies first: This step deepens their flavor and makes the whole casserole more cohesive.
✨ Shortcut chicken: Rotisserie chicken is your best friend here. It keeps things easy without sacrificing flavor.
✨ Optional crunch: Add crushed Ritz crackers after baking for a golden, buttery topping with irresistible texture.
Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Spaghetti – Cook just until al dente so it holds up in the oven.
- Butter – For sautéing the veggies.
- Mushrooms & onion – Sautéing first builds rich flavor.
- Cream of chicken soup – The shortcut base of the creamy sauce.
- Sour cream – Adds tang and extra creaminess.
- Worcestershire sauce – Deepens the flavor.
- Black pepper – Simple seasoning.
- Cheddar cheese – Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor, but you can mix cheeses.
- Rotisserie chicken – A time-saver that keeps things tender and flavorful.
How To Make Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips
Storing
- Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover the whole casserole with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes. If using a glass or ceramic dish, let it come to room temp before placing in the oven.
Freezing
- Assemble the casserole without baking, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
Make-Ahead
- This casserole can be assembled a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate, then bake when ready to serve.
Food Safety
- If you’d like more info on food safety, check out this link.
What to Serve With Chicken Noodle Casserole
Fresh & Crisp Sides: A bright house salad with poppy seed dressing balances the creamy casserole perfectly.
Cozy Breads: Homemade crescent rolls or garlicky garlic bread are always welcome at the table.
Sweet Finishes: End on a nostalgic note with peach cobbler, buttermilk pie, or my pineapple sheet cake.
More Cozy Chicken Dinners You’ll Love
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Poppy Seed Chicken
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Dorito Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
- Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Tried This Recipe?
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If you made this Chicken Noodle Casserole, I’d love to hear what you thought! Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card and tag me on Instagram @gonna_want_seconds so I can see your cozy casseroles.
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 (10.75-ounces)cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 fully cooked rotisserie chicken shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Cook pasta (8 ounces) according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a saucepan, melt butter (2 tablespoons) then saute mushrooms (1 1/2 cups) and onion (1/2 cup) until both are nice and soft.
- In a large bowl mix soup (2 cans), sour cream (1 cup), Worcestershire sauce (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon) until blended. And cooked mushrooms, onion, chicken (1 fully cooked), and spaghetti and fold until everything is evenly coated with sauce.
- Pour the spaghetti into a 9x13 dish and top with cheese (1 cup). Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the casserole is heated through.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Sauté The Vegetables: When starting this cheesy chicken noodle casserole, it’s important to sauté your veggies first. Don’t skip this step. It brings out their balanced mellow flavors and produces a more cohesive flavor profile in the finished product. Trust me on this one. Here’s an article from Serious Eats on what sautéing does to them.
- Pasta – One important thing, though. Be sure you only cook your pasta just until al dente so it doesn’t turn into a mushy mess in the oven.
- You’ll also want to use good quality Italian pasta that can withstand the high oven temp without disintegrating. I like Barilla spaghetti.
- All about that crunch. Want to really jazz up this casserole? Sprinkle some crushed crackers over the top after baking, when the cheese is still bubbly and gooey. The extra texture is drool-worthy, while the added flavor of the cracker packs a fun punch. I like to use Ritz
Nutrition
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I’m not one who cooks often (I’m terrible at i!), but when I do, I do everything as listed exactly in the directions! It didn’t mention this but thought I’d ask. Do I cover with tin foil while it’s cooking in the oven?
Hi Nancy. Thanks for your question. No, I don’t cover it with foil 🙂
How many cups of cooked, shredded chicken do you use?
Hi Jill. I’d use 3-4 cups. 🙂
This was great!!! I added the peas as someone else had suggest. I think it was a nice addition. Thanks for the recipe!!!!
Hi Brenda, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Love the peas!
Tried this tonight…This is so yummy! Like two of my favs:
Squash casserole: stewed squash, onion, cream of chicken soup and sour cream, and cheese. Topped with bread crumbs and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Spaghetti casserole: layer of spaghetti noodles, meat sauce, cheese (repeat), cream of mushroom soup on top and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Thanks for sharing!
You’re so welcome Lauren!
Made this tonight and my husband loved it. However next time I would use a milder cheese. I thought it was a little salty
Hi Conchita! Maybe the casserole would work better for you using low sodium soup. Honestly. I don’t find it that salt, but everyone has a different sensitivity to salt, that’s for sure!
Hi, Kathleen.
Made this for dinner tonight and it is wonderful! I did use my own homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup (once made it is equivalent to 2 cans of soup) that is loaded with fresh mushrooms and I used gluten free spaghetti noodles. These are the only two modifications. I barely have any leftover for lunch! What a great dish! I will definitely make this for my family again!
Hi Suzanne! Wow, sounds like some fabulous customizations!
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it.
Hope you enjoy Geri!
Im so happy I found your site. Everything looks so Yummy
Thanks so much Margaret! I’m very happy that your with us!
This is similar to Chicken Tetrazzini. Different name but just as good. If you want to be really different add chicken and ham to this casserole – kind of like a chicken cordon bleu tetrazinni. Good stuff.
Great idea Kathy! Thanks for sharing it with us 🙂
How many people will this feed? There are 5 of us. Three of which are growing boys in college…
Hey Lynn. I usually plan on this serving 6 people. It’s pretty filling and not anything I’d consider “light” in any way. I’ve fed growing boys, though, so I’d make sure there was at least a side dish just in case! I always served it with a veggie like roasted broccoli or sauted beans. Hope you enjoy 🙂
Printed two of your recipes but could not
get the pictures to print to put with the
recipes:
“Blueberry Boy Bait”
“Grandma’s Chicken & Noodle casserole”
Hi Ann. I think it’s set up that way to save ink.
This was incredible! I split the recipe into 2 smaller dishes and froze one. Honestly, I got tons of compliments! Am going to try your shrimp skillet pasta next!
Yay Lezlie! Great idea to split it in 2 smaller dishes! Hope you like the shrimp and pasta!
You mentioned you make a similar casserole entirely from scratch. Is that recipe also on your site?
Hey Jen. Sorry-not yet.
I tried this recipe one of our first sub zero nights. We all just loved it. Serving again today but I am substituting turkey for chicken. Kids really seem to enjoy this recipe so I give this a very enthusiastic thumbs up!
This is sooo yummy! Wonderful recipe!
Can this recipe be frozen after assembling? It sounds delicious!
Yes it can. The texture of the pasta gets softer but it never seems to bother my fam!
I folded in a cup of frozen peas tp the mixture. When I make this again, I’ll add 1 1/2 cups of peas. This also freezes quick well.
Much a great recipe for a busy family with picky kids! Thank you.
it looks like green onion on top but i don’t see it in the recipe.
Hey Lorraine. Yes I sprinkled the top with a little green onion for the photo! When I normally serve it I don’t use any :).