Easy Chicken Casserole is creamy and savory, made with chicken, onion, and bell peppers in a seasoned sauce and topped with Ritz crackers and cheddar cheese, perfectly cooked in 45 minutes!
We love making easy weeknight dinners, and casseroles are the perfect dish to meal prep ahead of time, like Broccoli Casserole, Tater Tot Casserole, and Tuna Noodle Casserole!
EASY CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Easy Chicken Casserole is the PERFECT throw-together weeknight dinner recipe. You can make it ahead and freeze it, or put it together that night. This dish is quick, easy, and kid friendly, taking a total time of 45 minutes to make!
This chicken casserole is a great recipe for meal prepping. I like to make a double batch, and freeze it in catering dishes, so I can throw it straight into the oven to bake when I need it. This is a great potluck recipe, or for when you have company coming over.
HOW LONG WILL EASY CHICKEN CASSEROLE KEEP?
Chicken casserole will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 4-5 months. Make sure it is sealed in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Defrost in the refrigerator the day before serving.
You can also freeze this casserole cooked or uncooked, depending on your preference.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CASSEROLE IN THE SLOW COOKER
- In a large skillet, brown chicken breasts with butter on all sides.
- Add everything to the slow cooker (except for the topping) and stir together.
- Close the lid and set on high for a total time of 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.
- When time is up, remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Return to slow cooker and stir.
- Add topping, and leaving the slow cooker on high crack the lid open slightly for 30 minutes. This mimics what happens when you bake the casserole, and makes the topping nice and crispy.
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MORE CHICKEN RECIPES
- Broccoli Casserole
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Leftover Turkey Casserole
- Creamy Chicken Poblano Pepper Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup
WHAT OTHER VEGETABLES CAN YOU BAKE IN THIS CASSEROLE?
- Mushrooms
- Asparagus
- Green beans
- Carrots
- Frozen mixed veggies
- Broccoli
TIPS FOR MAKING EASY CHICKEN CASSEROLE
- Add 1 extra cup of shredded cheddar cheese in with the chicken mixture to make a cheesy chicken casserole.
- You can make this chicken casserole using my go-to homemade cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, or cream of mushroom soup.
- You can also use a cooked rotisserie chicken, just remove the skin and bones and shred the chicken, then add it to the sauce.
- You can substitute Ritz crackers for potato chips or regular breadcrumbs in this chicken casserole recipe.
- The chicken breasts are cooked through when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve this chicken casserole over rice or pasta to add a starch to the dish.
- You can use chicken thighs for this recipe instead of chicken breast if you prefer.
- Add a cup of instant long-grain rice to this chicken casserole recipe.
- Make this chicken casserole spicy with diced green chiles, poblano or jalapeno peppers, or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Garnish this dish with chopped green onions, or fresh parsley. Or top with cheddar or parmesan cheese.
- Make a Tex-Mex chicken casserole by adding black beans, pepper jack cheese, or salsa. Or, you can make a creamier sauce by melting in one package of cream cheese.
- Make this dish with other meat, like beef, lamb, or turkey. Any of these would bake up fine in this casserole.
Easy Chicken Casserole
Easy Chicken Casserole is creamy and savory, made with chicken, onion, and bell peppers in a seasoned sauce and topped with Ritz crackers and cheddar cheese, perfectly cooked in 45 minutes!
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 4 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 10.75 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 28 Ritz crackers crumbled
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet on medium heat and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side before removing the chicken to a plate and chopping roughly.
Add two more tablespoons of the butter with the onion, bell pepper, garlic and black pepper on medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add in the cream of chicken, sour cream and milk and mix well then pour the mixture into your baking dish.
Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and mix with the ritz crackers and cheddar cheese and sprinkle it over the chicken then bake for 30-35 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
Wow! This was both easy and delicious! I cooked it for my wife and some friends and got rave reviews! Kudos, Sabrina, I will definitely be checking out more of your recipes!
One very tiny comment, I’d suggest including adding back the chicken in Step 4 (after removing it in Step 3). It wasn’t explicitly stated and it took me a minute to figure it out. Yes, I can sometimes be a little “slow on the uptake” (just ask my wife) but I’m probably not the only one.
any tips on incorporating rustic potatoes instead of adding rice or noodles how could one do so?
I haven’t tested it but I’d suggest cutting them into 1 inch pieces and adding them into dish. You might need to double the cook time as well. Just keep an eye on it. Good luck!
This is a great recipe. I cut back on the butter and used olive oil instead. I also put in green Chile’s which really made this taste good.
Could I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts? If so would I need to increase the cooking time or change anything else?
Nope, it’s an easy swap. Enjoy!
If making this for someone else to make should I bake it half the time and let person who will be receiving it finish baking it? Or bake it and have person just re-heat it?
If you’re not freezing it, I would bake it and then just have them reheat.
do you cover this in the oven or leave open?
I didn’t cover it. Enjoy!
I haven’t made this yet, but, what is the green stuff in the casserole in the photograph? I didn’t see anything that was green in the recipe ingredients.
It’s just parsley. I sometimes will add it just for the presentation of photography. Completely optional.
Absolutely loved this casserole! Very simple, slightly time consuming, at least for me…but oh so worth it! What I also love is how versatile this dish is, you can substitute different veggies or different meats, like turkey or ham, or even just throw in your leftovers!! It’s always a success and has now become my go to dish for any event!
I made this recipe twice in 3 days for 2 different groups. Absolutely delicious! It will be a regular in my dinner rotation!
That definitely sounds like a winner! Thanks for coming back to let me know, Chris.
I’ve had more time to cook from home lately and have been looking for fairly easy, from scratch (as much as possible) recipes for the cool fall and going into winter. This chicken casserole is a winner! I’ve made batches of stuff from other sites where I was shocked at the positive ratings because the stuff tasted so processed or just plain icky…. often having to throw large portions of it away. Clearly, because the author is a trained chef, she knows how to combine foods, spices and flavors in such a way as to make this dish actually taste good. I’m book marking this site and going to try other recipes — — its so nice to have something come out really tasty for a change! Thank you!
I’m so glad you’re loving the site!
If you use cream cheese is that in place of the sour cream or in addition too?
In addition to make it creamier.
In the chicken casserole, if you add the cup of long grain rice do you need to add more liquid?
This link will help you with instructions on how to add rice to the dish.
https://dev.dinnerthendessert.com/cheesy-chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole/
Enjoy!
How would I prepare the rice to bake together?
Add a cup of instant long-grain rice to this chicken casserole recipe.
I’m making this right now… it was super easy to put together and it smells amazing cooking! I omitted peppers(I was out) and added mushrooms and cooked rice. I cant wait to taste! It looked so easy I was skeptical but I can tell its going to be a family favorite! Thank you for the recipe.
And forgot to add… i used rotisserie chicken. If you have a Costco or Sam’s Club, they both sell packages of rotisserie chicken already off the bone!
So great in a pinch, for sure!
You’re welcome!
I am a 76 year old male and been cooking most of my adult life. I love making one dish meals and this is one of the best I have ever prepared. I followed the directions , adding the rough chopped chicken to step four. I am sure there are several ways to change the recipe , but try this one first. LOVED IT !!
Glad you decided to give it a try, Stout.
I tried this recipe for the first time last night for dinner. I followed the recipe exactly (except I cut up and seasoned my chicken before cooking it) but doubled it because we’re a large family. The good part was the taste – it was very good. My husband said it almost tastes like a dip for chips. The not so good part was that it was waaayyy too soupy. You do not need the milk at all. If you double the recipe, stick with one can of cream of chicken, trust me. Doubling the sour cream is fine.
I am new to cooking after I chop the chicken do I put in the baking dish? Not sure what to do with the chicken sounds great. Thank you
You’ll be mixing it in with the other ingredients into a baking dish. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Sabrina! Just printed your Easy Chicken Casserole and can’t wait to try it for out-of-town company! Someone mentioned adding spinach. Would you add fresh spinach and sauté it with the onions, bell pepper, and garlic? I didn’t want to mess this up! Thank you so much!
Yes, that would work. Enjoy!
Made this tonight for dinner…easy and delicious. Added some leftover mixed vegetables to it and Served it over egg noodles. Amazing!
So easy and delicious. As is, it makes lots of sauce to pour over rice which is a requirement in my family. I will add an extra red or yellow bell pepper and some mushrooms when I make it again, and I definitely will! Husband raved about it.
Can I use pre cooked rotisserie chicken in this recipe
Sure 🙂
Can this be made as a tuna casserole with mushrooms and onions rather than a chicken casserole? Would it still work from a flavor profile perspective?
Yes and I also have a Tuna Casserole recipe with peas for you to try. https://dev.dinnerthendessert.com/tuna-noodle-casserole/
Sabrina this casserole was outstanding..I did add some mushrooms because I love them..this was so easy to put together and very flavorful..I love it..will have leftovers today ..thank you for sooooo many wonderful recipes.. hope you have a nice weekend..love your blog!
Sounds like a great addition, Judith. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Made tonight so delish ??made with a can of vegall and so good
What size casserole dish did you use, please – 9×13 or 9×9 or????
9×13
We’re about to make this to give to our local police department for our Senior Foods final. Would microwaving be the ideal way to reheat this dish?
What a wonderful thing to do! You can reheat either in the microwave or in the oven.
What a winner! This is the new family favorite. I hate when people doctor a recipe without trying it as written so I’m eating my words but I added some leftover pasta to the soup/chicken mixture because I hate throwing away food. Thank you so much! Your new #1 fan.
Sounds wonderful!
There’s no mention of the chicken once you put it in the plate. It says to pour the mixture into the baking dish, and put the cheese mixture onto the chicken, without ever telling us to put the chicken in the baking dish.
Sorry about that. You’ll want to add the chicken back in with the other ingredients in step 4. Enjoy!
Made this for dinner the other day! My husband said this was the best thing he ever tasted ? thank you for the amazing recipes
That’s awesome! Thanks for letting me know!
If I wanted to add rice to the meal prior to cooking to make it a chicken and rice casserole, how much cooked or uncooked rice would I use?
I’ve not tested it yet but you could try adding 2 cups of water and 2 cups of instant white rice. Good luck!
When do I add in the broccoli?
You would add the broccoli at the same time as the other vegetables. Hope this helps!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Going to make three. One for us and one for my son’s family and one for my daughter’s friends! Looks great and sounds great and terrific reviews! Thanks!
Ps do you think I could add frozen broccoli?
Absolutely you can add frozen broccoli (or any other frozen veg) to switch it up! Enjoy and looking forward hearing how everyone likes their casseroles.
About how much chicken is that in cups or pounds? Around here chicken breasts vary in size by a great deal. Thanks!
Depending on the size of the breasts, it’s going to be 1.5 to 2 lbs. Hope this helps. A little extra chicken won’t hurt the dish 🙂
Oh my goodness Sabrina! Thank you so much for this recipe! it was fantastic. Now it will become a family favorite! You are a culinary genius!
Yay!! So glad you all loved it.
This dish is yummy. My mother and I and one of two children loved it. I added small can diced jalapeños and extra milk for extra sauce. With Basmati rice it was delicious. Even the little leftovers mom and I shared because it was just that good. Thank you for the recipe.
Fantastic! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it.
Hello Sabrina,
Is this using four *whole* boneless breasts, or half-breasts? Looking forward to making this!
Thank you.
Half breasts if you’re going for the technical term. Enjoy!
Hello,
Do you use four whole boneless chicken breasts or half breasts?
Thank you!
4 half breasts. 🙂
How much is a serving? Left out onions and peppers because of toddler, but recipe is great either way.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’d say a serving is about a cup.
I followed the recipe, and baked it for 35 minutes. The chicken was done, but when I dished up, the sauce was runny on the bottom. What went wrong?
I’m not sure why it would be runny. Did you change any of the amounts listed in the ingredients?
It will come out runny if you use milk that isn’t whole milk or if you use low fat sour cream
This was a HUGE hit with my husband, who is an extremely picky eater. He kept asking for more several days after we’d finished our leftovers! I’ve NEVER had a response like this from him. Can’t wait to try more recipes!
I love when recipes win over the picky eaters. 🙂 Thank you so much for coming back to let me know how much you all enjoyed it.
We had this twice in one week. My kids are BONKERS for this meal. Thanks. We love you. xox
Fantastic! So glad you are all enjoying it, Jess.
If I add the rice to the recipe should it be cooked ahead of time?
This link will help you with instructions on how to add rice to the dish.
https://dev.dinnerthendessert.com/cheesy-chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole/
Made this and added spinach and broccoli…. It was a huge success
I added egg noodles to seasoned water that I boiled the chicken in. I used no onion,, 1/2 cup frozen mixed veggies,substituted sugar free plain yogurt for sour cream, baked for 30 mins on 350 and my husband and I loved it.
So glad you both loved it!
For the show cooler version it talks about adding everything to the crockpot. Does that mean that you are not sautéing the onions then and do you throw all the butter in?
I have an aluminum insert in my slow cooker that allows you to sauté. You can always do that on the stove top if yours doesn’t have one. Hope this helps!
Amazing! Whole family loved it. New staple in our house for sure 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Think this would be good with noodles in it too?
Sounds delicious!
Such an easy weeknight dinner! Love the crispy crackers on top!
Thanks, Jamielyn!
I love casseroles!! This looks incredible, perfect for get togethers!! I love the crunch!
Thanks, Kristyn!
Yes to cracker topping! I will be making this chicken casserole often!
Enjoy!
This was really good! Everyone loved it!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it, Toni!
Looks delicious!
Thanks, Julie!
I love easy casseroles for busy nights. This one looks like one my mom used to make growing up. Love it!
Could you use Corn Flakes instead of Ritz crackers?
Sure 🙂
Do you mind chicken in with soups or layer it?