Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole

This Chicken Noodle Casserole is one of those dinners that just works. It’s creamy, cheesy, packed with noodles and chicken—basically everything my kids actually eat without complaining. I’ve been making some version of this since forever, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to clean out the fridge and pretend I totally planned dinner.

This Chicken Noodle Casserole? An Instant Favorite

• Total comfort in a casserole dish. It’s like chicken noodle soup got a creamy, cheesy upgrade—with tender egg noodles, sweet veggies, and that buttery Ritz cracker crunch on top.
• Great for make-ahead meals. I throw it together on a Sunday, stash it in the fridge, and it’s ready to bake when the week gets busy.
• Kid-approved and crowd-sized. My crew eats this up without a single complaint. It’s cozy, filling, and makes enough to feed a small army (or just guarantee leftovers).

Looking for more comfort food ideas? Check out this sour cream noodle bake, chicken spaghetti casserole, or chili mac casserole.

What You’ll Need

This hearty casserole recipe is jam-packed with all sorts of flavor-filled yet simple ingredients. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.

• Olive Oil, Onion, and Celery: Diced onion and celery sauteed in olive oil.
• Mixed Vegetables: I use a medley that has carrots, peas, green beans, and sweet corn.
• Egg Noodles: I recommend using wide egg noodles. All the more surface area to be coated in the creamy sauce! 
• Chicken: You’ll need cooked and shredded chicken. I’ll often use rotisserie chicken, though this recipe is one of my favorite ways to use up any chicken leftovers I might have in the fridge.
• Cream of Chicken Soup: You’ll need 2 cans of classic cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom soup). This is my shortcut to loads of flavor, however, see below for substitutions if you’re not a fan of condensed soups.
• Half-and-Half: I love the richness that comes from half-and-half, but you can use whole milk as well if you prefer. Or, go all out with heavy cream if you’re after an extra decadent chicken casserole.
• Cheddar Cheese: I recommend using freshly grated cheddar in the cream sauce. The pre-grated kind has a waxy coating that won’t melt as smoothly. 
• Salt and Pepper
• Ritz Crackers: Crushed Ritz crackers mixed with melted butter make up the crispy casserole topping.

How to Make Chicken Noodle Casserole

Get your oven preheated and let’s make a comforting chicken noodle casserole!

• Cook the Veggies: Saute the onion and celery in a skillet with olive oil to soften them a bit. After about 10 minutes, stir in the frozen vegetable medley and once the veggies are warmed through, set the pan aside.

• Prepare the Filling: In a large pot of water, get your egg noodles boiling according to the package directions. Meanwhile, combine the shredded chicken with the cream of chicken soup, cream, and shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the sauteed veggies.

• Add the Noodles: Once the egg noodles are cooked al dente, gently fold them into the filling mixture. Spoon the casserole filling into a lightly greased baking dish.

• Add the Topping and Bake: Finally, combine the crushed crackers with melted butter and sprinkle the mixture over the casserole. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, until the Ritz topping is nice and golden.

Tips and Variation Ideas

• How to tell when the casserole is done: Your casserole is finished cooking when it’s golden on top and bubbling at the edges. 
• Use turkey instead. Swap out the shredded chicken for shredded turkey meat to make a turkey noodle casserole.
• Add even more (or different) veggies. You can really add any vegetables you’d like to this recipe. Some options are chopped broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, butternut squash, and asparagus.
• Different cheese. This chicken noodle casserole can be customized with a combination of your favorite melty cheeses. Try adding Swiss cheese, parmesan cheese, Provolone, or Gruyere. 
• Skip the condensed soup. You can substitute two cups of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for the soup or whisk two eggs into the half and half, which helps bind the ingredients.

Store & Reheat Leftovers

• Store in the fridge: Leftover chicken noodle casserole can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container.
• To reheat: I prefer to reheat it in the oven, as it allows the topping to crisp up a little. Warm the casserole in an oven-safe dish at 350ºF until it’s hot throughout. You can also reheat portions in the microwave, though the Ritz crackers will be a little mushy.

Can I Freeze This Casserole?

Absolutely! It’s actually best to freeze chicken noodle casserole before it’s baked. Here’s how to make it ahead and freeze it for up to 1 month: 

• Follow the casserole recipe right up until you’re meant to add the Ritz cracker topping. I recommend leaving off the cracker crust until after the casserole is thawed and before you go to bake it.
• Wrap the casserole dish tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, plus a layer of aluminum foil.
• Thaw the chicken noodle casserole overnight in the fridge. Before baking, add the Ritz cracker topping, then bake as directed. Note that you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time if you’re baking the casserole chilled from the fridge.

More Cozy Casserole Recipes

• Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
• Potato Casserole
• Broccoli Cheese Casserole
• Fiesta Chicken Casserole
• Easy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole