Description
This creamy Baked Chicken and Cheese Casserole Dinner is pure comfort. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and a family-favorite meal. Easy weeknight win!
Ingredients
Scale
- Main Stars:
- 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (about 1.5 lbs raw)
- 12 oz short pasta (like penne, rotini, or elbow macaroni)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- The Creamy Dream:
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream (full-fat, please!)
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (divided)
- Flavor Boosters:
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Finishing Touch:
- 1 cup crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Get That Pasta Cooking:: First things first, get a big pot of water boiling for your pasta. Salt it generously—this is where I always forget to salt the water, and then the pasta tastes bland, and nobody wants bland pasta in their Baked Chicken and Cheese Casserole Dinner. Cook it until it’s just shy of al dente; it’ll finish cooking in the oven, so you don’t want mushy pasta. Drain it, but don’t rinse! We want that starch to help the sauce cling.
- Mix the Creamy Core:: While the pasta’s doing its thing, grab a large mixing bowl. Dump in your cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and about half of that glorious sharp cheddar. Whisk it all together until it’s smooth and looks like a creamy, dreamy cloud. This is the heart of our casserole, so make sure it’s well combined. I once left a sour cream lump—oops, lesson learned!
- Season and Stir:: Now for the flavor! Add the chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried parsley to your creamy mixture. Give it another good stir. Take a little taste—just a tiny bit! Does it need more salt? A little more garlic? This is your kitchen, your rules! You’re building the flavor profile, so make it sing.
- Combine the Stars:: Gently fold in your cooked, shredded chicken and the drained pasta into the sauce mixture. You want everything coated evenly, so every bite of this Baked Chicken and Cheese Casserole Dinner is pure joy. Be gentle so you don’t break up the pasta too much. It should smell savory and rich already, making your tummy rumble!
- Layer and Bake:: Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish. I usually use a 9×13 inch dish, but a slightly smaller one works for a thicker casserole. Spread it out evenly, then sprinkle the remaining sharp cheddar cheese generously over the top. This is the moment of anticipation! Slide it into your preheated oven.
- Golden Perfection & Crispy Topping:: Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until it’s bubbly around the edges and the cheese on top is beautifully melted and golden. If you want that extra crispy cheese, pop it under the broiler for a minute or two, but watch it like a hawk—cheese burns fast! Once it’s out, sprinkle those crispy fried onions all over for the perfect finishing crunch. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving; it helps the sauce set up.