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This Creamy Chicken Casserole is a recipe that produces big flavor yet comes together in no time! When my schedule is packed and there’s little time for getting creative at supper time, I can count on this recipe to help me pull together a great meal.
All I do is pick up a rotisserie chicken, grab a bag of egg noodles, and then with a few ingredients I always have in my fridge and pantry, I can create a casserole masterpiece. This is one hard-working dish that’s at the top of my “family favorite meal” list.
What Makes This Creamy Chicken Casserole So Good?
Homemade sauce! This casserole is made with a cream sauce that has extra flavor from sour cream and adds a richness that you just can’t get with canned soup.
It’s also great when you’re feeding a crowd. I’ve made it for covered dish suppers, school parties, and potlucks. It’s a great dish to take to friends when a new baby arrives, or they are in need of some extra TLC.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Recipe
- Leftover or Rotisserie Chicken – white or dark meat, whichever you prefer
- Egg Noodles
- Sour Cream
- Milk
- Butter
- Day-old Bread or Breadcrumbs
- Flour
- Onion Powder
- Dried Thyme
- Salt and Pepper
How To Make Creamy Chicken Casserole
With just a few minutes of prep time, you’ve got a recipe that gives back big rewards! The key to this dish is a creamy homemade sauce with NO CANNED SOUP!
- First, make the sauce. The secret to a luscious, smooth sauce is letting it cook long enough for the flour to fully incorporate with the butter, then adding the milk.
- Once the sauce is done, cook the noodles, drain and place back in the cooking pot.
- To the noodles, add the chicken and sauce. Fold everything together, then spoon it into a baking dish.
- Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs or torn day-old bread. Drizzle with melted butter and place in the oven to bake.
- After baking, for just 8 to 10 minutes, remove the casserole from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, then serve. YUM!
Can This Casserole Be Made Ahead Of Time?
Yes, it can! Make the casserole per the instruction, up to topping it with breadcrumbs and butter. Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, uncover the casserole, top with breadcrumbs and butter and cook until hot and bubbly.
What To Serve With Creamy Chicken Casserole
- Skillet Green Beans
- Simple Roasted Broccoli
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Green Bean Salad
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- Three Cheese Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Alfredo Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 12 ounces egg noodles – about ¾ of regular bag
- 1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs – 4 to 5 slices
- 2 – 3 cups shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
- salt & black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400° F.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring 1 to 2 minutes until mixture is golden.
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- While sauce is cooling, cook noodles according to the package directions; drain and return them to the pot.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add the milk mixture, chicken and thyme to the noodles and toss to combine.
- Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch or some other 3-quart baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and drizzle with the melted butter.
- Bake until the bread crumbs are golden and casserole is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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Awesome 👌
Hey there Dee!
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for your interest in this dish and your fantastic rating, I really appreciate your support! Let me know if you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
Thanks, Donya, you did it again! I made this recipe, but I used some half & half in replacement of the sour cream. It turned out sooooo good! Next day, even better! I am going to keep this recipe and use it at least every two weeks. Thank you!
Hey there Christine!
My goodness, I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Trading out the sour cream for half and half was a great idea, I bet that was delicious. Thank you so much for your kind words and your fantastic rating, I am so happy that you’re adding this dish to your family dinner rotation! If you ever have any questions about a recipe, please don’t hesitate to reach out, I’d be happy to help!
~Donya
Great recipe, will definitely be using this one again.
Hey there Stacy!
I am SO happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Creamy Chicken Casserole is a favorite in my house so I’m glad you liked it as well! Thank you so much for your terrific rating and your kind words of support, I really appreciate it!
~Donya
All i have is self rising flower😐can i use that
Hey there Polly!
Now I will tell you, I have never tried this recipe with self-rising flour, so I’m not sure exactly what the difference would be. I suspect that it wouldn’t change the texture or flavor of the recipe that much, so if I was you I would give it a try. Let me know how it turns out, I am curious. Thank you for your interest in this recipe, I hope you have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
Good recipe
Hey Kim!
Thank you so much I am so glad you liked it! Thanks for the rating, hope you have a great day!
~Donya
this is super easy! My husband is from NC. and I am from Ohio, so I am always trying to find the things he is used to having on regular basis. He was fed mostly by his grandma and she was such a good southern soul food kind of lady. So any time I can find something she would've had on a sunday after church meal, is a great place to start! The only thing I have done to change this recipe is, that I use dry stuffing mix instead of bread crumbs, but I am careful not to over do it, bc it has came out very salty once! But my husband loved it!
Donya, What eggless noodles do you think might best sub for the egg noodles? This sounds great, but I have an egg-allergic son (Matthew).
Hey Genette. I sorry for the late response. Any noodle that you usually use for your son would be great in this dish. Just make sure you've got enough sauce since sometimes textures differ with noodles. I have recently used a gluten-free Tagliatelle pasta and loved it. Let me know how things turn out. If you haven't already, please LIKE A Southern Soul on FB and send me a message there on how things turn out.
xoxo~Donya
I can't wait to try this recipe! Look yummy.
Hey Grace! I hope you'll let me know your dish turns out. Thanks for sending me your kind thoughts and keep me posted!
Donya, We loved this recipe, thanks for posting! I did substitute 1 cup of Greek Yogurt for the sour cream…and added a bag of peas! Sorry, I just can't seem to follow a recipe. The casserole was everything you promised, so creamy. Just finished the leftovers today! Now I'm looking forward to trying the Cranberry Chutney.
Thanks Beth! I love it when y'all try my recipes and even more so when you make it your own! That's the fun of being in the kitchen together…well, kinda!
casseroles for me are one of my comfort foods and your chicken casserole looks like it would hit the spot! Looks great 🙂
Thanks Jerry! It hit the spot at dinner last night and for leftovers as well. I am ready for that leftover turkey coming soon. Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you'll keep hanging out with A Southern Soul!