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Delicious, full of flavor, and easy, this Chicken Noodle Casserole is a tasty weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.
Do you want to know the best part of this Chicken Noodle Casserole? Other than it’s amazingly delicious and amazingly easy. I cheated and used leftover rotisserie chicken.
Boom, prep time cut in half! That is one thing that I love about some chicken recipes is that you can take shortcuts and it will not compromise the flavor at all!
Rotisserie chicken mixed with noodles, cheddar cheese, ranch seasoning, bacon, all in a creamy sauce. Topped with crushed butter crackers then baked to ooey gooey bubbly perfection!
If that sounds like something that you would love then you absolutely have to make this creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole, I’m thinking that it is something that you are eyeing right now.
I mean, let’s face it, if you have a family, you love a good casserole meal. Am I right?
I love buying rotisserie chicken and we love eating it as is, but we also love using it in so many different chicken recipes because it really works well in so much.
This Chicken Noodle Casserole is one of them, and like I said it is super easy and comforting and is perfect for any night of the week! This recipe will be your new go-to favorite.
Some of my other favorite casserole or bakes we have on our site include: Pizza Pasta Bake, Lazy Day Lasagna and Turkey Tetrazzini.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- With easy-to-find ingredients, this comes together in a flash!
- The use of rotisserie chicken really cuts the time in half.
- The combination of flavors really works well together.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Thick cut bacon
- Rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken
- Pasta
- Dry ranch dressing mix
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Chicken stock
- Butter crackers
- Unsalted butter
- Scallion
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the bacon, chicken, cooked noodles, ranch, 1 cup of the cheddar, sour cream, mayonnaise, and chicken stock, mix to combine fully. Pour into the baking dish. Top with the remaining cheddar. In a small bowl mix together the crushed crackers with the butter and top the casserole with this mixture.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until bubbly. Let cool slightly, garnish with optional scallions and serve.
FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
DO I HAVE TO USE BUTTER CRACKERS?
If you can’t find or don’t want to use butter crackers for the topping you can use panko or regular bread crumbs or you can even just top with more cheese.
Find what you like best and I say experiment and use that!
WHAT IS THE BEST PASTA TO USE?
I use cellentani for this as I feel like the spiral noodles really pick up the sauce and hold onto it really well but you can use any of your favorite smaller pasta.
Elbow macaroni works great, penne, rotini, etc. Use what you have on hand and what your personal preference is.
ANY ADDITIONS?
Want to take your creamy chicken noodle casserole to the next level? Here are some easy, family-friendly add-ins that will make this dish an even bigger hit—especially if you’re cooking for picky eaters or looking to use up what’s in the pantry!
- Add a can of cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup to make it even more creamy and comforting
- Toss in a handful of cooked wide egg noodles if you’re low on cellentani—just cook them al dente
- Stir in some cooked veggies like peas, broccoli, or green beans (frozen or fresh from your large pot)
- Sprinkle extra cheese on top for a gooey, cheesy layer—use Monterey Jack or mozzarella for fun twists
- A dash of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes adds a nice kick for adults
- Add more crispy cracker topping at the end—because the crunch on top is always the best part!
- Top with extra scallions, parsley, or even crispy fried onions before serving for some color and texture
- Stir in a little garlic powder or onion powder with the ranch dressing for extra flavor
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Sometimes you’re missing a few things—no worries! Here are some smart swaps to help you stick to the recipe or adapt it to your family’s preferences. Remember, even small changes can make a huge difference, so be sure to follow package directions and adjust to taste.
- Swap the shredded rotisserie chicken for chopped chicken breasts—just cook them in a large pot over medium-high heat until fully done
- If you’re out of sour cream, plain Greek yogurt is a great alternative for creaminess
- No mayonnaise? Use more sour cream or even cream of chicken soup for a richer base
- Substitute butter crackers with crushed Ritz, panko, or even crushed cornflakes for a different take on that crispy cracker topping
- Use wide egg noodles instead of cellentani or macaroni—just make sure they’re cooked al dente
HOW TO STORE:
REFRIGERATOR: This Chicken Noodle Casserole can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
FREEZER: It can also be frozen, place in a freezer container, and put in the freezer where it will keep for up to 2 months. To defrost remove to the refrigerator overnight.
You can reheat this in the microwave until heated through.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- We like to use cheddar cheese for this recipe, but you can experiment on your favorite cheeses.
- Freshly shredded cheese works best as it melts easier.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
- Butter crackers can be substituted with panko or regular breadcrumbs or even more cheese if you’d like.
- Use your favorite smaller pasta.
Looking for that irresistible dinner recipe? Look no further and make this Chicken Noodle Casserole, you will be hooked!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried this CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Crack Chicken Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick cut bacon cooked crispy and crumbled
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken
- 2 cups dried cellentani noodles or macaroni noodles, cooked per directions on box and drained
- 1 package dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 & 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 & 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1 & 1/2 cup low sodium butter crackers crushed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 scallion thinly sliced, garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the bacon, chicken, cooked noodles, ranch, 1 cup of the cheddar, sour cream, mayonnaise, and chicken stock, mix to combine fully. Pour into the baking dish. Top with the remaining cheddar. In a small bowl mix together the crushed crackers with the butter and top the casserole with this mixture.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until bubbly. Let cool slightly, garnish with optional scallions and serve.
Notes
- We like to use cheddar cheese for this recipe, but you can experiment on your favorite cheeses.
- Freshly shredded cheese works best as it melts easier.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
- Butter crackers can be substituted with panko or regular breadcrumbs or even more cheese if you’d like.
- Use your favorite smaller pasta.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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