Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole

overhead view of chicken noodle casserole

This is one of those old recipes that my mom always made for me when I was a kid. I loved it then and I love it now! Chicken, noodles, peas and mushrooms combined with a tasty, creamy sauce and baked in the oven with a bread crumb topping. What's not to love?

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 385kcal

Author Teri

Cost $12

Ingredients

16 ounces extra wide egg noodles
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1½ cups half and half
1 cup frozen peas
13 ounces canned mushrooms
12½ ounces white premium chunk chicken breast
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook egg noodles in boiling water according to package instructions. Boil 1-2 minutes less than the package calls for, as the noodles will cook more in the oven.
Mix together in a large mixing bowl: cream of mushroom soup, half and half, peas, mushrooms, chicken and salt and pepper. After sauce is combined, add cooked noodles and mix thoroughly again.
Add mixture to a 9"x13" baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the casserole.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. If you want the top a little brown and crusty, turn the oven to broil and place on the top rack for 3-4 minutes. Make sure to watch it carefully while broiling, as the top can brown rather quickly once it starts.

Notes

This recipe can be made in advance. Mix the sauce ingredients and cook the noodles, but store each separately. Mix together before baking. The noodles may absorb too much of the liquid if mixed in advance.

An alternate way to make in advance is to make fully up until the baking point. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and freeze up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking

Serve with a big, green salad for a complete meal!

Do you need to cook the noodles before baking? For this recipe, yes you do. Recipes that bake pasta or noodles without pre-cooking them have a lot more liquid in them, and call for longer cooking times.

Substitution for peas: Great substitutions for peas would be broccoli florets, snow peas, sugar snap peas, chopped asparagus or corn.

Substitution for bread crumbs: Try french fried onions, crumbled Ritz crackers or crumbled corn flakes.

Nutrition