No offense to your mom’s chicken casserole… if the memory were really that scarring, you probably wouldn’t be searching for chicken casserole recipes to cook for dinner tonight, would you? But those classic casserole recipes from our childhoods need an update, which is why we’ve rounded up 22 casserole recipes that you can actually get excited to make.
There’s a reason why busy chefs have been putting chicken bakes on the table weeknight after weeknight for all these years: putting one together is as simple as dump n’ bake, they often make use of pantry staples, and they fill your belly fast. These recipes are also really, really good. Filled with mouthwateringly modern twists like enchilada sauce, teriyaki, butternut squash, quinoa, wild rice, stuffing, zucchini, fajita veggies, buffalo chicken and more, these chicken casseroles will make your mom say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
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Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole
TipHero
Chicken noodle soup is a magic food, and transforming the classic dish into a casserole only amplifies its comforting effects. This 30-minute chicken dinner has all the elements of traditional chicken soup: hearty egg noodles, tender chicken, peas ‘n’ carrots — but with a creamy sauce and crunchy topping that’ll make you want seconds.
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Chicken Tomato Pasta Bake
TipHero
This chicken tomato casserole with three kinds of cheese and fresh spinach will leave you full in the best way.
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Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti
TipHero
Chicken Alfredo and baked ziti are already two of your family’s favorite dinners, so we had a big fat Italian wedding and married the two dishes into one bubbling casserole that’s ready in less than an hour.
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Chicken Parmesan Casserole
TipHero
How do you make tasty chicken parm easier to feed a whole bunch of people? Turn it into a casserole!
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Salsa Chicken Casserole
TipHero
This riff on burritos take chicken, salsa, corn, rice, and Tex-Mex seasoning and turns it into a casserole-rific dinner.
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Chicken Pot Pie
TipHero
Chicken pot pie is really just a creamy chicken casserole with a crust. Our recipe uses prepared pie crust so you don’t have to work any harder than you would for a casserole, but you still get that buttery, flaky pastry shell.
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Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Casserole
Emily Bites
We don’t usually associate Asian flavors with casseroles, but this one from Emily Bites with veggies, chicken breasts, brown rice, pineapple, and teriyaki sauce really works!
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Layered BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole
Ambitious Kitchen
BBQ and enchilada sauce make these layers of sweet potato, chicken, and corn tortillas from Ambitious Kitchen positively drip with flavor.
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Chicken and Potatoes with Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce
Damn Delicious
Forget side dishes, this chicken bake from Damn Delicious is a whole meal in one casserole dish. She roasted crispy chicken thighs, spinach, and potatoes in a luscious cream sauce.
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Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole with Butternut Squash and Cranberries
Well Plated
Finally, a casserole that’s not a total gut-buster! Well Plated has created a hearty and healthy chicken and wild rice bake with earthy add-ins like butternut squash and cranberries that make this a perfect one to bookmark for the holidays.
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Asparagus, Chicken, and Quinoa Bake
The Creative Bite
The Creative Bite really did get creative with her chicken casserole, adding nutritious asparagus and quinoa. Leeks, bacon, and extra sharp white cheddar add so much punch, you won’t believe how light it is.
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Creamy Swiss Chicken Bake
Lil' Luna
It doesn’t get any more rich and creamy than this no-stress meal from Lil’ Luna. Not into Swiss? She says you can sub mozzarella!
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“Cracked Out” Chicken and Rice Bake
Plain Chicken
This casserole’s secret weapon? Plain Chicken uses leftover rotisserie chicken and a can of cream of chicken soup to get this dish ready for the oven in five minutes flat!
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Chicken Tetrazzini
Shugary Sweets
It might sound like an old Italian dish, but this all-American casserole is actually named after opera star Luisa Tetrazzini. In Shugary Sweets’ version, spaghetti, chicken breasts, and cheese are baked in a white wine cream sauce. Picky eaters will be delighted that she leaves out the classic mushrooms — but if you’re a fungi fanatic, you can always put them back in!
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Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
The Seasoned Mom
Why oh why do we only eat stuffing once a year? The Seasoned Mom has the answer: don’t!
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Tasty Kitchen
Tasty Kitchen takes the fancy-pants dish and turns it into a casserole with shredded chicken (leftovers are OK!), chopped ham, deli slices of Swiss cheese, and a crispy breadcrumb topping.
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Chicken Enchilada Rice Casserole
Jo Cooks
Jo Cooks’ casserole has all the elements of enchiladas — refried beans, cheese, corn, shredded chicken — in one saucy dish (minus the tortillas, which she replaces with basmati rice). And it makes enough to feed the whole neighborhood!
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Chicken Zucchini Casserole
Six Sisters' Stuff
This weeknight main from Six Sisters’ Stuff has only seven ingredients (one of which is boxed stuffing mix!) and manages to sneak in four cups of veggies.
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Chicken Divan
A Pinch of Healthy
A Pinch of Healthy takes this classic decadent casserole and makes it a bit more “real food”-friendly by swapping canned soup for homemade and processed cheese for fontina. Yeah, that broccoli still gets bathed in a rich sherry cream sauce, but it’s definitely an enlightened version of the original.
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Easy Fajita Chicken Bake
The Pinning Mama
Juicy chicken breasts, colorful bell peppers and onions, taco spices, and shredded Mexican cheese come together in The Pinning Mama’s casserole, which has just as much sizzle as fajitas.
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Southwest Chicken Bake
Thirty Handmade Days
Nachos party with casserole in Thirty Handmade Days’ chicken bake! Cans of black beans and tomatoes make this dish quick and easy, but the crunchy layer of tortilla chips covered with bubbly cheese are what make it your family’s next favorite.
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Buffalo Ranch Chicken Bake
Happy Go Lucky Blog
We know you drooled over our grilled cheesy buffalo chicken, buffalo chicken dip, and buffalo cauliflower bites… next up, Happy Go Lucky Blog’s buffalo ranch chicken bake is yet another way to enjoy those game-time flavors.
Now go forth with your casserole dish and make your mom jealous proud! Got a dog-eared chicken casserole that’s not on this list? We want to hear about it!
