When it comes to casserole, we’re usually not looking to reinvent the wheel. No, in casserole, we’re looking for something creamy, something cheesy, something comforting, and Broccoli Chicken Noodle Casserole is all of that and more.
It’s the type of casserole that tastes like something you’ve had before, even if you haven’t had this exact combination of ingredients because egg noodles, cheddar, broccoli, and chicken just taste classic. It’s everything you could want from a casserole! (And it’s easy to get on the table too.)
If you’re looking for yet another idea for leftover rotisserie or roasted chicken that’s in your fridge, hi, this is the casserole for you. A full chicken will give you about three cups and this calls for two, which makes it ideal for leftover cooked chicken. Other than that you just need egg noodles, a couple of cans of cream of chicken soup, sour cream, some cheddar cheese, broccoli, and breadcrumbs.
You don’t have to make a sauce, you don’t have to slave over the stovetop, you just have to boil your pasta and throw the broccoli florets in with it for the last couple of minutes before you drain that off and stir it into the rest of the ingredients. Doesn’t get much simpler than that!
I feel that a casserole is not a casserole unless it has cheese and breadcrumbs on the top, so this has both, but you wouldn’t be remiss swapping out those crumbs for some crushed chips or crackers. They’re just the kind of comforting final touch that would work beautifully in a classic casserole like this.
Broccoli Chicken Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked egg noodles
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- 2 (10 oz each) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated and divided
- 2 tablespoons panko or unseasoned breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F and set aside a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the egg noodles for 1 minute less than package instructions indicate.
- 2 minutes before pasta is done cooking, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water. Drain and transfer pasta and broccoli to baking dish.
- To the baking dish, add the chicken, cans of soup, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and half the cheddar cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and spread out evenly.
- Top with the rest of the cheese and the breadcrumbs. Cover dish with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 5-10 minutes more, until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Salt and Lavender.