Chicken Noodle Casserole Crumble (Print version)
Creamy baked dish combining chicken, egg noodles, veggies, and a buttery cracker crumble topping.
# What you need:
→ Poultry & Pasta
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
02 - 12 oz egg noodles
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 cup diced carrots
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
→ Sauce & Dairy
06 - 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
07 - 1 cup sour cream
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Seasonings
11 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
12 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
13 - ½ teaspoon salt
14 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Topping
15 - 1½ cups buttery round crackers (about 30 crackers), crushed
16 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil egg noodles in salted water until just al dente, then drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and carrots for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
04 - In a large bowl, mix cooked chicken, peas, sautéed vegetables, noodles, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
05 - Spread the combined mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
06 - Combine crushed crackers with melted butter and evenly sprinkle over the casserole.
07 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the casserole is hot, bubbly, and the topping is golden brown.
08 - Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving to set.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour and feels like you've cooked something impressive.
- The combination of creamy sauce, tender chicken, and that golden, buttery cracker crust hits every comfort food craving at once.
- You can make it with whatever you have on hand—rotisserie chicken, frozen vegetables, even substitute the soup—and it somehow always works.
02 -
- Undercooking the noodles slightly is crucial; they keep cooking in the oven and will turn mushy if you cook them all the way first.
- Don't skip the 10-minute rest—it sounds like a small thing, but it transforms the casserole from soupy to sliceable.
- Taste the mixture before it goes in the oven; the cream of chicken soup brings a lot of salt already, so go easy on additional seasoning.
03 -
- Buy pre-shredded cheddar if you're short on time, but be aware it contains an anti-caking agent that might make it slightly less creamy—whole block cheese shredded by hand will give you a smoother sauce.
- If your oven runs hot, start checking the casserole at 25 minutes rather than waiting the full 30; every oven is different, and the cracker topping can burn quickly.