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It’s hard to beat this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole. Think broccoli cheddar soup meets cozy weeknight casserole. It’s made entirely in one pot and comes together in less than an hour. Made with chicken, short-cut pasta, herbs, and lots of broccoli. Cook everything together in a big skillet, add cheese, and finish this off in the oven. Simple, but so delicious. The perfect weeknight chicken casserole!
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Like clockwork, September hits, and I’m back to sharing more casseroles. For me, September is all about transitioning into a more cozy lifestyle. With school starting and the days getting shorter, it means crisp fall crisp days are just ahead.
Even though our summer was short and I didn’t want it to end. There’s probably not a month I love more than September. Our weather is perfect, there’s so much excitement for the season ahead, and I can finally share the recipes I really love most. The cozy recipes.
And to me, casseroles are cozy family dinners that everyone loves.
My chicken broccoli casserole was inspired by an oldie but goodie recipe. I shared a little different version of this recipe a few years back. It was also inspired by the Panera broccoli-cheese soup I grew up eating every single fall back in Cleveland.
I love a casserole-style dinner served up on a Sunday or Monday night. They’re cozy and usually pretty easy to throw together.
Today’s recipe is made entirely in one pot and in under an hour’s time.
Here are all the details
As mentioned, this all starts and ends in one pot. Or two pots if you decide you want to bake this in a casserole dish for a “real deal” midwest style casserole situation.
Start with the basics. Cook your onion, add the chicken, and give the chicken some time to sear. Then add a touch of butter, garlic, fresh thyme, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne.
At this point, pour in broth and milk, add your favorite shortcut noodle, and then add the broccoli. Simmer until the noodles are just about al dente.
Once the noodles have cooked, stir in a handful of cheese until creamy.
Now, this is when you can transfer the mixture to a casserole dish if needed/desired.
Top with cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese is melty and the broccoli on the top has a little char. Then, I always finish with fresh herbs, usually basil or thyme for extra flavor.
The corners of the dish will form an insanely delicious cheesy crust. While the top is crispy, the middle is extra creamy and delicious. It’s a wonderful combination.
If you prefer to go the vegetarian route, simply omit the chicken from the dish. It’s truly just as delicious without or without, so do what works best for you and your family.
This dish brings back so many memories. Any kind of casserole does. It reminds me of nights eating my mom’s chicken noodle casserole with my brothers.
Only this is better and much healthier. We all love it. Though, it could be fun to give chicken noodle casserole a refresh in my kitchen. Maybe a little healthier version, what do you think?
Looking for other easy back-to-school recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Chicken
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
One Skillet Street Corn Chicken Enchilada Bake
Lastly, if you make this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3/4 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 3 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne, and cook until golden and toasted, 2-3 minutes. 3. Add the broth and milk. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the pasta and broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently until the pasta is al dente and the broth has been absorbed, about 8-10 minutes. 4. Stir in 1 cup of cheese. If needed, transfer everything to an oven-safe casserole dish. Scatter the remaining cheese over top of the casserole. 4. Bake 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve warm with additional thyme and fresh basil.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Tuned out great withbplenty of food. Has really nice flavor.Whole family loved it!
Hey Brooke,
Wonderful! Your feedback means a lot, thanks for trying the recipe. Happy it delivered!
I have now made this twice. The first time, I would have rated this much lower. It came out dry and I just had a bad experience cooking it LOL.
The 2nd time I made some tweaks and I came out PERFECT. I will make this again for sure!
I used medium sized shells, 12 oz. I forgot to add the parmesan but it still came out great. I also put bread crumbs on top before putting in the oven. So good!
Hey Amanda,
Awesome! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, love to hear it was enjoyed!
Have the best weekend!
I should’ve followed the recipe and not listened to the comments about adding the extra liquid- because i did in fact, make a soup. A tasty soup! Next time I will follow the instructions to a T
Hey Christine,
Lol well thanks so much for trying the recipe, I’m so glad to hear it was tasty and that you will make again:)
This recipe has potential but it definitely needs a few tweaks. I almost doubled the liquid (3 cups of broth and 1.75 cups of milk) and it was still dry. It’s good, but does not have the creamy sauce had pictured. I also used rotisserie chicken instead of adding it in the beginning:)
Hey Kristen,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your detailed feedback! I hope you will make it again:)
This was very good! I read reviews about it coming out dry, so I used half the pasta and kept everything else the same. Will definitely make this again!
Hey Molly,
Happy Monday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you!
Overall this is good, but needed a few tweaks to make it great, as other mentioned it needs more liquid so added an extra cup of homemade chicken stock. I swapped in scallions and shallots for half the onion which added a little variety and color and added about 3 oz of cream cheese that I needed to use up, which helped to bring it all together with a creamy emulsion.
Hey Lisa,
Awesome! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it!
Have a great week ahead!
Excellent meal—whole fam loved it, thank you!
Hey Cari,
Love to hear this! Thanks for making this dish and your comment! Hope you are having a great Sunday!
This was a good quick dinner. I did add more liquid based on other reviews and I’m glad that I did.
Hey Kristen,
Awesome! Glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks for making it!
Have a great week!
I thought this was delicious. My
Husband did too. It was easy to make and used ingredients that I often have in the house. Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Lauren,
Your feedback means a lot, thanks for trying this recipe. I’m happy it delivered!
This was a lot of work to make and not that great. It was very dry and I nearly ruined my favourite pot, trying to cook pasta along with all those other ingredients, because it got stuck to the bottom.
Why not just cook the pasta properly on its own and then add it?
Hi Greg,
Sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed. Thanks for making it and your comment.
Was good but dry! I added more liquid after reading comments but still ended up being dry.
Hi Christina,
Thanks for making this casserole and your feedback, very sorry to hear it was dry for you!
My family loved this! Thank you! It’s a keeper!!
Hey Gina,
Yay! Love to hear this, thanks so much for making this recipe!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I have a rotisserie chicken that I need to get rid of. Would this recipe work with shredded rotisserie chicken rather than starting with raw chicken, or would it end up too dry?
Hi Rose,
Yes, that would be just fine for you to do!
I hope you love this recipe!
Definitely will be making again! Family favorite for sure
Love to hear this, Lauren! Thanks so much!
Baked it for 10 minutes and it was so dry it almost stuck to the pan. It had potential!
Hi Anna,
Very sorry to hear this. Thanks for trying the recipe and your feedback!
Made this the first time tonight.
It’s a keeper, will definitely be making it again
Hey Sheri,
Wonderful! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a bunch for giving it a try!