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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 casserole!

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole | halfbakedharvest.com

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.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole | halfbakedharvest.com

My broccoli cheddar 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 cheddar 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.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole | halfbakedharvest.com

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 everything to a casserole dish if needed/desired.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole | halfbakedharvest.com

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.

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.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole | halfbakedharvest.com

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?

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole | halfbakedharvest.com

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

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 423 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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. 
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Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole | halfbakedharvest.com

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this Friday! Really good flavor! I made my own bone broth that I used from my freezer I made the previous week. I think that gave it more flavor in the end. Even my son ate it, passed the teen test. He is a super picky eater. I went to heat it up the next day since it makes quite a bit, I don’t think it is great for a leftover meal. Next time I would reduce the ingredients so we won’t have left overs. Other than that its going on my to make again folder for sure. Comfort Food!!! Thank you for this wonderful website!! I love all your recipes and can’t wait to try so much more.

    1. Hi Desiree,
      Happy Monday!! Yum, such a great idea to use homemade bone broth! Thanks for making this dish, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan

  2. 4 stars
    Excellent dish — though needed more broth / milk. I kept adding more, but it ended up needing more than I added. Thanks for the great fall recipe!

  3. 4 stars
    Tried this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole and it was delicious! It’s tasty, easy to make and reheats very well. It’s rare I’m not the only one wanting to eat left overs… ? A keeper! Thank you.

    1. Hey Claire,
      Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for making this dish and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xx

  4. 4 stars
    Thanks for the recipe! You’re my go to recipe inspiration these days, whether the blog or your cookbooks. Loved this. Chicken Soup meets Casserole and lovely for fall. I doubled the carrots and onions because my family loves them and used Gruyère instead of cheddar because that’s what we had. I had to add more broth, salt & pepper because of the extra veggies, but all in all we thought it was great and very flavorful. Looking forward to the next recipe of yours I try, and happy Fall to you!

    1. Hey there,
      Thanks for your kind message and trying so many recipes! I love to hear this one was enjoyed and thanks for sharing what worked well for you! Happy Sunday! xxT

      1. 5 stars
        Made this tonight, was excellent! Perfect dish for a chilly Fall night. I, like others, had to add more broth and even with that, mine was not very creamy per-say, but it was still great and “light.” Will definitely keep it on the list.

        1. Hey Tamara,
          Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for making this dish and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xx

  5. 3 stars
    Meh…I wanted to love it. I really did. Its just super bland and the family agreed. The good news is I doctored it up with more salt, pepper, thyme and garlic powder after baking. Not sure I’d make it again. On to the next HBH recipe…

    1. 2 stars
      A miss for me. It didn’t turn out as saucy as the pic/video,but more dry. I wonder if the measurements posted are accurate? Anyways I love most of hbh stuff, just can’t win em all:)

      1. Hi Jen,
        Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this recipe. Yes, all of the measurements are correct:) Did you stir frequently? xx

  6. 1 star
    It looked so good and sounded good, but we didn’t care for it. One tablespoon olive oil is not enough oil to saute the onions and carrots and then the chicken, you’ll need to add more oil so the chicken doesn’t stick. We only added about a quarter of the pasta called for. I opted to put it in a casserole and bake it as directed. I only blanched the broccoli since I was baking it. The temperature, in my opinion is much too high and the broccoli was way over cooked. As others commented, you really need to use a large pot, not a fry pan as seen in the pictures. All in all, we think it lacked flavor and won’t be making it again.

    1. Hey Marlo,
      Just short cut noodles:) You can follow the recipe as written! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx

  7. 5 stars
    This was so good, especially on a cool, rainy, fall day. My family of 5 all enjoyed it. I started it in my Dutch oven, which worked perfectly. The carrots and broccoli were from my garden, so I was happy to use up my fresh produce. Another win 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    So good, quick, and easy – which was exactly what I needed as I made this while my puppy barked incessantly in the background. I was surprised just how flavorful it was. I upped the cayenne because I need spice to enjoy my meals. Also used orzo as that’s all I had on hand, didn’t add chicken as I oddly didn’t have any, and had to add a little extra broth so the orzo stopped sticking to the bottom of the dutch oven I used. I had a ton of broccoli from the farmers market I needed to use up – so I definitely had more than the recipe called for, which is likely why I needed more liquid too. This will definitely go into my winter weeknight meal rotation!

  9. 3 stars
    Most of the time I absolutely love half baked harvest recipes but this one just wasn’t it for me. It lacked flavor and needed extra liquid to prevent it from getting dry. It wasn’t bad, just very mediocre.

  10. 5 stars
    Okay. I followed the comments advice and doubled the liquid. Big mistake haha. I’m not a rookie in the kitchen so was able to salvage the recipe but wish I had just followed the recipe as written. I’ve made enough HBH recipes to know better! Lesson learned. Flavor was great, my family enjoyed it. Looking forward to making this as instructed in the future.

    1. Hey Bri,
      Thanks so much for trying this recipe! Sorry about the additional liquid:) I hope it turns out great the next time! xTieghan

  11. Agree with Rubianne. I had to transfer everything into a Dutch oven because after adding the broccoli and pasta it didn’t fit into my large casserole pan. There also wasn’t enough liquid and had to add about 1.5 cups more broth while simmering the pasta. Generally your recipes have been a hit with our family so thank you!

  12. 5 stars
    Super delish! I needed to double the amout of liquids to get the 1lb of pasta cooked properly. Thinking that I could have halved the pasta for the same results. Either way it was as tasty as can be and I will make again!

    1. Hi Sue,
      Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan

  13. 3 stars
    Good in theory but not achievable with standard pot and casserole dish – there was simply too much pasta and not enough of everything else.

    We suggest using half a box of pasta (there was no way a standard pot and casserole dish would ever hold the amount of ingredients suggested in this recipe!!), double the chicken (perhaps shred?) and carrots, and only add the broccoli in final 5 minutes of simmering the pasta otherwise the broccoli turns to mush. We also added peas in an attempt to achieve the “healthy ish” tag included on this recipe.