This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Casserole. Swapping the canned goods once used in this recipe, and making my family’s favorite chicken noodle casserole just a little healthier, plus so much tastier! Think of this casserole as a creamy baked version of chicken noodle soup, with shredded chicken, vegetables, noodles and topped with salty, crunchy Kettle Brand Potato Chips. Comfort food at its best, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
There are a few foods I ate a lot of while growing up, chicken and rice, pasta with butter, pot roast, tacos, and chicken noodle casserole. Typical kid friendly foods, typical midwest foods, Gerard classics. You’ve probably noticed, but I don’t really share that kind of food here on HBH. Yes, plenty of chicken and rice, ok, pasta and tacos too, but the casseroles are not something I dive into all that much. That said, I still make these foods every so often, especially when a brother comes into town…because they are family favorites.
With the official start of fall coming next week, and my older brother’s recent visit, I thought it was the perfect time to take one of his favorite recipes and make it 100% from scratch. If you’ve ever made chicken noodle casserole, then you know it’s typically filled with a lot of canned soup and processed ingredients. I’m really not a fan of using canned soup (and definitely don’t like using processed ingredients). So I ditched the cans and made a completely homemade version of our longtime family favorite, chicken noodle casserole. This recipe is simple to make, healthier, and so comforting.
My goal when I set out to make this casserole was to make it as close to the original as possible, but without using any weird ingredients, and also to bump up the vegetable content.
Here’s all the nitty-gritty details.
Basically we’re making chicken noodle soup, so the recipe starts with the usual onion, garlic, and carrot combo. You’ll season everything with fresh herbs and sprinkle in a little bit of flour to help thicken the soup base. To make things creamy, but not too rich, I stirred in whole milk instead of heavy cream.
The key to making this dish delicious is the noodles, chicken, and bread ratios. You’ll want lots of egg noodles, some chicken, and good bread to make the flavors and textures spot on, and just like the classic casserole I grew up eating. Also, if you wanted to add in more veggies, I would recommend stirring in frozen peas or chopped broccoli florets.
So that’s the base of the dish, chicken noodle soup, thickened up and made creamy. Delicious.
But, no casserole is complete without a crunchy topping. Enter in the Kettle Brand potato chips. Oh my gosh. If you’ve never used potato chips as a crunchy topping for baked casseroles like mac and cheese, potatoes, and of course chicken noodle casserole, you are totally missing out.
Side Note: you can really see my midwest roots shining through in today’s recipe. I kind of love it.
I’ve been crunching up potato chips and using them in place of breadcrumbs for years. They just make baked casseroles that much better and give them a whole new, deliciously salty finish. SO GOOD. I use Kettle Brand chips because they’re perfectly salted (this is very important). They’re also sturdy enough to hold up to oven baking.
I’ve made this several times since first testing the recipe. It is now safe to say that all of my family (and friends) love this homemade chicken noodle casserole soo much. Therefore, I’ve decided that going back to my mom and dad’s outdated “retro” recipe is just not an option.
As I always like to say, homemade is best.
Excited to have this recipe in my back pocket for cozy fall and winter dinners to come. Best part? I can make it ahead of time and then just bake before dinner, AND, this recipe works perfectly to freeze and bake later as well!
You see, perfection.
Watch the How To Video:
If you make these homemade chicken noodle casserole, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Homemade Chicken Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped
- kosher salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 cups cubed whole grain bread
- 2 cups uncooked egg noodles
- 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded or cubed chicken
- 1 cup crushed Kettle Brand potato chips
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9×13 inch baking dish or large round baker.2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes, season with salt + pepper. Add the butter, carrots and garlic and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme and cayenne. 3. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and cook, stirring to incorporate, for another minute. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and milk, season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a low boil and then reduce the heat to medium, simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley. Let cool until no longer hot to touch, then stir in the eggs.4. Add the cubed bread, noodles, and chicken, tossing to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top evenly with Kettle Chips. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the the top is golden. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
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.
{This post is sponsored by Kettle Brand. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!!}
Some of the noodles were partially crunchy because they wouldn’t submerge fully. Thoughts?
Hey Loren! I’m so sorry about that! Is there anything you did differently in the recipe? xxTieghan
No. But I did use a 9×13 pan and the egg noodles were pretty long. I’m just wondering if maybe I should’ve used a smaller pan.
I would try using short, classic egg noodles next time:)
This was delicious! I used a bit more broth and chicken but otherwise followed the recipe and it was perfect! My kids cleaned their plates!
Hey Jessica! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! ? xTieghan
Hi. Quick question! I’m making this tonight. Is the bread absolutely necessary? I am going to put an extra cup of chicken in it as my family likes things meaty. Thanks! I’ll come back with a review after I make it.
Could I use almond milk instead of whole milk?
Hey there,
Sure, almond milk will work just fine for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
My son now can’t have gluten, do gluten free noodles work well in this one?
Hey Kelley,
Yes, those will be just fine to use. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Quick question, my son LOVES chicken noodle soup, but can’t have egg noodles. Would Fideo pasta work or another cut? Thank you!!
Hey Lisa,
Any noodle you like will work here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My husband and I really enjoyed this! The only change I made was to use almond milk, since that’s what I had on hand. I had to use a bit more flour to thicken the sauce. Comforting and yummy. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
What brand of bread did you use in this recipe? Looking to try it this week. Thank you in advance!
Hey Jodi,
I used a whole grain bread from Whole Foods! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Best comfort food! I made the soup base without the bread and lined my casserole dish with frozen tater tots which I topped with the soup and baked. It was so good and everyone loved it. This will be my new winter comfort meal! Thanks Tieghan!!
Hey Katie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi there Tieghan,
I am super eager to make this recipe for dinner one night this week!! Just curious, would I have to alter the directions at all if i subbed regular noodles for the egg noodles?
Thank you!
-Jamie
Hey Jamie,
Nope, you can follow the recipe as is! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Would any noodle work for this casserole? I’d like to make this tonight but don’t have egg noodles on hand! Thank you!
Planning on making this tomorrow. I cook a lot. I’ve never put uncooked noodles in a casserole? Is there enough moisture to cook the noodles? I always seem to modify recipes.
Hey Jennifer,
Yes, just follow the recipe as is:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I wanted to love this recipe but, I feel like I missed something? My egg noodle tips near the surface were not cooked and crunchy. And the noodles below were cooked perfectly. Maybe I should have added the egg noodles in during the cooling step? In your photos the noodles appeared cooked. I’ll try again another time! Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Amanda,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe. Did you adjust anything in the dish? The noodles should be fully cooked once done. Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
I made this last night for our dinner and it had really good flavor! I’m not sure about the bread crumbs. I could take them or leave them. I would add the noodles to the simmer at the end just to make sure they get softened a little bit more. Some of our noodles were still crunchy. And per my husband’s request, I will add peas next time. Thanks for another great recipe!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you, Martha! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Any tips on how to prevent the noodles near the top from overcooking and hardening in the oven?
Hey Jill,
You can cover with foil until the last 15 minutes of baking. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan