Cheesy Chicken casserole

This simple Cheesy Chicken Casserole is made with spaghetti, succulent chicken bits, and a rich tomato sauce, all smothered in mozzarella cheese and baked till bubbling. A soothing dinner that is unquestionably delicious and simple to make!

There is much information in the following article that will help you create the most delicious cheesy chicken casserole you have ever tasted.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

This cheesy chicken casserole is a very quiet easy traditional comfort dish.
There are no fancy ingredients, and it is incredibly simple to customize.
Everyone will be lining up for this cheesy chicken dish at the dinner table because it has a cheesy texture that makes you feel so good.
Make use of leftover chicken and experiment with different cheese options.
This cheesy chicken casserole can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake, so you can make it today and bake it tomorrow!

What Is Cheesy Chicken casserole?

What could be more reassuring than a wonderful meal of pasta? But hold on! This isn’t just any old pasta dish; it’s a Cheesy Chicken Casserole. Toss anything with cheese in the oven, and I’ll be there!

Tender chicken breast chunks, pasta shells, a can of diced tomatoes, and plenty of mozzarella cheese Add a few spices and aromatics and bake until bubbling.

Ingredients That You’ll Need:

Pasta: I used pasta shells, but you can use whatever sort of pasta you like in this meal, such as bow-tie pasta, penne, rigatoni, and so on!
Chicken: Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, sliced into 1-inch pieces You can also use chicken thighs.
Olive Oil: Substitute sunflower, safflower, or avocado oil for olive oil.
Butter: To keep the sodium in check, I used unsalted butter.
Tomatoes: canned diced tomatoes Crushed tomatoes can also be used.
Chicken Broth: I always choose low sodium chicken broth.
Herbs: Dried oregano and basil are used as herbs. You can also use an Italian seasoning blend.
Garlic and onion: garlic and onion are important to taste enhancers.
Red Pepper Flakes: For a spicy kick. If you don’t want any heat, you can substitute spicy sauce or nothing at all.
Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded: Feel free to use your favorite cheese, such as Parmesan, Emmental, or Monterey Jack. My only suggestion, Jack, is to shred your cheese.

A quick tip. Check to see our previous post on How Long To Bake A Whole Chicken At 350 to learn how long it takes to cook chicken at home for this tasty dish.

Do you have to cook chicken before putting it in a casserole?

If you’re making your casserole in the oven, brown your chicken first. This entails wrapping the skin around the chicken cut to ensure that it is partially cooked. The chicken will be cooked the rest of the way through by the liquids in the dish.

How Long To Cook A Cheesy Chicken Casserole?

Prepare and assemble your Cheesy Chicken Casserole after it has been coated with cooking spray. Put the casserole in an oven at 350°F for 40 minutes to an hour.

How To Make Cheesy Chicken casserole?

Cook the Pasta: In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions.
Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 375°F.
Cook the chicken as follows: Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper before adding it to the chicken. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes, or until it is no longer pink.
Aromatics should be added: Melt the butter in the skillet. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onions soften and become translucent. Sauté for another 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant.
Finish with the Sauce: Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then stir in the oregano, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring the chicken broth to a boil, skimming occasionally. Bring the chicken stock to a boil, scraping off all the brown bits as you go. Simmer for 5 minutes after adding the smashed tomatoes.
Make the Casserole: Transfer the cooked pasta to a 913-inch casserole dish, drizzle with the chicken tomato sauce, and top with a cup of mozzarella cheese. Toss well. Sprinkle the top of the dish with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake: Place the casserole dish in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly.

Recipe Tips

To prepare a breadcrumb topping, combine 1 tbsp butter and ¼ cup breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top before baking.
You are free to add whatever you like to this dish! Toss in any leftover vegetables, spices, or other ingredients from your fridge.
This recipe can be made with any medium pasta. Cook it until it’s still a little firm; it’ll cook more in the oven.
This chicken casserole recipe can also be made with cooked shredded chicken; the baking time will be reduced, but the dish will still be wonderful!

Recipe Variations

Corn: If you have Mexicorn on hand, you may switch it for the southwest corn.
Rice: Cooked white or brown rice can be used. You’ll need 4 cups of cooked rice, which is about comparable to 1 cup of uncooked rice.
Salsa: If you like, you can substitute canned diced tomatoes with green chiles or Rotel tomatoes for the salsa. If you prefer, you can substitute homemade salsa. For a great alternative, try our Salsa recipe.
Doritos: The nacho cheese Dorito chips can be used with any flavor of Doritos. For an intriguing flavor change, try Cool Ranch Doritos.
Frozen peas: green beans or broccoli and carrots are also excellent additions. Thaw them before baking, or lengthen the baking time by 5-7 minutes when covered.

Can I Make This Cheesy Chicken casserole ahead of time?

To make this casserole ahead of time, prepare everything except the baking. Wrap securely in two layers of foil. Refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.

To bake from the refrigerator, remove the casserole from the fridge and peel away 1 layer of foil. Preheat the oven to 350°F, allowing the casserole to remain on the counter while the oven heats up. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed.
To bake from the freezer, remove the casserole from the freezer and peel away one layer of foil. Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes, covered and then uncovered for 15 minutes.

Cheesy Chicken casserole side view — Cheesy Chicken casserole

Side Dish Recipes To Serve With Cheesy Chicken casserole?

These are a few of our favorite dishes. They go well with most main dishes, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.

Mexican Street Corn: With a few tricks, you’ll have moist, tasty corn that everyone will like. It’s out of this world with a little melted butter on top.
Cornbread With Creamed Corn: This dish is far superior to the canned version and goes well with any meal.
Green Beans Almondine: This is a fantastic recipe because it is so simple to prepare.
Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole: If you want to get your kids to eat their vegetables, this meal is a fantastic place to start.

How To Store Cheesy Chicken casserole?

In The Fridge:

Any leftovers from this Cheesy Chicken Casserole recipe can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

In The Freezer:

Leftover Cheesy Chicken Casserole can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. When it’s time to eat, simply thaw the leftovers in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.

How To Reheat Cheesy Chicken casserole?

In The Oven:

Wrap foil around any remaining Cheesy Chicken Casserole.
Reheat for 8 to 12 minutes at 350°F in the oven.
It is advised that the casserole be cooked to 165°F before serving.

In The microwave:

Wrap a moist paper towel around the Cheesy Chicken Casserole.
Microwave the Cheesy Chicken Casserole for 30 seconds, then at 20-second increments until thoroughly warmed.

In the Air Fryer:

Reheat the leftover Cheesy Chicken Casserole in the air fryer for 3 minutes at 350°F, covered with foil.
Reheat for 2 minutes, or until cooked through, after removing the foil.

What Can Be Substituted For Mozzarella Cheese?

Provolone: When it comes to flavor, provolone is similar to mozzarella. They’re sweet and mild at the same time. However, because Provolone has a stronger scent, be careful not to overpower the other components by using too much.
Burrata: When you don’t have fresh mozzarella, burrata is the finest substitute. It’s creamy, delicate, wet and juicy, and ever so milky and sweet. It can be eaten on its own or added to cooked meals to melt away.
Scamorza: Another curd, stretched cheese created from cow’s milk, similar to mozzarella. If you have scamorza, it has a semi-hard consistency and minimal moisture, similar to store-bought mozzarella rather than fresh mozzarella.
Oaxaca: Oaxaca, a Mexican cheese, is similar to mozzarella, but more buttery and delicious. It, like mozzarella, can melt and provide a delightful bubbling, rich, fatty, crispy exterior with a stringy, gooey side.
Young Gouda: Young gouda is sweet and delicate in flavor, although a little nutty. It melts easily and can be sliced. When cooked, it produces a stringy, melty sweetness, and then added fresh, it does not overshadow other components.

Other Great Recipes for Chicken Casserole:

FAQ Section

Do I bake my casserole uncovered?

In this case, baking the dish uncovered allows the cheese to melt attractively on top.

What Else Can I Add To This Chicken Casserole?

This dish is ideal for incorporating veggies such as mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, and so on. If you want a crispy topping, melt some butter and combine it with some breadcrumbs before sprinkling it over the top of the casserole before baking.

Can I put raw chicken in a casserole?

We usually use pre-cooked meat for our chicken casserole dish. You can use chicken breasts, thighs, or any other leftover chicken. It is safe to use raw chicken because all bacteria are eliminated when the dish reaches 160°F.