Creamy Chicken Casserole has a made-from-scratch sauce and a crunchy parmesan Ritz topping that takes it over the top. Your family will love this easy dinner!
The secret to what makes this recipe SO good, is the parmesan Ritz topping. Seriously though, we love everything about this dish. You won’t find a cream-of-anything in here, as we are keeping it old school with this made from scratch sauce, just like your mom made it.
If you’ve never made sauce from scratch before, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is. You’ll start with a roux, which is a mixture of 50/50 fat and flour (not to be confused with a slurry or gravy), which you will then add to with your liquid of choice. Depending on the recipe, chicken and beef broth are common, however, we frequently find ourselves reaching for the carton of milk.
Pro tip: make sure you let the butter and flour mixture cook for a full 1-2 minutes before adding in the broth. Raw flour really needs that time to cook for the best flavor. Also, don’t rush pouring the chicken broth and milk. Trust us.
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Do I have to use Ritz crackers?
No, you really don’t. You do want to use some sort of butter style cracker though. Do you eat as organically as possible? Grab some Late July Classic Crackers! Want your dollar to stretch further? Generic store brand isn’t missing anything! Use what works best for your family.
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Does Creamy Chicken Casserole work with any other type of pasta?
This recipe uses egg noodles, but we’re big believers in using what you have on hand as much as possible, without sacrificing the intent of the recipe. Any short, tube-shaped pasta would work well here: Penne, Rigatoni, and Ziti are great examples of this. These pastas can handle the thick sauce.
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My kids hate peas. Can I use a different vegetable?
We’ve all been there. Picky eaters can make or break a family meal. Broccoli is a stellar substitute in this casserole. Simply steam your broccoli florets first before adding in with the chicken.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious casserole recipes:
- Mom’s Chicken Pot Pie
- The Best Tuna Casserole
- Creamy Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Best Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Find yourself a good marinade for the chicken and marinade it overnight. Used plain panko bread crumbs sprayed with olive oil, instead of Ritz crackers since they don’t taste to me like they used to. Also used a wild rice blend instead of noodles.
I am allergic to making recipies as they are posted, so I made some subs to accommodate what I had on hand, and my husbands taste buds for maximal leftover eating. I added the spicy original Dan-o’s seasoning and a tiny bit of lawrys. Didn’t have ritz crackers (for some reason I can’t keep them in my house very long!) so I used whole wheat panko, and a little bit of store brand velveta (need to get rid of it) in addition to the cheddar cheese. The sauce wasn’t super thick but I think it worked out fine since the noodles soak it up pretty well while baking. Husband and toddler loved it, will def make again!
Made 8 large servings and only had 3/4lb leftover chicken. I also used crushed up potato chips to use up what I already had instead of ritz. Everyone loved it and I loved being able to make it in advance. Tip- make your sauce in your noodle pot after you drain for one less thing to clean!
I liked the dish a lot and i gave it a 5 star, but…using only 1/4 cup of flour the dish was runny /in the future i will use 1/3 cup. When i read the recipe i was thinking 4 cups of liquid is a lot and i waited and waited for the sauce to thicken , but it didn’t, that is the only flaw i find with this dish but all in all it is a great recipe
Definitely making this one again. Thank you!
I made this as written and everyone enjoyed, my three young daughters, my husband, all of us. The only change I would make is half the recipe. It makes a ton. All 5 of us only finishes 1/3 of the recipe at most. But leftovers tomorrow.
Very easy prep., however, it did take me a little longer since I had to debone my chicken. Once that was done it went quickly. I didn’t add peas (family is not crazy about them) . Broth from boiled chicken (instead of canned) was used, and it turned out great. As my husband says, “laripin”!
Scrumptious!!
This was fantastic! Not too hard and very flavorful! Make a large amount so it’s great for a bigger family.
Had lots of good comments from my family and friends who ate it.
I made one change and added some Cajun seasoning for a little kick.
Will definitely make this again!
This is delicious! I made it just like the recipe, did not deviate one bit!
Loved it & so did my husband!