Chicken Mac and Cheese turns a boxed-dinner shortcut into a meal that actually fills everybody up, with tender chicken and creamy cheddar sauce baked right into the pasta. You don’t boil the noodles or cook the chicken first. Stir it all together and let the oven do the rest!
More Dump-and-Bake Pasta Casseroles:
Before You Get Started
Everything goes into the dish raw, which is what makes this so easy. It also means a few small things matter more than they would in a stovetop version:
- Keep the pasta submerged. Press the noodles down under the liquid before the dish goes in the oven. Anything sitting above the line bakes up dry instead of soaking up sauce.
- Dice the chicken small. Aim for about half-inch pieces. Bigger chunks won’t cook through in the same hour the pasta needs. If you’re starting with cooked rotisserie chicken, just shred or dice the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Grate the cheddar yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to keep it from clumping in the bag, so it never melts as smoothly into the sauce.
How to Make Chicken Mac and Cheese
Do you ever throw together a box of mac and cheese and call it dinner? This is that, with chicken and a couple veggies stirred in so it holds up as a real meal.
Step 1: Whisk Together the Sauce
Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In the prepared pan, whisk together both cans of condensed soup, the milk, and the broth until combined and smooth.
Step 2: Stir in the Remaining Ingredients
Add the uncooked pasta, cheese, chicken, onion, and pimentos.
Give the top a press with the back of a spoon so the pasta settles under the liquid. It will look soupy at this stage. The noodles absorb most of that as they bake.
⇢ Protein Swaps: Diced ham goes in raw with no other changes, the same way it works in my Ham and Cheese Casserole. Ground beef needs to be browned and drained first, or try my Mac and Cheese with Ground Beef instead.
Step 3: Bake It (or Chill It for Later)
Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 1 hour, until the pasta is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Around the 30 minute mark, give it a quick stir so any noodles that worked their way to the surface get back down into the sauce.
⇢ Prep Ahead: Cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours if you prefer to assemble the casserole in advance.
Step 4: Let It Rest
Give the casserole about 10 minutes out of the oven before you serve it. The sauce may be a little loose right when it comes out, and that short rest is the difference between a clean scoop and a puddle on the plate.
Rounding Out the Plate
This is rich and starchy on its own, so something green is really all it needs. Garlic Roasted Broccoli is my first pick, since it’s a reliably family-friendly option that keeps everyone happy.
A few other sides that work just as well:
- Southern Style Green Beans
- House Salad with Candied Pecans
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Classic Homemade Coleslaw
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
I’d skip the bread with this one. There’s plenty of pasta on the plate already.
Storage
To store: Cover leftovers tightly or move them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To freeze: You can freeze this either way. To freeze it unbaked, assemble the casserole in the dish, cover it tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed. To freeze leftovers, cool them completely first. Keep in mind that noodles can come out a little softer after freezing and thawing.
To reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Cover and warm in a 325°F oven until heated through, roughly 15 to 30 minutes depending on how much you’re reheating, or microwave individual portions. A splash of milk stirred in loosens the sauce back up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken?
Yes, and that’s how I’ve shown it in these images. You don’t need to change anything else. Stir in about 2 cups of shredded or diced cooked chicken in place of the raw, and keep the liquid and the bake time the same. The pasta is what sets the timing here, not the chicken, so an hour in the oven won’t dry out meat that’s already cooked. This is a good use for leftovers from a roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie bird.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Short shapes with some texture to catch the sauce work well, so cavatappi, rotini, small shells, or penne are all good swaps for the elbows. Use the same 2 cups by volume. Thicker or larger shapes take longer to soften, so start checking around the 1 hour mark and give it more time if the pasta still has bite. Whole wheat pasta works too, though it usually needs an extra 5 to 10 minutes.
Why is the top of my mac and cheese dry or crunchy?
That’s almost always noodles that sat above the liquid line while the dish baked. Pasta only softens where it’s submerged, so anything poking out dries into hard little pieces instead of soaking up sauce. Press the top down before it goes in the oven, and stir once about halfway through.
If you catch it after the fact, stir the crunchy bits down into the sauce and give it another 5 minutes in the oven.
Can I use a different condensed soup?
Cream of chicken is what I use, but condensed cheddar cheese soup, cream of mushroom, or cream of celery all work in the same amount. Cheddar soup makes it noticeably cheesier, and mushroom gives it a more savory, casserole-style flavor. Just keep the total at two 10.5-ounce cans so the liquid stays balanced against the dry pasta.
More Easy Mac and Cheese Dinners
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Chicken Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- 9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (I use 2%)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 lb. uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced or 2 cups diced or shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup finely-diced onion (use frozen chopped onion for a shortcut)
- 1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained
Instructions
- Prep the dish: Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Whisk the sauce: In the prepared dish, whisk together the milk, broth, and condensed soups.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Stir in the uncooked pasta, cheese, chicken, onion, and pimentos. Make sure that the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the dish.
- Bake: Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 1 hour, stirring once around the 30 minute mark, until the pasta is tender and the chicken is cooked through. See the notes if you prefer to assemble the dish ahead and bake it later.
- Rest and serve: Let the casserole sit for about 10 minutes before serving so the sauce sets.
Notes
- Grate your own cheese: Pre-shredded cheddar is coated to prevent clumping and doesn’t melt as smoothly. A block you grate yourself gives you a creamier sauce.
- Assemble in advance: You can stir together the casserole, cover, and chill for up to 24 hours before baking. Let the dish sit on the counter and come to room temp for about 30-60 minutes before it goes in the oven.
- Keep the pasta submerged: Noodles sitting above the liquid bake up dry and crunchy. Press the top down before baking and stir once halfway through.
- Cooked chicken: Swap in about 2 cups of diced rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken (shown here), or diced ham, with no change to the liquid or the bake time.
- Ground beef: Brown and drain it before stirring it in.
- Soup swaps: Condensed cheddar cheese, cream of mushroom, or cream of celery soup all work in place of the cream of chicken.
- Go easy on the salt: The soup, broth, and cheese bring plenty of sodium. Taste before adding more.
- Cooking for two: Cut everything in half and bake in an 8-inch square pan. Start checking about 5 minutes early.
- To store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Assemble, cover tightly, and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed. Noodles may be slightly softer after freezing.
- To reheat: Cover and warm in a 325°F oven, about 15 to 30 minutes, or microwave individual portions. Stir in a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
Originally published in December, 2017, this post was updated in October, 2026.
This looks like such a warm and cozy dinner, Blair! I bet your boys love this! My husband would too…you can’t go wrong with mac ‘n cheese and I love the chicken in here. Definitely perfect comfort food, especially for the winter!
It’s so darn cozy, Gayle! Thank you! I hope that you have a great weekend!
This sounds like my kind of recipe…quick and easy , and , no doubt , delicious ! I have a family of pasta lovers so you can never have too many variations . I plan on making this…soon…and was wondering if it is necessary to make it ahead or can you make it and pop it in the oven right away ? 🙂
Hey, Cindy! That’s great — I’m so glad that you’re going to try it!
The recipe should work fine, even if you don’t refrigerate it in advance. That just gives the pasta time to absorb the liquid a bit and get more tender, but it will still be perfect without that prep time! Enjoy!
Made this tonight and it was DELISH. The onions and pimentos really add to it. However, the layer of noddles at the top were crunchy from being cooked a little bit out of the liquid, so I’m going to try to mix it halfway through so all the noodles are fully submerged for at least half the bake. Again, it was just the top layer, I mixed it up and stuck it back in for five minutes, and I almost didn’t notice it when we ate it.
I did prep it the night before, so it sat in liquid overnight as well.
Definitely will make again. Might microwave some peas and carrots toward the end of the bake next time and toss them in right before serving to get an easy veg in there.
Thanks, Emily! I’m so glad that it was a hit!
Thank you for the quick response and feedback . I think l’ll make it in advance…sounds like the best option ! Always enjoy your recipes ! Have a great Christmas ! ????
Awesome! But again — I wouldn’t worry about it if you don’t have a chance to prep it ahead. It will be totally great either way! 🙂
can you somehow prep, freeze and then cook?
Hi, Diane! Yes, I think it would be a great freezer meal! I would just assemble everything in the dish, as instructed. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Then, when you’re ready to bake, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight and proceed with the baking as instructed. Enjoy!
Thanks! Wasnt sure how that would work given the pasta needs to soak a bit. I just found your site and love it. Adding so many recipes to my make-ahead meal plan days. With two working parents and two toddlers, we need this kind of food!
Yep, it should work just fine!
I’m so glad that you’ve found some good meal options to suit your lifestyle. My recipes are definitely perfect for families like yours! 🙂
Could you make this in the crockpot or casserole crockpot?
Hi, Jamie! Yes, I *think* that it would work well in the slow cooker or casserole crockpot; however, I have not actually tested it myself. As a result, I can’t tell you exactly how long you would need to cook the dish if you go with that method. You’d just have to keep an eye on it or estimate the first time around. 🙂 Let me know if you give it a try!
I have a question. I’m planning to make the smaller serving size. Do I need to adjust any times? Also, could you use Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese soup instead of Cream of Chicken Soup?
I’m new hear but really enjoying everything I’ve seen thus far..
Hi, Joan! You shouldn’t need to adjust the cooking time too much, but with the smaller dish you might check it about 5 minutes before the timer goes off since it may be done a tiny bit quicker. There shouldn’t be a drastic difference, though.
As far as the soup goes, YES — the condensed cheddar soup should be fine (or any other “cream of…” flavor as well). Enjoy!
Is this good with potato chips on top, kind of like a hot chicken salad recipe?
That would probably be great! I actually have a hot chicken salad recipe with potato chips on top here: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/hot-chicken-salad-casserole/
Do you need to add salt and pepper?
Hi, Susan! That’s totally up to you. I didn’t add any salt or pepper because I find that the dish has enough sodium from the condensed soup, cheese, and chicken broth. You can always add it at the end if you think it needs something more, though! 🙂
Does the cheese get mixed in with the rest of the ingredients or do I add it on the top?
Hi, Kelly! Thanks for catching that typo — I just fixed it! The cheese gets stirred into the dish at the same time that you add the uncooked pasta and the chicken. Hope you enjoy!
Hi there, found this when looking for a way to combine chicken and macaroni and cheese. I LOVE the fact that you don’t even have to cook the chicken. Would you have any advice, however, if the pasta is a wheat pasta? Should it still be soft enough if the dish was prepped and sat in the fridge overnight, or for a certain amount of time, or do you think the pasta would actually have to be cooked first?
Thanks in advance. I look forward to giving this a try.
Hi, Audrey! You shouldn’t need to cook the pasta first. Sometimes whole wheat pasta requires a little bit longer cooking time than regular white pasta, so the only difference would be that you might need to extend the total baking time. I would start with the suggested time, check it, and then continue baking until the pasta is tender. You don’t want to overcook the pasta or it will be mushy, so keep an eye on it. 🙂
Hello! Could I try this with a different type of pasta? I’m thinking of cavatappi. Thanks!
Hi, Sarah! Absolutely! You might need to bake the cavatappi a little bit longer (I’m not sure), so just keep an eye on it when it gets closer to the 1 hour mark. Enjoy!
Hi there! I want to make this using leftover rotisserie chicken. What would I need to adjust if the chicken is pre-cooked? Thank you!
Hi, Ashlee! That will work fine, and you shouldn’t need to change a thing. The pasta will still need the same amount of time to cook through, so I wouldn’t adjust the cooking time at all. The chicken should be fine in the dish for an hour in the oven. Hope you enjoy!
If I want to use beef instead of chicken, should I use beef broth instead of chicken broth?
That’s totally up to you. Either will work, so use whichever you have on hand or whichever you prefer the taste of. 🙂
If I used about 2 cups of either cooked chicken or ham instead of raw, should I increase the amount of liquid to cook the pasta? Thanks!
Hi, Marion! No, you do not need to increase the liquid. 🙂
I tried this tonight and everybody loved it, thanks
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review, Lloyd.
Just found this today! Our stove top is out of order at the moment and I wanted a warm yummy and easy comfort pasta dish with zero effort for the oven.
I’ll come back once we have cooked and eaten!
Sorry to hear about your stovetop, Kris! We hope you enjoy the recipe.
Hello! Wondering if I make this and then freeze extra, what would the reheat instructions be? Thanks!
Hi, Teagan! I would thaw the leftovers in the fridge overnight. Then reheat (covered) in a 325°F or microwave individual portions briefly. Add a splash of milk to loosen sauce if needed. Keep in mind, though — freezing and then thawing noodles can result in a slightly mushy texture. 🙂
Thank you!! And how long for the reheat?
I’m not sure, Teagan. You’ll just have to keep an eye on it and pull it out when it’s warm. I would guess anywhere from about 15-30 minutes! 🙂