For a healthy and easy dinner with just 5 minutes of prep, you can’t beat a dump-and-bake chicken mushroom casserole. You don’t even have to boil the pasta or pre-cook the chicken!
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If you love the ease of dump-and-bake dinners, be sure to try this dump-and-bake chicken tzatziki with rice, a pan of chicken and wild rice pilaf, this flavorful chicken pesto Alfredo pasta, chicken pot pie with biscuits, and our favorite cheesy chicken orzo casserole with broccoli, too!
Made this tonight for dinner and I just had to go back and sneak a couple bites – it was SO GOOD AND so EASY!! When my husband and daughter came in the door they immediately asked “What’s for dinner? It smells SO GOOD!” It was a huge hit and will definitely be going into our dinner rotation. Not only that, but what a great Meal Train casserole! This is a keeper – thanks for sharing!
– Kylie
A Few Notes Before You Get Started
- Pick up a container of pre-sliced fresh mushrooms for even quicker prep — no cleaning or cutting required! White button mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms will all work.
- Make sure that the sour cream is at room temperature (not too cold) when you stir it into the dish. This will ensure that the sour cream blends smoothly into the sauce and doesn’t “break” or separate when it hits the hot casserole.
- Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use and on your individual oven. A glass or ceramic casserole dish will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the pasta. The noodles should be tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed.
Directions
This dump-and-bake chicken casserole with cream of mushroom soup makes weeknight dinners quick and easy! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Whisk together the creamy sauce.
- Add the uncooked penne pasta, the uncooked chicken, and the sliced mushrooms. This looks like a lot of liquid, but the pasta will absorb most of the sauce while the casserole bakes.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish.
- Bake the casserole, covered, until the pasta is almost tender. Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the noodles will become mushy.
- Remove the foil and give everything a good stir in the dish.
- Add the sour cream, and sprinkle the mozzarella on top.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 5 more minutes, until the pasta is tender, the chicken is cooked through, and the cheese is melted.
- Let the dish stand for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish the creamy chicken casserole with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs (such as parsley or fresh thyme) for an added layer of flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Pair your chicken mushroom casserole with simple, fresh sides like a green salad dressed in red wine vinegar dressing, sauteed spinach, Southern-style green beans, roasted broccoli, or roasted yellow squash. You might also like a basket of Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, garlic bread, or 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the casserole a few hours in advance, or even leave it covered in the fridge overnight before baking. The pasta will start to soften and absorb some of the liquid as it sits, so you may need to decrease the baking time slightly. You don’t want to overcook the casserole or you’ll end up with gummy, mushy pasta.
- How to Store: This casserole is best enjoyed immediately from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing the casserole, since the creamy sauce can “break” or separate when thawed.
- How to Reheat: Cover the dish with foil and warm in a 350°F oven just until heated through, about 20 minutes. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for about 1 minute.
Hi Blair! After cooking for 45 years, I’m looking for easy — but delicious! I LOVE dump recipes, and this one sure fits the bill. I was a little nervous about using uncooked pasta, but it works!! I’ve already made it twice to rave reviews from hubby. Thanks for a delicious meal!
– Michelle
More Dump-and-Bake Chicken Casserole Recipes to Try
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Vegetable Casserole
45 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole
45 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Mushroom Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I used Campbell’s Healthy Request)
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- ½ lb. raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 ½ cups dry uncooked penne pasta (about 5 ounces dry)
- ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- Optional garnish: grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together condensed soup, milk, chicken broth, thyme, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Stir in mushrooms, raw chicken, and uncooked pasta.
- Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes (until pasta is almost tender).
- Remove foil and give everything a stir in the dish. Stir in sour cream, and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top.
- Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 5 more minutes, or until pasta is tender, chicken is cooked through, and cheese is melted.
- Let the dish stand for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pick up a container of pre-sliced fresh mushrooms for even quicker prep — no cleaning or cutting required! White button mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms will all work.
- Make sure that the sour cream is at room temperature (not too cold) when you stir it into the dish. This will ensure that the sour cream blends smoothly into the sauce and doesn’t “break” or separate when it hits the hot casserole.
- Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use and on your individual oven. A glass or ceramic casserole dish will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the pasta. The noodles should be tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed.
Nutrition
Chicken Mushroom Casserole Recipe Variations
- I use raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast that’s cut into bite-size pieces. You can substitute with boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer the dark meat.
- Have leftover cooked chicken on hand? You can use cooked chicken in lieu of raw chicken. Stir the cooked chicken into the casserole at the same time as you add the sour cream.
- I use Campbell’s Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup, but you can substitute with an organic condensed soup or with another flavor of condensed soup (such as Cream of Celery soup or Cream of Chicken Soup).
- If you’d like to add onions to the casserole, I recommend sauteing them in a large skillet with butter before adding them to the casserole. This way you’ll know that they’re soft in the finished dish, rather than biting into a crunchy onion.
- Season the sauce with additional herbs and spices that you enjoy. Good options include onion powder, rosemary, basil, parsley, oregano, and chives.
- If using a different shape of pasta, look for a variety that has a similar suggested cooking time on the box (about 11-12 minutes) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
- Add a splash of dry sherry or dry white wine to the sauce for even more flavor.
- For a similar dish with slightly different ingredients, try this dump-and-bake chicken pot pie pasta.
This post was originally published in January, 2016. It was updated in September, 2024.
I absolutely LOVE mushrooms, so I feel like this dish was meant for me! My husband doesn’t really like them, which is fine because then I get to eat them ALL! 🙂 This casserole looks fantastic, Blair! I love how easy it is to make, too. Sounds like the perfect winter meal!
Thanks, Gayle! I love mushrooms too, but my boys aren’t necessarily as excited about them. Something about combining them with pasta and a creamy sauce makes even the tentative mushroom eater happy! 🙂
I have to admit, I’m not too fond of mushrooms. But the hubster loves them, so I try to cook with them as often as I can tolerate. I love the simplicity of this casserole. It would be great for a weeknight meal, when I don’t feel like slaving for dinner!
No problem, Jen! You can easily pick around the mushrooms and leave them all for your hubby (that’s how my second son does it)! 🙂
What a yummy casserole, Blair! And a very light one, too, by the looks of it, with no cream in there! I’ve pinned this as it looks too good to miss out on! 😀
Exactly, Lisa! It’s actually very light…but you’d never know it from the taste or texture! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Would it work to put this casserole together the night before and refrigerate it overnight to bake the next morning?
Hi, Rhonda! Yes! I think that should work really well!
Mom, my brother, and I loved this! I used less thyme than called for, otherwise followed recipe. Next time I will add some freshky ground peppee and a bit of paprika.
Awesome! Thanks, June!
Would you adjust the cook time if you’re using precooked chicken?
Hi, Maureen! No, you don’t want to adjust the total cooking time because the pasta needs that long to bake. I would stir the cooked chicken into the dish at the end (when you add the sour cream) so that it has time to warm up in the oven, but it doesn’t get overdone during the full cooking time. Enjoy!
Blair, could I substitute egg noodles for the pasta?
Hi, Marge! The penne that I used has a suggested cooking time on the box of 11-12 minutes. If you can find egg noodles that have a similar suggested cooking time, they should work perfectly. If your egg noodles have a recommended time that’s less than 11 minutes, you may need to decrease the total time in the oven by about 5 minutes (or increase the baking time for a noodle that requires longer). Hope that makes sense!
This looks like a new recipe. Do you still have the previous one before it was updated? I really preferred the older one, that wasn’t a dump and bake. I should have printed it off!
Hi, Abby! Sure! Here’s the old recipe:
Simple Chicken and Mushroom Pasta Bake
Serves: 6-8
Prep: 25 mins
Bake: 25 mins
12 ounces uncooked small pasta (I use mini penne)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2/3 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 (16 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms (approximately 4-5 cups)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta until just al dente, according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until tender, approximately 7-8 minutes. Remove mushrooms from skillet and set aside.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet. Add flour and stir to cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in broth, milk, salt and thyme and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Allow sauce to cook until it thickens, whisking regularly so that the sauce is smooth (about 10 minutes).
Remove from heat, stir in cooked pasta, mushrooms, and chicken.
Transfer chicken mixture to prepared dish. Top with mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Cover and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove cover and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.
This made a nice meal. I was looking for a way to use up some homemade creamy mushroom soup and this fit the bill. I tossed in half a bag of frozen peas along with the sour cream to make it a true one dish meal.
Sounds perfect. Thanks, Christine!
Hi Blair!
Could sun-dried tomatoes be substituted for the mushrooms? Neither my daughter nor I are fans of mushrooms, but we both love sun-dried tomatoes.
Thanks!
Paulette
Absolutely! That sounds like a delicious substitute!
Hey Blair, I have told you before how much I enjoy your simple recipes. I have a question about this recipe. I have a package of chicken I need to use and everything I need to make this recipe. I also have a refrigerator package of chopped onion,celery carrot mix ( meripox) that needs to be used. Do you think if I saute’d the mix in a little olive oil it could be added to this casserole, or would the flavors not work well in this particular dish? Thanks again for your recipes and the really good stories / pictures of Madison County. Love hearing about Culpeper, Charlottesville & Orange County and Madison.
Hi, Heidi! Yes, I think the chopped vegetables would be perfect if you saute them beforehand. I hope that you enjoy the dish! Have a great weekend! 🙂
So easy that I wouldn’t have believed how tasty it was! I added some sherry (maybe 1/4 cup) andnit was divine. I’m sure Marsala would be great, too.
Thanks, Maggie!!
Very easy and quick to put together while you go do something else. I think a can of Rotel would add a little kick and be super easy too. Was looking for a quick after work recipe and this fit the bill, a repeater.
Awesome! Thanks, Kaci!
I loved it, I doubled the recipe using chicken thighs, macaroni and cheddar cheese (because that’s what I had available. Definitely a keeper!
I love caserole’s! Especially with chicken & mushrooms. Sounds yummy! However, I have a question::: I’m on a “low sodium” diet for blood pressure health and I wanted to know IF I could substitute “sour cream” instead of cream of mushroom soup?
Hi, Irene! I honestly don’t know, since I haven’t tested it that way. The flavor and texture will be totally different with the sour cream, though.
I know a lot of readers have had good luck using their own version of homemade condensed soup, which allows them to control the amount of salt added. There are many different versions of homemade condensed soup (and I haven’t personally tried any of them), but if you do a quick Google search you’ll find a bunch of different options.
Hope that helps!
I made this as is and it was great. I was thinking of trying it as is but adding artichokes hearts drained and capers.
Do you think it would taste good.
Thanks in advance for you reply
I’m so glad that you liked it, Linda! Yes — I think the artichoke hearts and the capers would be delicious additions! You could stir them in towards the end if you don’t want them to get too soft. Just give them enough time to heat through. 🙂
Can I double this recipe using a 9×13 casserole dish? Any adjustments in cooking time? Thanks!
Hi, Amanda! Yes — you can definitely double all of the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch dish. You may need to add about 5 minutes to the cooking time, but it shouldn’t be a drastic difference. Just check the pasta, see if it’s tender, and if not, pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes. Enjoy!
This is a great basic recipe. You can modify it to your liking. I did not use mushrooms. I used mixed vegetable instead. I also crushed Ritz crackers on top. I did not have mozzarella so I used cheddar cheese. You can add seasonings if you want. I did salt pepper, garlic powder, extra chicken bouillon. I also used cream of chicken soup because I didn’t have mushroom. There’s also a similar recipe using rice instead of pasta, but I like this better this is a great easy meal for the family. Thank you.
Thank you, Catrine! We’re so glad you enjoyed it and were able to adjust it to your needs.
I added quartered artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers , used a spash more milk and chicken broth with baby Bella’s and used campanelle noodles. It cane out looking and tasting like a delicious Mediterranean pasta dish.
Sounds perfect, Alex! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note. 🙂
Loved the recipe. I tried it once and added finely chopped spinach. It added a great taste and texture.
Last night I had friends over who are watching carbs, so instead of pasta I used large chunks of cauliflower. It was also very delicious and low in carbs. Because I didn’t cook the cauliflower in advance it didn’t get soggy at all.
Thank you, Doris! I’m so glad to know that the low-carb version with cauliflower works well, too. Great idea!
So yummy! And seriously, the easiest. I had the kids chop up the mushrooms (my picky eater will try more things that he handles/helps with) and I omitted the sour cream, because we didn’t have any. Still definitely a keeper.
So smart to get the kids involved, and I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Jessena!
Made this last week and it was gone in 24 hours, going to make again today. Used elbow mac since I didn’t have penne but it was perfect. Thank you!
That’s awesome, Liz! Thanks so much for letting me know!