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Square overhead shot of old fashioned chicken noodle casserole in a baking dish on a wooden table.
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5 from 16 votes

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Make this old-fashioned chicken and noodles casserole from scratch for an easy, wholesome dinner!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword chicken and noodle casserole, Chicken Noodle Casserole, chicken noodle casserole from scratch, chicken noodle casserole no soup, old fashioned chicken and noodles casserole
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 624kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter, divided
  • ½ cup diced carrots
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
  • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
  • ¾ cup Ritz cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers)
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 9-inch baking dish (or other 2 - 2 ½ -quart baking dish) with cooking spray and set aside. Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, just until al dente. Drain.
    Boiled egg noodles in a colander.
  • Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic; sauté until soft (about 5-7 minutes).
    Sauteing vegetables for chicken noodle casserole.
  • Reduce the heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and stir until the butter melts. Add the flour and whisk until blended. Gradually add the milk and the chicken broth, whisking constantly. Continue whisking and cooking until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
    Making the creamy sauce for chicken noodle casserole in a cast iron dutch oven.
  • In a large bowl (or in the same pot if it’s large enough), combine the sauce with the cooked noodles, chicken, cheese, and frozen peas. Transfer to the prepared dish.
    Stirring together ingredients for grandma's old fashioned chicken and noodles casserole.
  • Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Combine the melted butter with the Ritz cracker crumbs. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over top of the casserole.
    Square overhead shot of a dish of chicken noodle casserole before baking.
  • Bake the casserole (uncovered) for about 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
    Square overhead shot of old fashioned chicken noodle casserole in a baking dish on a wooden table.

Video

Notes

    • Cook the noodles just until al dente (tender, but with a firm bite). They will continue cooking in the hot sauce in the oven, and you don't want them to be mushy or overdone.
    • There's no need to thaw the peas before adding them to the dish. Just stir them in while they're still frozen -- this will help them stay nice and green in the casserole (rather than turning brown and mushy).
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Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the casserole | Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3954IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 342mg | Iron: 3mg