Chicken Noodle Casserole

4.86 from 14 votes

Make this old-fashioned chicken noodle casserole from scratch for an easy, wholesome dinner that the whole family will love!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chicken and noodle casserole, Chicken Noodle Casserole, chicken noodle casserole from scratch, old fashioned chicken and noodles casserole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 624kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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.
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).
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.
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.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Combine the melted butter with the Ritz cracker crumbs. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over top of the casserole.
Bake the casserole (uncovered) for about 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

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.

Use pre-cooked chicken (not raw meat) in this casserole. Take advantage of leftovers from another meal, a store-bought rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or boil your own chicken at home.

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).

If you'd like to include other larger vegetables in the casserole (like broccoli florets), steam them in the microwave so that they're tender before you add them to the dish. Sautéed mushrooms would also be a nice addition.