Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole

This hearty chicken casserole makes a big batch, making it perfect for feeding a crowd. It's one of those comforting meals everyone loves, and the leftovers freeze beautifully for an easy dinner another day.

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 4 oz mushrooms, chopped

• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1¼ cups half-and-half

• Pinch of kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  

• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 12 oz egg noodles, cooked

• ½ cup shredded Colby cheese, plus extra for topping

• ⅔ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus extra for topping

• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

• 4 oz French's Crispy Fried Onions, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. If you're making this for a potluck, a large disposable aluminum casserole pan works great.

2. Prepare the chicken: You can use shredded rotisserie chicken, but I usually cook 2 pounds of chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. Season with salt, pepper, and Montreal Chicken Seasoning, then cook on High Pressure for 12 minutes. Quick release the pressure, then pulse the cooked chicken breasts in a food processor 3–5 times until shredded. Transfer the shredded chicken to a large mixing bowl.

3. Cook the egg noodles in boiling water for 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well.

4. In a skillet over medium heat, add a little olive oil and butter. Cook the diced onion and chopped mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.

5. Add the cooked onion and mushrooms to the bowl with the shredded chicken. Stir in the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, half-and-half, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, frozen peas, 2 ounces of the French's Crispy Fried Onions, most of the shredded cheeses (reserve a few tablespoons of each for the topping), and the cooked egg noodles. Gently stir until everything is well combined.

6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the reserved cheeses over the top.

7. Lightly spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the casserole, placing the sprayed side down to prevent the cheese from sticking.

8. At this point, you can refrigerate the casserole and bake it the next day, or continue with baking.

9. Bake for 40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining 2 ounces of French's Crispy Fried Onions over the top, and continue baking for 5–10 minutes, until the onions are golden and crispy.

10. Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving.