Chicken Noodle Casserole Crumble (Printable Version)
Comforting baked dish with chicken, egg noodles, vegetables, and a crispy buttery cracker crumble.
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry & Pasta
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
02 - 12 ounces egg noodles
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 cup diced carrots
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
→ Sauce & Dairy
06 - 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
07 - 1 cup sour cream
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Seasonings
11 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Topping
15 - 1 1/2 cups buttery round crackers (about 30), crushed
16 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil egg noodles in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and carrots for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
04 - In a large bowl, mix cooked chicken, peas, sautéed onions and carrots, cooked noodles, condensed cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
05 - Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
06 - Mix crushed crackers with melted butter in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the casserole layer.
07 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until hot, bubbly, and topping is golden brown.
08 - Allow casserole to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- It's a one-dish dinner that actually feels like you've been cooking all day, but takes less than an hour.
- The cracker topping gets crispy and buttery while the insides stay creamy and tender—pure comfort in every bite.
- It feeds a crowd without requiring you to juggle multiple pans or complicated timing.
02 -
- If your sauce looks thin, don't panic—it will thicken slightly as it cooks, but if it seems too loose after mixing, add another spoonful of sour cream rather than more liquid.
- The 10-minute rest is not optional if you want neat portions; rushing to serve it straight from the oven will give you a runny mess on the plate.
- Taste the mixture before it goes in the oven, because the flavors mellow once it bakes, and you can't fix underseasoning after the fact.
03 -
- Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is a legitimate shortcut here—shred it while it's still warm and your prep time drops by half without any sacrifice in flavor.
- Don't skip melting the butter into the crackers; crackers tossed dry will toast unevenly and some will stay pale.