Growing up, chicken noodle soup meant opening a can and heating it up on the stove. That’s just how we did things in our house. My mom was all about quick and easy meals, and honestly, I followed in her footsteps when I first started cooking for my own family.
But then I discovered something that changed everything – my crockpot. Now, instead of the canned stuff, I make this chicken noodle casserole that’s just as easy but tastes like I spent hours in the kitchen. The best part? I just throw everything in the slow cooker and let it do its thing while I’m off handling the million other things on my to-do list.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Effortless preparation – Just add your ingredients to the crockpot and let it work its magic – no hovering over the stove required.
- Comfort food at its best – The combination of tender chicken, creamy sauce, and soft egg noodles makes this the perfect cozy meal for any day of the week.
- Basic pantry ingredients – You’ll likely have most of these ingredients already in your kitchen, making this an easy go-to meal when you’re not sure what to cook.
- Perfect for busy families – While it takes a few hours to cook, your active prep time is minimal – just dump the ingredients and go about your day until dinner’s ready.
- Great for leftovers – This casserole reheats beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or next-day lunches.
What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the go-to choice for this crockpot casserole, but you’ve got some flexibility here. While the recipe calls for breasts, you could swap in boneless chicken thighs if you prefer darker, more flavorful meat – they actually tend to stay a bit more moist during the long cooking process. Fresh chicken works best, but if you’re using frozen chicken breasts, make sure they’re completely thawed before adding them to your slow cooker. For the most even cooking, try to choose chicken pieces that are similar in size, or if they’re particularly thick, you might want to cut them in half horizontally to help them cook more uniformly.
Options for Substitutions
This cozy casserole recipe is pretty adaptable – here are some swaps you can try:
- Chicken breasts: You can easily swap chicken breasts for boneless chicken thighs – they’ll actually stay a bit more juicy! Or use leftover rotisserie chicken, just add it during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Cream of chicken soup: Cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup work great here too. If you’re out of canned soup, mix 2 cups of milk with 6 tablespoons of flour and 6 tablespoons of butter to make your own cream base.
- Egg noodles: While egg noodles are ideal for this recipe, you can use other pasta like rotini or fusilli. Just keep in mind that different pasta shapes might need slightly different cooking times.
- Chicken stock: Vegetable stock works fine, or you can use bouillon cubes dissolved in water (use 2 cubes for this recipe). In a pinch, water with extra seasonings will do.
- Poultry seasoning: No poultry seasoning? Mix a pinch each of dried sage, thyme, and rosemary as a quick substitute.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest challenge when making crockpot chicken noodle casserole is timing the noodles right – adding them too early will result in mushy, overcooked pasta that ruins the entire dish. Instead, wait until the last 30-45 minutes of cooking to add your egg noodles, ensuring they’ll be perfectly tender. Another common mistake is lifting the lid too frequently during cooking, which releases essential heat and moisture and can add up to 30 minutes to your cooking time – resist the urge to peek and only open when necessary to add the noodles. To prevent dry chicken, make sure you’re not overcooking it; the chicken should be done after 4-5 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high, and you can check its doneness with a meat thermometer (165°F) or by seeing if it shreds easily with two forks. For the best flavor development, try searing the chicken breasts before adding them to the crockpot – this extra step creates a deeper, richer taste in the final dish.
What to Serve With Chicken Noodle Casserole?
This cozy crockpot casserole pairs perfectly with simple vegetable sides since it’s already packed with protein and carbs. I love serving it with roasted broccoli or green beans, which you can pop in the oven during the last 20 minutes of cooking time. A fresh garden salad with light vinaigrette dressing helps balance out the richness of the creamy sauce, while some warm dinner rolls are great for soaking up any extra sauce on your plate. If you’re feeding a bigger crowd, steamed carrots or sautéed mushrooms make easy additional sides that won’t overshadow the main dish.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: This cozy casserole keeps really well in the fridge. Just put it in an airtight container and it’ll stay good for 3-4 days. The noodles might soak up some extra sauce while storing, but that just makes them even more flavorful!
Freeze: If you want to save some for later, this casserole freezes well for up to 3 months. Pop it in a freezer-safe container, but keep in mind the noodles might be a bit softer when thawed. I like to portion it out into smaller containers for easy grab-and-go meals.
Warm Up: When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, heat them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. If it seems a bit dry, just add a splash of chicken broth or milk while reheating. For larger portions, you can warm it up in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 180-270 minutes |
| Total Time | 195-290 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1800-2200
- Protein: 120-140 g
- Fat: 100-120 g
- Carbohydrates: 140-160 g
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- Two 10.5 oz cans of cream of chicken soup (no water added)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon flavored salt
- 1/4 teaspoon poultry spice mix
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 stick butter, cut into slices
- 3.5 cups of chicken stock
- 8 ounces uncooked egg noodles
Step 1: Assemble Ingredients in the Crockpot
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot.
Top the chicken with your choice of soups (ensure not to add any water), and then sprinkle the selected spices over the soups.
Add slices of butter on top, and finally, pour the chicken broth into the crockpot around the sides to avoid washing off the spices.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken
Cover the crockpot with the lid.
Cook the mixture on low heat for 5-6 hours, or on high heat for 3-4 hours, depending on your schedule and preference.
Ensure the chicken is cooked through and tender before proceeding to the next step.
Step 3: Shred the Chicken
Once the chicken is fully cooked, carefully remove it from the crockpot.
Use two forks to shred the chicken into large chunks.
This process should be easy as the chicken will be tender from slow cooking.
Step 4: Add Noodles and Finish Cooking
Return the shredded chicken back to the crockpot.
Add the dry egg noodles into the pot and stir all the ingredients together well.
Cover the crockpot again and continue cooking for an additional 30-45 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and cooked through.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy
Once the noodles have reached your desired level of tenderness, it’s time to enjoy your delicious crockpot chicken dish.
Serve hot and savor the flavors!