Country Casserole
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Filled with chicken, cheese, vegetables, and cream of chicken soup, this easy country casserole recipe is so creamy and filling, it’s destined to be your family’s new favorite.
In my family, if you die, get sick, have a car accident, have a baby, have a potluck, have a family reunion, have a picnic, get bad news, get hungry, or get last-minute dinner guests… you get a country casserole!
Also known as Lancaster country casserole, this is our standard family casserole. It shows up everywhere! Why? Because we love it!
This country casserole recipe is a quick, easy, and filling that’s great tasting, an inexpensive way to feed a crowd, a complete meal in one, and freezes AMAZINGLY well. Plus, it can be made even easier by using canned chicken when you’re not in the mood to cook the chicken ahead of time, and more importantly, it’s my husband’s personal favorite.
So, besides chicken, what can you expect in my country chicken casserole? There’s pasta, cream of chicken soup, shredded cheddar cheese, fried onions, seasonings, and some frozen vegetables. It’s so hearty, deliciously creamy, and total comfort food. Your family is guaranteed to try and go back for seconds!
There! Are you ready for the recipe now? Let’s get ready to rumble!
Recipe Ingredients
- Small shell pasta (or pasta of your choice)
- Chicken
- Cream of chicken soup
- Garlic powder (just a bit)
- Milk
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Canned French fried onions
- Frozen mixed vegetables
- Salt and black pepper
How to Make Country Casserole
First, cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain. Then cover the frozen mixed veggies with water and bring that just to a boil, boil for a minute or two, then drain those.
Next, place the cooked plain chicken, pasta, veggies, canned soup, salt, pepper, garlic powder, milk, half your cheese, and half your onions in a large bowl and stir well.
It will look like this.
Spoon this into a 9×13 baking dish and bake at 350 for about thirty minutes.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven and top with the remaining French fried onions and cheese.
Return to the oven for a few minutes until all of the cheese melts.
Oh, this country casserole is so good!
Enjoy my family’s favorite casserole!
Storage
Store casserole leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and the freezer for up to 3 months.
Freezing options: Prepare up through step #2 and then simply spoon it into a gallon ziplock bag. Lay the bag flat so that it will thaw out quicker and place it in your freezer. On the day you want it, take it out the night before and refrigerate it or place it in the fridge that morning.
If you forget to do all of this, no sweat! Just microwave the bag until it thaws just a bit, pour into your casserole, and bake! To bake a casserole that is still frozen, simply place it in the oven while the oven preheats. This allows the casserole to thaw quickly and then bake to perfection!
Recipe Notes
- I’m warning you: I never make just one of these casseroles because they freeze so incredibly well. With the effort of a single casserole and just a little more cost-wise, you can have an extra casserole any time you need it!
- Use whichever pasta you like in this casserole recipe. Some people like using wide egg noodles, while others like Fusilli pasta.
- You can also use whichever vegetables you like in this country casserole. While I like the ease of frozen mixed vegetables, use whatever you have on hand. Broccoli, mushrooms, potato, and zucchini would all taste great.
- If you add mushrooms, why not also substitute the cream of chicken soup for cream of mushroom soup?
- For an even crunchier topping, add 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs when you add the remaining cheese.
- Speaking of cheese, feel free to use whatever cheese you like. Some Colby Jack cheese or mozzarella cheese on top sounds delicious to me!
- This casserole recipe is different from an Amish country casserole, which is usually tomato-based (it uses a can of tomato soup typically) and uses ground beef or ground turkey instead of chicken. It’s also topped with parmesan cheese, but feel free to do that with this casserole too!
Check out these other comforting casserole recipes:
Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe (Easy and Delicious)
Sloppy Joe Casserole (Deep Dish Recipe)
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups small shell pasta cooked and drained
- 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables cooked and drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 2 cups French fried onions divided
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken can use canned chicken or rotisserie chicken
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all of your ingredients in a large bowl, reserving half of the cheddar cheese and half of the onions for the topping later. Stir well to combine.2 cups small shell pasta, 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 2 cups French fried onions, 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 can cream of chicken soup, ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Spoon the casserole mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Top with the remaining onions and cheese and return the casserole to the oven until the cheese has melted, about five minutes more.2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 2 cups French fried onions
Nutrition
mmm…looks good and I bet it’d also be good with ground beef substituted for the chicken.
Has anyone tried this with ground beef? I have a guy that doesn’t eat chicken and would like to make it for him.
Hmm, I havne’t but I think it would be really good. I’ve tried it with ham and chicken but ground beef would be delicious.
I have made this both ways. Chicken with cream of chicken soup OR ground beef with cream of mushroom soup. it is good both ways.
Someone may have asked this – I scanned but didn’t see it. Do you add the extra onions and cheese on top before you freeze it? Or do you wait and add those when you actually bake it?
My husband’s out of town this weekend and I’m planning a cooking/freezing marathon! Thanks for answering!
Either way will work just fine Freda!!
My husband doesn’t like cheese . Do you think this recipe will be ok with no cheese mixed in and grated cheese on the table for those of us Normal people who love cheese?
I haven’t ever tried it without adding the cheese Sue. I think it would work ok. I would love to hear how it turns out if you try it!!
Made this casserole for us last week and we loved it. I used leftover chicken from a whole chicken I had cooked in the crockpot earlier that week. Since there are two of us I baked half of a single batch and froze the other half for a freezer meal for another time. Loved how easy this was to throw together and how versitle it is. Thanks for another great go to recipe Christy.
How much uncooked pasta do you use for two cups cooked? You said 2 cups cooked but show cooking it with the vegetables. I love your recipes and have really been enjoying your new book! Thank you for sharing!
I’m wondering the same thing…..
It’s 2 cups uncooked 🙂 When a recipe says “2 cups pasta, cooked and drained” it means to measure the pasta before cooking it. If it had said “2 cups cooked pasta” that would mean to measure after it’s cooked. She just showed photos of the entire cooking process. When I make this casserole, I actually measure the pasta by weight and do 1/2 lb, which is the weight of 2 C shell pasta. Different shapes of pasta have different volumes, so 2 C penne is not the same amount as 2 C shells. It’s just more consistent to weigh it if you don’t use small shells.
I have found 2 cups of uncooked pasta is too much. One cup seems to be sufficient for this recipe which, by the way, is an awesome recipe that I have used a bunch!
Christy, I don’t eat chicken, or poultry of any kind. Have you ever tried it without it or is there something else I could use?
I know – I’m weird. About the only meat I’ll eat is ground beef.
Thanks so much for everything.
Not weird at all! I’ve made it meatless before. You can use cream of celery soup (or cream of mushroom, it’s wonderful) in place of the cream of chicken if you don’t want to use that and then I double the veggies and it’s wonderful!
Thank you so much for your reply!! I was SO surprised to see it. Now, I’m really excited to try it.
You & the Front Porch are such a blessing.
I was just wondering about meatless also. Gonna try this weekend
If I were going to make a double batch and freeze it would I freeze right before the bake step?
I made this again tonight and added a can of red beans. This is so good, simple, and filling. Thank you for all your recipes and the very inspiring stories you share.
I am so glad you enjoyed it Amanda!!!
This sounds yummy. Do you have any substitutes that I could use instead of French fried onions? My husband is a celiac. We love onions.
Thank you!
I use about 1 cup of chopped white onion(whatever a medium onion comes to chopped), browned in a small amount of butter (margarine- oil- olive oil) until soft. We don’t like the French Fried onions. It may taste slightly different, but is still fantastic and very easy.
Susan, maybe some flavored potato or corn chips crushed up on top for crunch, and a saute’d onion as Sherry suggested inside the casserole?
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I am going to use grilled boneless chicken breasts cut in cubes as the chicken…Thanks for posting!
HI! Just a question. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Your book which I just bought calls for 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. (This is your first book)I really liked the first, but the one in the book is fantastic! Which one is correct?
Sherry
PS Less garlic more milk