They don't call this the ultimate chicken casserole recipe without a reason! It's piled to the brim will delicious ingredients included shredded chicken, pasta, cheese and bacon. It's easy to assemble and budget-friendly.
Cook chicken and shred it. You'll need 2 cups worth. (See our shredded chicken recipe here or use a store bought rotisserie chicken)
Cook 6 strips of bacon in a frying pan until crispy.
Pat with paper towel to drain excess grease. Chop into small pieces.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in 1 - 1½ cups dried pasta noodles and cook until al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside. You'll need 2 cups of cooked noodles.
Add chopped onion and minced garlic to a frying pan with a bit of leftover bacon grease over medium-high heat. Cook 1-3 minutes, until onion turns translucent.
Casserole Assembly:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking oil.
Add the cream of mushroom soup and milk to a large bowl. Mix them together.
Add in 2 cups cooked pasta noodles, 2 cups shredded chicken, cooked bacon, onion and garlic, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix everything together until evenly coated.
Pour into the casserole dish and smooth out with a spatula. Sprinkle french fried onions on top.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and edges are golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before adding to plates to serve.
Recipe Notes:
This casserole recipe is easy to store and perfect for lunches.
To refrigerate – Store the casserole in an airtight container, or tightly wrapped in plastic for 3-4 days.
To Freeze – This casserole can be frozen. Some people prefer not to freeze recipes with milk or cream, but I froze this recipe into serving portions for future lunches and had no complaints from the family.
Reheating – If frozen, thaw the casserole recipe overnight in the fridge. This casserole can be reheated in the microwave, or in the oven at 350F until warmed through.
Pro Tip: Add the leftover casserole recipe to greased muffin pan and freeze for 3-4 hours. Then pop the smaller portions into a large freezer bag. These smaller sizes are perfect for quick lunches that can be reheated in the microwave.