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It’s hard to beat this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole. Think broccoli cheddar soup meets cozy weeknight casserole. It’s made entirely in one pot and comes together in less than an hour. Made with chicken, short-cut pasta, herbs, and lots of broccoli. Cook everything together in a big skillet, add cheese, and finish this off in the oven. Simple, but so delicious. The perfect weeknight chicken casserole!
Like clockwork, September hits, and I’m back to sharing more casseroles. For me, September is all about transitioning into a more cozy lifestyle. With school starting and the days getting shorter, it means crisp fall crisp days are just ahead.
Even though our summer was short and I didn’t want it to end. There’s probably not a month I love more than September. Our weather is perfect, there’s so much excitement for the season ahead, and I can finally share the recipes I really love most. The cozy recipes.
And to me, casseroles are cozy family dinners that everyone loves.
My chicken broccoli casserole was inspired by an oldie but goodie recipe. I shared a little different version of this recipe a few years back. It was also inspired by the Panera broccoli-cheese soup I grew up eating every single fall back in Cleveland.
I love a casserole-style dinner served up on a Sunday or Monday night. They’re cozy and usually pretty easy to throw together.
Today’s recipe is made entirely in one pot and in under an hour’s time.
Here are all the details
As mentioned, this all starts and ends in one pot. Or two pots if you decide you want to bake this in a casserole dish for a “real deal” midwest style casserole situation.
Start with the basics. Cook your onion, add the chicken, and give the chicken some time to sear. Then add a touch of butter, garlic, fresh thyme, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne.
At this point, pour in broth and milk, add your favorite shortcut noodle, and then add the broccoli. Simmer until the noodles are just about al dente.
Once the noodles have cooked, stir in a handful of cheese until creamy.
Now, this is when you can transfer the mixture to a casserole dish if needed/desired.
Top with cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese is melty and the broccoli on the top has a little char. Then, I always finish with fresh herbs, usually basil or thyme for extra flavor.
The corners of the dish will form an insanely delicious cheesy crust. While the top is crispy, the middle is extra creamy and delicious. It’s a wonderful combination.
If you prefer to go the vegetarian route, simply omit the chicken from the dish. It’s truly just as delicious without or without, so do what works best for you and your family.
This dish brings back so many memories. Any kind of casserole does. It reminds me of nights eating my mom’s chicken noodle casserole with my brothers.
Only this is better and much healthier. We all love it. Though, it could be fun to give chicken noodle casserole a refresh in my kitchen. Maybe a little healthier version, what do you think?
Looking for other easy back-to-school recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Chicken
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
One Skillet Street Corn Chicken Enchilada Bake
Lastly, if you make this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 423 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3/4 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 3 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne, and cook until golden and toasted, 2-3 minutes. 3. Add the broth and milk. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the pasta and broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently until the pasta is al dente and the broth has been absorbed, about 8-10 minutes. 4. Stir in 1 cup of cheese. If needed, transfer everything to an oven-safe casserole dish. Scatter the remaining cheese over top of the casserole. 4. Bake 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve warm with additional thyme and fresh basil.
This post was originally published on September 6, 2022
Tried this for the first time last night. Everyone loved it! Another favorite from Half Baked Harvest added to our rotation!
Hi Courtney,
So kind of you to try this and leave feedback, glad to hear it was a hit! Have the best day!
I have this recipe on our menu for this week! I’m needing some good ol’ fashioned casseroles to help it feel like fall in So Cal! Just wondering, could we substitute rice for the pasta?
Hi Robin,
I would go ahead and follow this recipe if you want to use rice:
https://fett-weg.today/broccoli-cheddar-chicken-and-rice-casserole/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
My husband loved it, however I didn’t love it, However, I would’ve loved it if there was more liquid and I did have to take it out earlier than 20 min., not by much…. so I’m going to make a little cheesy sauce and redeem it.
Hi Christine! I am so sorry you didn’t love this casserole! I bet a little extra cheesy sauce would be so yummy! xT
This turned out pretty tasty. I didn’t have chicken broth on hand so I used veggie broth and also used fresh garlic vs. garlic powder. I also used gluten free pasta. Wishing my 2 year old would eat it but my husband loved it!
Hey Emily! So happy to hear you enjoyed this casserole! Thank you so much for giving it a try! xT
Tieghan, we’ve enjoyed this recipe several times…so good! I’m tempted to try it next using Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar since we like it so much. Thanks for another winner!
Wow, thank you so much Becky! I bet the cheddar cheese from Trader Joe’s would be super yummy in this! 🙂 xT
“Yums” all around from the 6 yr old and husband, this one’s a keeper! Used up some canned chicken so added it just before popping in for final bake. Look forward to trying the original way next time. Thanks!
Hey Megg! Thank you SO much! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit with family members of all ages! Thanks for giving it a try! 🙂 xT
OK. I’m a huge fun of Half Baked Harvest. I own all the cookbooks and have enjoyed so many of the recipes. But this recipe is a total fail. The cubed chicken cooks for a total of 30+ minutes?! WTH. Cooked to death and DRY, this dish was awful. Ugh.
Hey Nancy! Oh no! I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Thanks so much for giving it a try, I appreciate the feedback! xT
This was fantastic! It smelled so good while I was making it and when the casserole came out of the oven it tasted great! Looking forward to using this one during the school year as an easy week night dinner.
Thank you so much Erin! I’m so so glad you loved this casserole! Thanks for giving it a try! xT
Hello! I plan to make this for a friend that recently had a baby. If I plan to use frozen broccoli, do I cook it before adding or add it frozen? Thanks!
Hi Alyssa! You can add the frozen broccoli straight in—no need to cook it first. Just mix it in with the pasta, broth, and milk as the recipe says. It’ll cook while everything simmers and then finish in the oven. Easy and works great! xT
Hi Tieghan, could I partially cook the pasta before adding it to the rest of the ingredients? I’m afraid the pasta won’t be cooked enough, or could you recommend which pasta to use? Love your recipes Tieghan!!!! Can’t wait to try this one.
Hi Robin! I wouldn’t recommend pre cooking the pasta for this as the pasta could get mushy while baking! xT
Thanks, Tieghan. I made this recipe, following it exactly as written, and it came out perfectly! Delicious
Hi Robin! Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! SO happy to hear this was a hit! xT
Such an amazing dish. I don’t know why there are any negative reviews… they must be doing something wrong, it was a huge hit in our house.
Thanks again, Claire:)
Absolutely fabulous. Husband and kids were in heaven! Will make again soon!
Hey Claire,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and your comment, love to hear it was a winner! xx
My family loves this recipe! I am hoping to triple the recipe auto make for a crowd. Could I make it ahead of time and put it in casserole dish(es) anyway to bake the next day? If so, any modifications you’d suggest?
Hi Sarah,
So glad to hear this recipe is always enjoyed!! Sure, you could make in advance and cover with foil, then just bake for 45ish minutes until bubbly. I hope this helps! xx
Once I hit print and get onto the print page, the US Standard ingredient amounts are messed up. It’s also the same with your Butternut Squash and Beefy Mushroom Pot Pies w/ flakey Taleggio Crust ( I made this last night and just made up what I thought the ingredient amounts really were. It was good but confusing!) For example: it called for 2/3 carrots chopped, 3/5 cups of squash cubed and 2/3cloves of garlic, for example. It’s doing the same thing on this recipe. If you can figure out what going on, please let me know!
Hi Nikki,
So sorry about this! Unfortunately, the print page is reducing the serving size down to 2 which is reducing the ingredients. We are working to get this fixed ASAP! xx
I have made this several times and it always turns out amazing! Definitely a new favorite!
Love to hear this, Jenny! Thanks so much for making this recipe:) Hope you are having a great week! xx