Chicken Pasta Casserole With Mushrooms and Cheese

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Total: 55 mins

Servings: 4 servings

When it comes to simple weeknight meals, casseroles are always a go-to. This chicken and pasta bake is an easy one-dish meal that the whole family will love thanks to the creamy, cheesy sauce. There’s no canned condensed soup here—instead, a rich homemade sauce of butter, mushrooms, garlic, cheddar cheese, and Worcestershire is what flavors the pasta and chicken.

You can use any type of noodle you like; if you choose spaghetti or something similar you should break it up before boiling. And be sure the chicken is cooked when adding to the casserole; although it bakes for roughly half an hour, raw chicken will not reach a safe temperature. You can use diced precooked chicken breasts or thighs, or torn-up rotisserie chicken. The recipe calls for mild cheddar cheese but feel free to use a sharp variety for more flavor.

Serve this chicken pasta casserole with a salad and biscuits for a satisfying everyday dinner.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghetti, or other pasta, broken up

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cups milk, or half-and-half

• 3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided

• 2 cups diced cooked chicken

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish. 

2. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes less than the package directions; drain and rinse well.

3. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute longer.

4. Blend in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

5. Gradually add the milk. Cook, stirring until thickened.

6. Add 2 cups of the shredded cheese. Cook, stirring until the cheese has melted.

7. Add the chicken, Worcestershire sauce, and pasta. Mix to blend all of the ingredients and turn into the prepared baking dish.

8. Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.

9. Bake the casserole for 30 to 40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

10. Enjoy.

Recipe Variations

• Instead of milk, you can use half-and-half to add a little more creaminess to the casserole.
• Add some peas to the pasta bake to turn the recipe into a one-dish dinner.
• Along with the cup of shredded cheese, add a layer of soft breadcrumbs to the top. Simply tear up a couple of pieces of fresh bread, toss with some melted butter, and sprinkle on top of the casserole.