Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 6 to 9 servings
Yield: 1 2-quart casserole
This easy chicken casserole makes a fabulous family meal. It’s easy to throw together and ready for the table within an hour. Also known as a hot chicken salad, everyone will love the casserole’s creamy, inviting taste. The potato chip topping adds a salty crunch that’s especially appealing to kids, and you’ll enjoy the fact that most of the ingredients are pantry staples. It’s also a great candidate for meal prep if you want to pop it in the freezer.
The chicken casserole recipe starts with precooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces. If you’re making another chicken breast dinner earlier in the week, cook some extra chicken to save for this dish. Store it in the fridge, and the chicken will be ready for a busy weeknight meal.
The chicken is mixed with onion, celery, and—for an interesting twist—water chestnuts. The sauce is a creamy combination of mayonnaise and cream of chicken soup, along with sour cream and lemon juice for a little tang. Onion and celery ensure a few veggies are in the casserole, and sprinkling paprika on top of the crushed potato chips finishes the flavor off nicely.
Use this recipe as inspiration and adapt it to taste or what’s in your kitchen at the moment. It’s equally delicious when made with no- or low-fat mayonnaise and sour cream, and other cream soups will work too. You can also add cooked egg noodles to the bottom of the dish or serve the chicken casserole with hot cooked rice. Add biscuits and a tossed salad for a tasty meal.
Ingredients
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Unsalted butter, for greasing pan
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3 pounds cooked boneless chicken breasts
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1 cup chopped celery
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1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
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1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
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8 ounces sour cream
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1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
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2 tablespoons finely minced onion
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2 tablespoons lemon juice
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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Crushed potato chips
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1 sprinkle paprika
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
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Butter a 2- to 2 1/2-quart casserole dish.
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Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
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In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, celery, mayonnaise, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, water chestnuts, onion, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well.
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Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
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Top with crushed potato chips and sprinkle on paprika.
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Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Tip
- This casserole freezes well before or after cooking.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 to 9 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 467 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 22g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat 7g | 33% |
| Cholesterol 154mg | 51% |
| Sodium 684mg | 30% |
| Total Carbohydrate 17g | 6% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 4g | |
| Protein 49g | |
| Vitamin C 4mg | 21% |
| Calcium 68mg | 5% |
| Iron 2mg | 12% |
| Potassium 728mg | 15% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
