This delicious, from-scratch supper is filling, satisfying, and something the whole family will enjoy. You will want to tuck away this Amish Chicken Casserole Recipe for future meal plans!
When you are looking for the ultimate comfort food in the fall and winter, nothing says it like a casserole. This Amish Chicken Casserole is filled with all of the wonderful things that make a casserole great. It’s a mixture of warm meat, veggies, pasta, and a creamy sauce. Sometimes it’s hard to find things that the whole family will love AND that you can easily find or have all of the ingredients for without having to make a trip to the store.
Why We Love This Amish Chicken Casserole
In the last several years, our family has not been eating as many casseroles as we once did. But, that said, there is something very comforting and wonderful about casseroles. I happen to like casseroles for several reasons….
1. They are often one-pot meals or needing only to add in a fruit as a side-dish.
2. Usually, they don’t need to dirty many extra dishes.
3. They are very comforting to the soul.
4. My family really likes them!!
So, I came up with this casserole, based on a traditional Amish chicken casserole recipe, using REAL ingredients for an easy dinner, that has all the above reasons covered. It is delicious, easy to put together, and best of all, a huge hit with the family.
Ingredients in Amish Chicken Casserole
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Pasta. This can be in any shape that you have on hand. You can also use gluten-free pasta to make a gluten-free casserole. Our favorite gluten-free noodles are from Tinkyada and we buy them in bulk here.
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Broccoli. Can be fresh or frozen broccoli, depending on what you have.
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Butter. Salted or unsalted is fine
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Arrowroot. You could use cornstarch, potato starch, or tapioca starch in place of the arrowroot if you have those instead.
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Chicken Broth. We prefer to use homemade Chicken Broth but you can also get it from the store if you don’t have any made.
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Shredded Chicken. I use my canned chicken, which is the shredded chicken and broth, all in one quart! It’s a great time saver if you haven’t made any yet!
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Heavy Cream. Same as whipping cream.
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Mushrooms. You can use fresh or canned mushrooms for this recipe.
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Red or Green Bell Pepper. Fresh or frozen is fine.
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Parmesan Cheese. If you don’t have parmesan on hand (can be fresh or in the jar) you can use another kind of cheese for the topping.
You will need a 9×13 baking pan to bake this creamy chicken casserole in. My favorites are this Cast Iron 9×13 by Cuisinart or if you are looking for something lighter, I also use this Stainless Steel 9×13 from Fox Run.
FAQ About Casseroles
What are the basics of a casserole?
A casserole is comprised of meat and vegetables with some kind of binder that has been baked together in a dish. Most casseroles contain cheese and a starch (rice or pasta) but not all. You can create your own casseroles by putting together the basics!
Can casseroles be made ahead?
Yes, casseroles can be made ahead. You can put them together and set them in the fridge overnight until you are ready to bake them. Most casseroles can also be baked and them frozen just to be re-heated and enjoyed later.
How long to cook a casserole that has been refrigerated?
You will cook it in the oven for the same amount of time called for on the recipe.
Do all casseroles have noodles?
No. Some casseroles use potatoes or rice as a starch and some casseroles don’t contain a carb/starch at all.
What to Serve with Amish Chicken Casserole
Sometimes it’s hard to come up with ideas on side dishes to serve with a casserole so I wanted to give you a few ideas. Casseroles are sometimes an all-in-one meal (carbs, proteins, veggies, etc all in one dish) so if you don’t want to serve a side dish with it, that’s ok too! But if you are looking for a little something extra to serve alongside it, here are my suggestions:
- Corn on the Cob or just cooked corn
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Pan fried asparagus or green beans
- Side salad
- Cheesy Baked Tomatoes
- Fruit Salad
- Peach Cobbler
- A nice bread or biscuit is often a good addition to your chicken casserole recipes too. You can go traditional with something like these Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits or add in some more veggies with these Yellow Squash Cheddar Biscuits or Sweet Potato Biscuits.
Why Make Your Own Casseroles?
Casseroles are wonderful because you can literally use whatever you have as a substitute for ingredients that you don’t have and it will still probably turn out fine.
Most casseroles like this one are hearty, and simple to make as an all-in-one meal so you don’t need to worry about side dishes.
One 36-ounce “Family Size” casserole from the store (such as the Stouffer’s brand) costs around $10 and only serves 4 people. ($2.50 per serving) It also contains between 50-60 ingredients per casserole, despite the “all natural” claims. While these can be handy in a pinch or to give to others, if you are looking for the most frugal option or the healthiest option, it won’t fit that criterion.
This Amish Chicken Casserole will cost right around $7-$8 to make (depending on your ingredients) and will feed at least 6. ($1.33 per serving) It contains 10 whole food ingredients.
Instructions for Amish Chicken Casserole Recipe
This easy chicken casserole is easy to put together and will leave your family asking for more.
OK, before I give you the directions, you must know that I cook using up what I have on hand and do make substitutions. Recipes are my guides, so please know that you can change this up with vegetables that work for you.
Boil water for noodles and cook them according to the directions. Once the water came to a boil, I added in the box of noodles and I also added in my fresh broccoli. Use about 1 1/2 – 2 cups of fresh broccoli. I cook both the broccoli and noodles together in one large stockpot.
Drain them when they are done or according to the number of minutes your noodles take. Your broccoli will be cooked just perfect!
While your noodles and broccoli are draining in a colander, use the same stockpot or use a saucepan and melt butter. Add in 2 T. arrowroot powder once the butter is melted. Stir together to make a smooth sauce.
Arrowroot powder is used to thicken up your sauce, you can also use cornstarch here if you prefer.
Add in 2 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of cream and cook this mixture on low to medium heat until thickened.
Once you have a thickened sauce, add in 1 – 2 cups of shredded chicken. The home canned chicken is perfect, as it is so nice and tender, but if you don’t have that, you could use cooked, diced chicken breast or even a can of chicken breast. If you use a can of chicken, I would use the larger size can (like 8-12 ounce).
Add in the canned (or fresh) mushroom pieces and 1/4 cup of diced pepper. Salt and pepper to taste. Once this mixture is altogether in your large stockpot, add back in your drained noodles and broccoli and stir together. It may seem a little loose, but the sauce will thicken up nice and creamy and will be perfect once you cook the dish in the oven.
Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan or casserole dish. (My favorites are linked above). Add 1/4-1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan on top. (You could use any shredded cheese that you have on hand too).
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy this tasty casserole!!!
If you have any leftover, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to re-heat and enjoy again.
—Need another simple dinner recipe? Homemade Old Fashioned Goulash is always a favorite of ours!
Want to print this Amish Chicken Casserole Recipe for your Recipe Binder? Grab it below:
Amish Chicken Casserole Recipe
This delicious Amish-style casserole is sure to please the whole family!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Noodles any shape that you prefer, can be regular or gluten free
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups Fresh or Frozen Broccoli
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Arrowroot or some other thickener of your choice
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 - 2 cups Shredded Chicken I used my canned chicken, which is the shredded chicken and broth, all in one quart!
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 4 ounce can of Mushrooms or can use fresh, too
- Red or Green Bell Pepper
- Parmesan Cheese or whatever you have on hand for the top
Instructions
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Boil water for noodles and cook them according to the directions. Once the water comes to a boil, add in the box of noodles and fresh broccoli. Use about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of fresh broccoli. Cook both the broccoli and noodles together in one large stock pot.
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Drain them when they are done or according to the number of minutes your noodles take. Your broccoli will be cooked just perfect!
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While your noodles and broccoli are draining in a colander, use the same stockpot and melt 1/4 c. butter. Add in 2 T. arrowroot powder once the butter is melted. Stir together to make a smooth sauce.
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Add in 2 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of cream and cook this mixture on low to medium heat until thickened.
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Once you have a thickened sauce, add in 1 - 2 cups of shredded chicken.
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Add in the canned (or fresh) mushroom pieces and 1/4 cup of diced pepper. Salt and pepper to taste.
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Once this mixture is altogether in your large stockpot, add back in your drained noodles and broccoli and stir together. It may seem a little loose, but the sauce will thicken up nice and creamy and will be perfect once you cook the dish in the oven.
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Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan or casserole dish. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan on top.
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Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy this tasty casserole!!!
–Looking for more Amish recipes? Here’s my recipe for Amish Cinnamon Rolls which are great for breakfast.
Trying to plan meals that make sense for your family? I’d love to help you come up with a meal plan that will actually fit your family style and needs! My ebook, Meal Planning Made Simple will help you do just that and it provides 10 pages of meal planning printables to make life easier.
Love simple recipes like this one? You may really enjoy my daughter’s book, Little House Living: The Make Your Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, and Self-Sufficient Life. It’s filled with over 130 mix and DIY recipes and projects that are easy to make.
Does your family enjoy the occasional casserole? Will you try this Amish Chicken Casserole Recipe?
This Amish Chicken Casserole recipe was originally posted on Little House Living in February 2014. It has been updated as of September 2022.
We love casseroles like this one! I don’t make them very often anymore though since the kids are all grown and gone. They just make way too much and we do not want to eat them for the entire week. When the kids were all home we could have cleaned this up in one meal and everyone would have been happy and full.
Our kids are grown and there are just the two of us.
When I make casseroles after cooling, I immediately cut them in portions. Next I put the portions in several zip loc bags and freeze. Then when in a hurry it is easy to have fast yummy food.
Half it and make it in a square pan instead. I’ve had the same problem. Now we live near his family so we just share it with them. lol
Looks so yummy! My mouth is watering looking at that last picture! Haven’t made a casserole in a long while – may just have to try this one!! Thank you for sharing…
I’ll be making that for dinner tonight…thanks!!
This is just what I was looking for. I’ll make a substitution for the broccoli by using kohlrabi and carrots. Looks easy-peasy to make. 🙂
Do you think that this recipe would feed 10 adults? Thanks.
I would say this recipe serves about 6-8 people, you may want to double if you are serving 10.
Thank you for noting that it can be made with gluten-free noodles!! It’s nice that those of us who have to be GF are being included 🙂
I cook Gluten-Free and make lots of casseroles. Since the water from boiled G-F noodles is gummy and starchy I always cook my veggies first remove from and save the cooking water then cook the noodles in that. The cooking liquid gives the noodles extra flavor which in turn makes the casserole taste wonderful. Don’t forget to salt the water after pulling out the veggies and before cooking the noodles.
with just a little change up this would be great for beef as well. could use grated pepper jack cheese for the top!
This sounds really good. I have never used heavy cream in anything before; where would I find it in the store? Thanks.
You should be able to find it by the milk and the half and half.
Heavy Cream is often called Heavy Whipping Cream. 🙂 good hunting.
That looks so deliciously simple. It’s so rare to find a recipe using home-canned stuff – especially meat. I love it!
Sounds yummy! I have a few casseroles that we like to eat but this looks fun and easy!
My family loves casseroles, there is something so comforting about them. I think a recipe like this is wonderful, I enjoy being able to make changes to a recipe depending on what I have in the refrigerator.
Always looking for another easy casserole dish. We love everything in the recipe. Thanks, I will be trying this one soon.
I love how quickly this comes together.
This looks really good, and I think my family would love it. My kids loves all of the ingredients, so I will have to give it a try.
Julie, sounds Yumo! Up in the Northwoods at our cabin w ft snow
Outside..perfect casserole to try an invite friends over for
Dinner:) what do u suggest as a quick, easy desert to accompany this
Chicken casserole? Thanks, GodsBlessings !
This is easy & looks tasty, I’m going to make this recipie.
This chicken casserole looks great…can’t wait to make it….and check
out the other things on your blog….just found your blog today on an email from Kevin who tells us all about the amish…..and gives us recipes …love his blog too.
This looks very good, but it’s almost identical to a Turkey (or chicken) Tetrazzini recipe. And by the way, when I make a large casserole dish like this and it’s just the two of us….I simply divide the ingredients into two smaller baking dishes, then bake one for use now and let the other one cool. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then two separate layers of foil, sealing it well. Always mark it with black marker pen, including the date. I also include the plastic wrap notation so I won’t forget it’s there. Sometimes I’ll make a dish specifically to give away…be sure to add the baking temp and time to the foil covering! Mmmm, yummy and creamy casseroles….what’s not to love about that?
I’m a casserole freak. I love them! And you can’t go wrong with heavy cream in anything 🙂
Oooh, that looks really tasty! Thanks for linking up to the Weekend re-Treat Link Party!
xo,
Shannon
http://www.akadesign.ca
I came back to your site to find this recipe as I made this the last time you posted it and we really enjoyed it. Easy and tasty…my kind of dinner. Like you, I add a fruit and viola – ‘dinner is served’. Tonight we will have some applesauce I canned last fall.
I like to cook ahead and next time I make this I will make an extra to have on hand when I hear of a family that needs a meal; I will include a home-canned jar of fruit (hubby came home feeling under the weather today, so not a good day for extra time in the kitchen).
Thanks again for all the work you do to keep your website…I enjoy every one of your posts. You are fantabulous!!
Great site. This is first visit.
Just made this and sampled hot out of the oven. I did add some garlic I had on hand, and used my own canned chicken broth. It is great. I have an old Amish cookbook and there are many good economical recipes in it not requiring processed foods.
The recipe is large for a small family but I have several neighbors who appreciate any food so I share when I can. Thank you for posting this.
I use this all thw time its so good and family loves it but instead of mushrooms and peppers I use carrots and celery
I too am a casserole freak. Looking forward to preparing this dish, but with one slight change. I have found adding some of the pasta water adds a little more of that certain something that I wish I could put into words. Thank you for the post!
Merisa could I make amish casserole on Saturday and place in refrig until sunday then bake?
Yes that should work, maybe just don’t cook the noodles quite as long since they will be soaking for some extra time.
This has become a favorite in our family!
This casserole has become one of our favorites! I’ve had to make modifications at times, based on what I’ve had in the kitchen, but it’s always a winner at our house. This is one recipe that has made it into my recipe binder. Thanks, Merissa!
I think I will definitely try this recipe!! It sounds very delicious. Thank you for the recipe?
It’s a cool and rainy day here in south central IL. This sounds like a great recipe. Comfort food=Yum! Thank you for sharing. Wishing you and your family the best in your new home. God bless.
Thank you Connie, enjoy!
never used arrowroot where can i find it in the store ? is it a fresh vegetable that needs to be boiled before using or iam i thinking of something else ? is it in with the spices ?
Arrowroot is very similar to cornstarch, you should be able to find it in the baking aisle in the grocery store but if you can’t find it you can use cornstarch instead.
If you don’t have any noodles or pasta in your pantry, you can add readymade biscuits (cut in quarters) over the top during the last few minutes of baking. It’s almost like making a pot pie out of a casserole.
Can you freeze something made with heavy cream?
I wouldn’t recommend it as it will change the texture. It should taste fine but the texture will be off.
I wonder if I could use whole milk instead of the cream??? Nancy
You should be able to.
The chicken casserole was delicious. I used the cream off of fresh cow milk.Will definitely make it again everyone went back for seconds Thanks for your site I enjoy it.
I would give this a five,Easy to prepare and you can be flexible with the ingredients.Taste yummy.
Gotta try this Marissa. It looks delicious! There’s just hubby and me now, so I’ll either make it and freeze half, or just half the recipe. I love that it’s so versatile to change up the veggies and/or even the meat. Maybe try it with pork. What do you think? Thanks for the recipe.
Carol M
Looks like a great recipe!
Minor change: steam the broccoli in 2T of water in the microwave. Boiling and then draining the broccoli pours off a substantial portion of the nutrients. Although it adds another dish, it should be easy enough to simply rinse and set out to dry.
When I buy large portions of boneless, skinless chicken breast, I cook a few pounds in the crock pot, shred, and freeze in 1 lb portions. Perfect for tacos, casseroles, and soups.
I made this last week and again tonight. I cooked the broccoli with the noodles as the recipe said the first time, and it was way overcooked after baking the casserole. I tossed the broccoli in raw before baking tonight and it was cook, but not mushy. My husband and daughter liked it better tonight. Definitely a keeper.
Making this for dinner tonight. Thank you for the recipe