This Chicken Broccoli Noodle Casserole is absolutely delicious. Simple ingredients come together in the best way to make the ultimate comfort food.
This delicious Chicken Noodle Casserole with Broccoli is a fun spin on my Chicken Noodle Casserole. The flavors of chicken, broccoli, and cheddar cheese were made for each other. They combine in the best way in this creamy noodle casserole. It leaves you with a comforting casserole that is delicious, and make ahead and freezer friendly!
How to Make Chicken Noodle Casserole With Broccoli
Here is a brief overview of how to make this delicious chicken broccoli noodle casserole. For the full recipe including all ingredients and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Cook the Pasta
Salt your water and cook the pasta following the directions on the box. Reserve one cup of the pasta water before draining. The starchy pasta water is perfect to add to the sauce for the casserole.
Sauté the Garlic and Onion
Cook until they are both soft and the onion is translucent.
Make the Sauce and Add Broccoli
Make a roux by whisking in the flour and cook until there is no white in the pan. Then slowly whisk in the chicken stock. Add in the pasta water, milk, and seasonings. Finally, stir in the broccoli.
Combine Everything and Bake
Add your cooked pasta, cooked chicken, cheese, and sauce mixture to a baking dish. Stir and top with remaining cheese. Place in the oven and bake until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
Casserole recipes are dependable and comforting dinners for any season or day of the week. Here are a few tips and tricks to make the best chicken casserole with noodles and broccoli.
- Use any pasta that you like. Use your favorite pasta or egg noodles. Make sure to cook it according to the directions on the package so that it doesn’t get overcooked and mushy in the oven.
- Add the liquid slowly. When you come to the step of making the roux after sautéing the garlic and onion, add the chicken stock slowly. It should take about a minute to add all the liquid and will make the roux come together better.
- Keep cooked chicken on hand. I love keeping frozen chicken on hand in my freezer for recipes like this that call for cooked chicken. Alternatively you can make chicken in the instant pot or boil it in water until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Use fresh or frozen broccoli. If you use frozen broccoli, add it when you combine everything in the baking dish.
- Use a different cheese. I call for cheddar here, but any good melting cheese, such as Colby, American, or Monterey Jack, would be great in this recipe.
- Shred the cheese from a block. Whatever cheese you use, it is best to shred it from the block as it will melt much better.
- Reserve the starchy water the noodles are cooked in to make a great base for this casserole and give in an extra creamy quality.
- Use other vegetables. You can use other vegetables instead of or in addition to broccoli. Peas, carrots, corn, or mushrooms would all work well in this recipe.
Storing Leftovers
Store your leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you are eating, as leftovers should never be reheated more than once. Always use your best discretion with leftovers.
Make Ahead
This chicken noodle casserole with broccoli recipe is also amazing because it can be made ahead. Whether you are making it the night before for an easy weeknight meal or bringing it to a gathering or a new mom, I have you covered.
- Follow the recipe up to the point of putting it in the casserole dish.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to bake, take it out of the refrigerator, preheat the oven, and top it with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese.
- Bake, covered, at 425 for 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the cheese on top is bubbly.
When you make this the night before, it turns it into a 30 minute meal the next day!
Freezing Chicken Broccoli Noodle Casserole
This recipe works great for freezing. You can even make a double batch and freeze the second one. Stop at step six, wrap the casserole dish three times in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then add about 10 minutes to the baking time.
What to Serve with Broccoli Chicken Noodle Casserole
If you make this Chicken Casserole with Noodles and Broccoli or any of my other recipes please be sure to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces small shell pasta (1 cup pasta water reserved)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup milk (I used skim, but a higher fat content milk could also be used)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large head)
- 3 cups cooked chicken (about 1 pound of raw chicken)
- 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a roaring boil. Salt the water with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the time indicated on the box, boiling for the shorter amount of time on the box if there is a range. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.16 ounces small shell pasta
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic and onion, and saute until both are soft, 5 to 7 minutes.6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 small yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves
- Whisk in the flour. Cook until there is no white from the flour visible to ensure that you cook out the flour taste. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock. I like to whisk in about 2 tablespoons at a time to start, adding more after what you just added was absorbed. The more you add the faster you can add it. The whole process should take less than 1 minute.1/3 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
- Whisk in the pasta water and the milk. Season with salt, parsley, basil, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add in the broccoli and then reduce the sauce to a simmer, cooking for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning. Taste the sauce and add more salt and/or pepper to taste.1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 4 cups broccoli florets
- Add the cooked pasta, cooked chicken, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and sauce mixture to the baking dish. Stir to combine. Top with the remaining cheese.3 cups cooked chicken, 3 cups cheddar cheese
- Bake for 10 minutes (uncovered) or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Recipe Video
Yolande Fournier says
Nancy I am crazy about all your recipes. Never did I go wild over
a recipe book except my mom.
Thank you so much,
Yolande
Megan says
Simple and delicious! I was lazy so I didn’t bother baking but I’m sure that elevates the recipe even more. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Dr BonBon says
It was yummy and easy to make. I love cream cheese, so I switched out 1/2 pkg (4 oz) of cream cheese of 2 oz of the cheddar cheese.
I’m glad you liked it!