Easy Italian Chicken Casserole

An absolute family favorite at my kitchen table! This easy-to-make, family friendly, Italian-flavored chicken casserole will be sure to be on your new weekday rotation!

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If you’re anything like my family, you know that weekday dinners can make or break a Tuesday evening. With a picky three-year-old, and let’s be honest, an almost pickier husband, I have to be creative to ensure that my family is getting a nutritious meal that won’t leave me negotiating at the kitchen table. Which means finding recipes that are healthy, yummy, and easy to make. And my goodness – I’ve found the holy grail!

This recipe was originally adapted from an old Italian Chicken crockpot recipe. Whereas you COULD cook this in the crockpot for an easy dump-and-go recipe, I prefer the baked casserole version as the chicken tends to retain more moisture when baked.

Why I Love This Recipe

This recipe is incredibly versatile in that it can be cooked in a crockpot, baked in a casserole, or done as a one-pot meal on the stovetop! All versions will leave your tastebuds wanting more, but there’s just something about the crispy pasta and gooey cream filling that comes with baking it that I simply cannot resist. As an easy weeknight dinner, this recipe requires only two pans (aside from the casserole pan if you choose to bake), one for the pasta, and then all of the other ingredients cook in one pan prior to be transferred to the casserole dish. Another reason that this recipe is versatile, is that you can adjust the vegetables and protein to your families’ preferences! I added red peppers and onions for a pop of flavor, but you can omit this step or add other veggies or protein that your family would like!

What to serve with it

This dish pairs well with a fresh vegetable, and I love to serve it with a fresh romaine salad! However, it would also go well with green beans or broccoli as well! With most meals, I’m a sucker for a nice bread to help soak up that delicious cream sauce. Lately, I have been beginning to live my sourdough dream, and LOVE making this super easy, Same-Day Sourdough Loaf to add that extra carby deliciousness to this meal.

Italian Chicken Casserole

Recipe by Kempton's KitchenCourse: Chicken, DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Serving Size

1 1/4

Cup

Easy to make weeknight dinner that the whole family will love!

Ingredients

• 2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – Cubed

• 3 Tbs Butter

• 1/2 Cup Red Bell Pepper – Diced

• 1/2 Cup Onion – Diced

• 3 Garlic Cloves – Chopped

• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

• 1 tsp Garlic Powder

• 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

• 10.75 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup with Herbs

• 1/2 Cup Milk

• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

• 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

• 4 oz Cream Cheese

• 1 envelope dry Italian Dressing Mix

• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese – Divided

• 12 oz uncooked Farfalle Pasta

Directions

• Cook pasta 3 minutes less than package directions, if making casserole version. IF not baking, cook pasta per package directions. Drain pasta and set aside.
• Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add onions and peppers to the same pot, and sauté until onion is translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
• Add chicken cubes to same pot and brown. Add black pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes (optional), and stir until well combined.
• To the same pan, add the soup, heavy cream, milk, and chicken broth and Wisk until smooth and well combined.
• Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until well combined and melted into the sauce.
• Add 2Tbs of Parmesan Cheese and dry Italian Dressing mix and stir until well combined.
• Finally, add the cooked pasta to the same pot, and toss until well combined. Heat through for an additional 2-3 minutes. IF NOT BAKING, you can serve from here with no additional cooking!
  
• IF BAKING:
• Preheat oven to 350F degrees and lightly spray a 9×13 casserole dish.
• Transfer mixed chicken/pasta into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. -OPTIONAL- I like to sprinkle with about a 1/4-1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese too if I’m wanting some extra cheesy goodness.
• Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until the sauce/cheese mixture begins bubbling and the top is golden brown.
• Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving!

Notes

• Pre-made chicken can also be substituted, just omit browning the chicken.
• Regular Cream of Chicken soup will work as well, I just prefer it with herbs.
• The red pepper flakes are also optional, if you prefer minimal spice, you can omit!