Casseroles have saved dinnertime at our place more times than we can count. They’re low-maintenance, great for feeding a crowd and often freeze like a charm. While we love a sausage-laced pasta or beefy cheeseburger bake, chicken just might be our favorite protein to use in them since it’s lean, filling and easy to cook (and still easier if you use a store-bought rotisserie bird). Whether you’re looking for something healthy or decadent to feed the fam, this list of 21 chicken casserole recipes has something they’ll love. Promise.
RELATED: 30 Easy Casseroles You Should Always Have in Your Back Pocket
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, one pan
Mix up your usual Taco Tuesday menu with these bright, zingy enchiladas smothered in salsa verde. Pile on all the red onion, jalapeño, avocado and sour cream your heart desires.
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Spicy, creamy and oh so cheesy. Might we suggest serving this baked masterpiece for game day instead of messy chicken wings?
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
Looking to shave a few carbs off tonight’s dinner? Strips of summer zucchini can stand in for tortillas just fine. The filling is simple too, thanks to canned corn and beans and store-bought rotisserie chicken.
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
Think thin chicken breasts filled with mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach and breadcrumbs, rolled and doused in homemade tomato sauce. Serve it with pasta or Caesar salad.
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Time Commitment: 6 hours
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Why We Love It: slow cooker recipe, one pot, high protein, beginner-friendly
Pile in all your favorite enchilada ingredients and let your Crockpot do the rest. You could serve it by the slab, or use tortilla chips to scoop it up—just don’t forget the margaritas.
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Between the Swiss cheese, diced ham and frozen chicken nuggets, we’re betting your picky eaters will have no complaints about this pressure cooker meal.
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Oh, hee, shatteringly crispy chicken thighs. The rice is flavorful, tender and rich, courtesy of cream of chicken soup, Parmesan cheese and dry seasonings.
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil is a timeless, flawless combination, but the addition of chicken and rigatoni makes this dish way more satisfying and comforting. Finish your plate with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
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Yup, a lightened-up version of the iconic comfort food exists—and it’s just as tasty as its predecessor. Make it extra wholesome by subbing an almond milk roux for cream and using whole-wheat pie crust.
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Because spaghetti and meatballs get boring fast. Here, the noodles are zhuzhed up with tender mushrooms, aromatic sage, sliced pimentos, dry sherry and all the Gruyère.
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Time Commitment: 50 minutes
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Why We Love It: Paleo-friendly, low-carb, keto-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Pad kee mao but make it casserole—and low carb. There’s still plenty of lip-smacking stir fry sauce, only traditional extra-wide rice noodles are swapped in favor of zucchini noodles.
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
This 20-minute spin on mole sauce uses smooth almond butter and cocoa powder to get its uniquely nutty, chocolate-y flavor, along with a slew of warm spices.
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, high protein
When a dish begins with garlicky, cheesy homemade Alfredo sauce, you know it’s going to be delicious. Ranch seasoning mix, crispy bacon and pasta are just a bonus.
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Make a double batch of the easy-peasy teriyaki sauce. It’ll taste divine on roasted Brussels sprouts, pan-fried tofu, baked salmon and grilled pork.
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, high protein
It may sound excessively healthy, but there’s still lots of crumbled bacon and cheese mixed in. Balance is everything, right?
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: low carb, keto-friendly, high protein, <10 ingredients, one pan
This recipe only calls for six ingredients, and three of them are cheese. Need we say more? (If so, know that you’re encouraged to use store-bought pesto for the sauce.)
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Time Commitment: 50 minutes
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Why We Love It: kid-friendly, high protein, beginner-friendly
File this gem under Dinners Your Kids Will Never Get Sick Of. Come for the rotini, mozz and chicken, stay for the buttery garlic-herb breadcrumb topping.
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Time Commitment: 50 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
For when you’re craving an edible hug. Prepare the sauce first, stir in the cheese until it melts, then pour the mixture over the pasta and chicken. (You can also make the sauce ahead so you can assemble the bake whenever.)
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: keto-friendly, low carb, high protein, <10 ingredients
Can you believe it only requires six ingredients? Go the extra mile by baking the zucchini slices before assembling—this will dry them out and prevent excess moisture in the pan.
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, kid-friendly
Your kids will be thrilled to see their favorite breakfast side make a dinner cameo. Use frozen hashbrowns instead of shredding your own spuds to save time.
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, crowd-pleaser
For the uninitiated, celeriac is the root of the celery plant, and it has a subtle, celery-like flavor with hints of nuttiness. It’s just the pairing for baby Portobello mushrooms, spinach and coconut milk.
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RELATED: 28 Saucepans That Freeze Well and Make Meals a Breeze
Taryn Worse is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
