15 Show-Stopping Chicken Casserole Recipes

Despite being one of the quintessential comfort foods, chicken casseroles can become repetitive. Many of us have a go-to recipe, whether it's a family favorite that you loved as a child or one that you've honed by yourself based on what's in your freezer or the flavors you gravitate towards. These recipes are reliable, resourceful, and often delicious, but if you have them on heavy rotation, you might be sick of them. Luckily, it doesn't have to be this way. The beauty of casseroles is that they can be whatever you want them to be. As long as they're baked in a casserole dish, they count as casseroles (and there's probably an argument to be made that they aren't even limited to that definition).

The question, therefore, is where to begin. If a casserole can be anything, how do you narrow the options? This recipe roundup addresses that issue. It's made for chicken casserole lovers and skeptics alike. We have traditional versions of beloved recipes and variations that are outside the box. They provide the flavor combinations you crave, along with some that you might not have thought of. If you find yourself in a casserole rut, or if you dismiss the category entirely because you haven't found a formula that you like, we have something for you. Whether you love a traditional chicken casserole or would rather have barbecue, quesadillas, or burritos, you'll find something to suit your needs.

Food probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the 37th president of the United States, but Richard Nixon is linked to not one, but two retro classics (if you count the Watergate Salad). Nixon Chicken may not be a standard menu item these days, but it still makes a delicious, filling, and affordable dinner full of flavor.

The ingredients include cream of mushroom soup, chicken, mayonnaise, broccoli, and, of course, cheese. Our recipe only takes 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook, making it an excellent weeknight meal.

Recipe: Nixon Chicken

For a recipe that gets you out of your chicken casserole rut, look no further than this rich, flavorful concoction from recipe developer Catherine Brookes. Instead of featuring the usual shredded chicken and cheese combination, it's made with whole, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, veggies, and a lemony, chicken stock-based sauce.

The key to the recipe is browning the chicken thighs before combining them with the rest of the ingredients. This gives them a rich, almost caramelized flavor and crispy skin. Potatoes add a hearty, filling dimension to the dish, while lemon zest and garlic add a punch of flavor.

Recipe: Lemon-Garlic Chicken Casserole

One of the most nutritionally balanced, affordable meals you can make is rice and beans, and with extra chicken, you can make it even more delicious. This recipe calls for all three ingredients to make a protein-packed meal with plenty of heat and cheese to boot. 

Start by adding a layer of uncooked rice to the bottom of a casserole dish and dousing it with chicken broth. Next, you'll mix in the chicken, beans, paprika, and salsa. Coat it with a generous helping of cheese and bake it for 30 minutes. It's quick, delicious, and healthy.

Recipe: Spicy Chicken Casserole

We don't want to oversell ourselves here, but we think this might be the definitive chicken casserole. It has all the necessary ingredients — chicken (obviously), pasta, mushrooms, and celery — but it also includes a creamy sauce made with milk and cream of mushroom soup that keeps it smooth and luscious despite its time in the oven.

To cap it off, it has a buttery, crispy breadcrumb topping to perfectly complement the tender, creamy filling. Make sure to brown the veggies before adding them to the casserole dish to deepen their flavors. You won't regret it.

Recipe: Chicken Casserole

Not all TikTok recipes are created equal, but you can't deny the knockout flavor of this cheesy chicken cobbler. The genius of this recipe is its ability to pair delicious, comforting flavors in a way that is quick and easy to make. You might not have time to whip up a batch of biscuits or dice veggies, but this recipe has the solution.

Start by layering butter, chicken, and frozen vegetables into a casserole dish. Then, whisk together a box of biscuit mix with some cheese and water, pour it over the veggies, bake it for 50 minutes, and voila! You have the biscuit-covered chicken casserole of your dreams.

Recipe: TikTok-Inspired Cheesy Chicken Cobbler

Believe it or not, you can whip up a burrito meal in less time than it takes to order burritos from a restaurant. This casserole takes 20 minutes to bake and only 6 minutes to prepare. That means you'll get your cheesy, tortilla and chicken fix in under 30 minutes, and you won't have to spend half your weekly food budget on a fast food meal.

All you need is shredded chicken, canned black beans and corn, tortillas, cheese, taco seasoning, and a jar of salsa verde. Layer them into a casserole dish, set the timer for 20 minutes, and marvel at the results.

Recipe: Cheesy Burrito Casserole

A sizzling hot plate of fajitas is tough to recreate at home, but recipe developer Christina Musgrave has devised a way to mimic the beloved dish all in one recipe without too much hassle. To get the familiar taste of veggies cooked on high heat, you'll start by sautéing peppers and caramelizing their natural sugars.

Shredded chicken, cheese, and cream cheese are then added to the peppers before the contents are dumped into a casserole dish and baked. Make sure you have all the fixings — cilantro, salsa, tortillas, sour cream, and more cheese.

Recipe: Chicken Fajita Casserole