This is the kind of casserole that has seen plenty of church basements, potlucks, and busy weeknights out here in the Midwest. It’s a simple, oven-baked Amish-style chicken noodle casserole that leans on pantry staples: uncooked wide egg noodles, canned cream of chicken soup, and just a few other ingredients. Everything gets layered right into the baking dish—no boiling noodles, no fussy sauces—so it’s the first thing I suggest when someone needs an easy, comforting dinner that tastes like it’s been in the family for generations.
Serve this casserole hot, scooped straight from the baking dish. I like to put it on the table with a simple green vegetable—steamed peas, buttered green beans, or a tossed salad with a tangy dressing to cut the richness. Warm dinner rolls or slices of soft white bread with butter fit right in, and if you have time, a dish of applesauce or a simple fruit salad makes a nice, old-fashioned touch. It’s a full meal on its own, but these little sides round it out the way our mothers and grandmothers did.
Oven-Baked 5-Ingredient Amish Chicken Noodle CasseroleServings: 6
Ingredients
12 oz uncooked wide egg noodles
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 cans (10.5 oz each) cream of chicken soup
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with a bit of butter or cooking spray so the noodles don’t stick.
Spread the uncooked wide egg noodles evenly in the bottom of the baking dish, making sure they reach into the corners for an even layer.
Scatter the cooked shredded chicken evenly over the dry noodles, gently spreading it so every bite will have some chicken.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and whole milk until smooth and well combined.
Slowly pour the soup mixture evenly over the chicken and noodles, then use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread it so all the noodles are moistened and mostly submerged. This step should look just like you’re layering canned cream of chicken soup over uncooked noodles in the dish.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, crimping the edges to keep the steam in. This helps the noodles cook through in the oven.
Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Then carefully remove the foil, give a gentle stir around the edges if any noodles are poking up dry, and smooth the top back down.
Return the uncovered casserole to the oven and bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until the noodles are tender, most of the liquid is absorbed, and the top is lightly golden and bubbly around the edges.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving so it can set up a bit. Scoop into bowls or onto plates and serve warm.
Variations & Tips
If you like a little more flavor, you can stir 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, or a pinch of black pepper into the soup mixture before pouring it over the noodles, keeping the ingredient list simple but still very homey. For a slightly richer dish, swap the whole milk for half-and-half, or use homemade chicken stock in place of canned broth. To stretch the casserole for a bigger family, add an extra cup of broth and a small handful of noodles, then bake a bit longer until everything is tender. You can also use leftover turkey in place of chicken, especially after the holidays. If you miss a crunchy topping, sprinkle a handful of crushed butter crackers or plain bread crumbs over the top during the last 10 minutes of baking. And for make-ahead convenience, assemble the casserole earlier in the day, cover, refrigerate, and add an extra 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time to heat through from cold.
