This oven baked 3-ingredient chicken commodore casserole is the sort of dependable supper that feels right at home at a church potluck, a summer picnic, or a weeknight table when you need something filling without a lot of fuss. It has that old Midwestern casserole magic Aunt Dorothy understood so well: a few humble ingredients, a hot oven, and somehow a bubbling dish comes out rich, savory, and memorable enough that folks ask for it year after year.
Serve this casserole with buttered green beans, sweet corn, a crisp lettuce salad, or sliced tomatoes when they are in season. If you are feeding a crowd, it also goes nicely with potato salad, deviled eggs, or a simple fruit plate, and a basket of soft dinner rolls is never out of place for catching every last bit from the dish.
Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Chicken Commodore Casserole
Servings: 6
Ingredients
4 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Heat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooked chicken, condensed cream of chicken soup, and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese until everything is well coated.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
4. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the casserole is hot and bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden.
5. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving so it settles a bit, then spoon onto plates and serve warm.
Variations & Tips
Add a crunchy topping: If you want that old picnic-table casserole look from the headline photo, scatter a light layer of buttered breadcrumbs or crushed buttery crackers over the top before baking. It gives the dish a nice crisp finish and a little extra color.
Use rotisserie chicken: This is one of the handiest ways to make the casserole in a hurry. Just pull the meat from a cooked rotisserie chicken and chop it up; both white and dark meat work nicely here.
Try a different cheese: Cheddar gives a classic sharp flavor, but Colby, Monterey Jack, or a mild cheddar blend will melt beautifully too. If you are cooking for children or folks who prefer milder flavors, that can be a good choice.
Stretch it for a crowd: To make it go a little farther, serve the casserole over buttered noodles, rice, or biscuits. That is a thrifty country-kitchen trick that has saved many a supper when extra company showed up at the door.
Do not overbake: Since the chicken is already cooked, the main goal is simply to heat everything through and melt the cheese. Pull it from the oven once it is bubbly so the chicken stays tender instead of drying out.