Chicken a la King Casserole With Noodles

Chicken a la king casserole recipe

The Spruce

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This chicken noodle casserole is filled with all the flavors of classic Chicken a la King, with pimientos, celery, and an easy, creamy sauce. We used wide noodles, but medium or wide may be used. 

We adapted this chicken and pasta recipe from a vintage community cookbook from North Carolina. It's an easy preparation and makes an excellent family meal for any night of the week. It's great for potlucks, too. 

Convenient, condensed cream of chicken soup makes the sauce super easy, and the ingredients are quite versatile. Add some canned or sautéed mushrooms or sauté some green onions and add them to the sauce. We used sharp cheddar in the casserole, but you might have another favorite cheese. It would be great with American cheese or a cheddar jack blend. It's also a great way to use leftover turkey or ham.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste

  • 6 ounces noodles

  • 2 large stalks celery, diced

  • 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk, or light cream

  • 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimientos. drained

  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds, optional

  • 1 cup soft fresh breadcrumbs

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for chicken a la king
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  2. Heat the oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.

    Lightly butter a baking dish
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  3. Put about 2 to 2 1/2 quarts of water in a large saucepan with 2 teaspoons of salt. Place the saucepan over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Add the noodles and reduce the heat to medium. Boil the noodles following the package directions.

    Put water in a saucepan
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  4. Drain well and transfer them to a large bowl. Set aside.

    Drain well
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  5. In the same saucepan, combine the celery with the condensed soup and evaporated milk or light cream; simmer over low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes.

    Combine celery with soup
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  6. Add the pimientos, diced cooked chicken, and cheese. Continue cooking, stirring, until the cheese has melted. 

    Add the pimientos
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  7. Pour the sauce over the noodles and stir until well combined. 

    Pour sauce over the noodles
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  8. Spoon the chicken and noodle mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds, if using.

    Spoon the chicken and noodle mixture into dish
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  9. Combine the fresh breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Stir with a fork until the crumbs are well coated with butter.

    Combine fresh breadcrumbs into butter
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  10. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the casserole.

    Sprinkle the crumbs over the casserole
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  11. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the breadcrumb topping is browned.

    Bake the casserole
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Tips

  • Use poached or baked chicken breasts, the meat from a rotisserie chicken, or convenient fully cooked chicken breast strips.
  • To toast slivered on the stovetop​ put them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the skillet and stirring frequently until the nuts are golden brown and aromatic. 

Recipe Variations

  • Add 4 to 6 ounces of sautéed sliced mushrooms to the sauce mixture or add 1 small can or jar of drained sliced mushrooms.
  • Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion to the sauce along with the celery.
  • Replace the chicken with diced leftover turkey or ham.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
415 Calories
24g Fat
27g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 415
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 31%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 989mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 17mg 86%
Calcium 212mg 16%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 274mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)