Chinese Chicken Casserole

Five minutes of prep. Forty-five minutes in the oven. Zero complaints at the dinner table.

This old-school chicken casserole has been making the rounds at church suppers, office potlucks, and busy weeknight kitchens for good reason. It just works.

Cooked chicken gets folded into cream of mushroom soup with crunchy water chestnuts, parboiled celery, and onion, then baked under a layer of crispy Chinese noodles that turn golden and toasty on top.

It’s the kind of recipe that uses up leftover chicken or a rotisserie bird and turns it into something everyone asks for the recipe.

Kitchen Tips

• Use leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken in a pinch. Any cooked chicken works here.
• Parboil the celery before adding it. Raw celery won’t soften enough during the bake and you’ll end up with tough, fibrous bites.
• Reserve a generous handful of noodles for the top. They’re the best part, so don’t be stingy.
• This reheats well the next day. Add a splash of water before microwaving to keep it from drying out.