Creamy pimento cheese chicken casserole-an easy weeknight dinner loaded with pasta, chicken, broccoli, and enough attitude to make leftovers a risky assumption. That buttery Ritz cracker topping makes it impossible to be patient while waiting for your turn at the spoon.
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🥰 Is this pimento cheese chicken casserole recipe for you?
- You believe cheese is a lifestyle, not just an ingredient
- You need a dinner that hushes everyone up for at least five minutes
- You've got leftover chicken staring at you like you're the problem
- You want something cozy enough for Sunday but easy enough for Tuesday
- You're not afraid of a little tang, a little creaminess, and a whole lot of "just one more bite"
🧾 Ingredients
Think of this easy chicken recipe as a mashup between Memaw's broccoli cheddar chicken casserole and Grandma's classic pimento cheese recipe.
- small penne pasta - the sturdy little tubes that hold onto that sauce like they've got something to prove
- cooked boneless chicken - already did the hard work, now just here to soak up praise and cheese
- broccoli - technically the responsible one, but fully willing to be bribed with dairy
- cream of chicken soup - the retro ingredient that everyone has in their pantry
- milk - smooths everything out so nobody starts acting dry or difficult
- pimentos - tiny red troublemakers bringing that signature tang and a little attitude
- salt & pepper - the quiet backbone, doing more than they get credit for like always
- frozen peppers & onions - no chopping, no tears, just straight to business
- cheese - the main character, obviously, and not here to share the spotlight
- Ritz crackers - buttery, flaky chaos for the top layer where things get crunchy
Get my tips for having cooked chicken for casseroles on hand all the time.
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📖 Recipe
Pimento Cheese Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Ritz
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta, cooked al dente
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 3 cups frozen broccoli, partially thawed and drained (squeeze it a little… we don't need swamp casserole)
- 1 cup frozen onion and pepper mix
- 21 ounces cream of chicken soup, 2 10.5-ounce cans
- ½ cup milk, just enough to loosen it, not drown it
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces diced pimientos, drained
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
topping
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of soup + milk until smooth.
- This should look thick and creamy, not soupy.
- Add pasta, chicken, broccoli, 1-½ cups cheese, pimientos, and seasonings.
- Stir until everything is coated and cozy.
- Spread into a greased baking dish.
- Mix crackers with melted butter and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until bubbly and heated through (165℉) . 5 minutes before the casserole is done add remaining cheese to the top.
- Let it sit 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta.
Al dente. Firm. A little attitude. It's going back in the oven-don't turn it into mush on step one. - Drain that broccoli.
Frozen broccoli holds onto water like it's emotionally attached. Don't cook it. Partially thaw it, pat it dry, and move on. - Season the mixture before it bakes.
Taste it. Adjust it. This is your moment. Don't send it into the oven bland and hoping for a miracle.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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🔪 Instructions
If you can boil pasta and resist eating the cheese straight out of the bag, you're already overqualified. Go ahead and make this creamy chicken casserole - you can't mess it up.
- Dump everything together-pasta, chicken, broccoli, the whole creamy situation-except the crackers, butter, and that handful of cheese you're pretending you won't snack on. Spread in the casserole dish.
- Melt the butter and toss it with the crushed Ritz crackers until they're fully committed to being rich and a little reckless.
- Crown that casserole with those buttery crumbs like the crunchy royalty they are.
- About 5 minutes before it's done, pull it out, scatter that reserved cheese over the top, and slide it back in so it can melt into a golden, slightly dramatic finish.
😱 What can go wrong (and how to fix it)
🧀 It's dry. Like, "did someone forget the sauce?" dry.
You either skimped on the milk or baked it like you were settling a grudge. Stir in a splash of warm milk or a little extra soup, cover it, and let it heat through. Look at you, performing miracles.
🧀 It's soupy and sliding around like it's got plans.
Too much liquid or not enough oven time. Give it another 10-15 minutes uncovered so it can get its life together. Next time, measure with intention.
🧀 The topping is pale and disappointing.
Hit it with the broiler for a minute or two and don't walk away-Ritz will betray you in seconds.
🧀 It's bland and nobody's saying it out loud but you can feel the judgment.
You forgot to season. Sprinkle salt, pepper, maybe a little garlic powder or hot sauce and pretend this was the plan all along.
🧀 You "just took a bite" and now a whole corner is missing.
That's not a problem. That's research. Rotate the dish before serving and carry on.
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
Yes, and you should. Let the grocery store do the heavy lifting while you take the credit like the responsible adult you are.
Absolutely. Assemble it, cover it, and stash it in the fridge. When you're ready, bake it like you planned your life this well all along.
You can. Just know the texture might get a little… nostalgic and the topping will get soggy. Still edible, still comforting, just not winning any beauty contests.
🍽 More chicken casserole recipes you'll want to try
If this casserole hits the spot, go ahead and lean all the way in. Crack chicken spaghetti is what happens when creamy, cheesy, slightly chaotic comfort food decides subtlety is overrated-rich, a little addictive, and fully prepared to disappear faster than you planned. Then there's creamy chicken and broccoli Alfredo casserole, which pretends to be refined but is really just a silky, garlicky excuse to eat pasta by the forkful like nobody's watching.
And if you're feeling bold, chicken cobbler strolls in like it owns the place-savory, cozy, and just strange enough to make people ask questions before going back for seconds. It's the kind of dish that makes you side-eye the pan, wondering if you should've made a double batch and saved yourself the trouble.
If there's any left, it's because you hid it. And honestly? Respect.
More easy dinners like this? Real dinners for real nights when you're tired, busy, and not interested in impressing anyone-but still want something good. It's all in the cookbook when you're ready. 30 Easy Dinners for Anytime.Get it here.
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