Chicken Potato Casserole – Easy Creamy Dinner Recipe

Chicken Potato Casserole has layers of tender chicken, soft potatoes and peas, then it’s topped with a homemade white sauce and buttery crumbs—sounds like total comfort food, doesn’t it? This dish is the kind of recipe that’s great for busy weeknights or casual weekend dinners, and it’s simple enough to feel easy but still special enough to impress the whole family.

Simple and Delicious Chicken Potato Bake 

This casserole combines everyday pantry staples and produce in a way that’s both satisfying and hearty. You don’t need a long list of complicated things, just good basic ingredients that work well together!

Layering chicken, peas and potatoes in one dish allows the flavors to meld together, making every bite a cozy delight. This hearty casserole is a complete meal in one pan!

I also like how customizable this simple casserole is. For example, you can use leftover chicken or use different kinds of potatoes or add a different vegetable instead of peas. This dish adjusts easily to what you have on hand.

One great thing about casseroles is even though you’ll make some dirty dishes preparing the casserole, after it’s baking in the oven you have time to clean up the mess before dinner instead of after!

Ingredients 

• Potatoes – any kind of potatoes. (I use whatever I have on hand and it was russet potatoes today!) When using red or Yukon golds, you don’t have to bother with peeling them!
  
• Chicken – leftover chicken from a roast is my favorite, but you can also cook a chicken breast or two especially to use in this recipe. Here’s a fast and simple way to cook chicken for this casserole!
  
• Peas – frozen peas. You can actually use other veggies like green beans or broccoli too, I’d just make sure to cook them a little first!

White Sauce:

• Onion – a large onion, finely diced. Or a teaspoon of onion powder, if you’d rather!
  
• Butter – salted butter
  
• Flour – all-purpose flour. I usually use fresh milled whole wheat flour.
  
• Milk – whole milk is mostly what I use
  
• Chicken broth – I use my own homemade stuff, but you can also buy it at the store!
  
• Salt + pepper – your favorite brand of salt and black pepper
  
• Sour cream – full fat sour cream

Want to take a shortcut? Just mix a can of condensed cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom soup) with a can of water, then mix in the sour cream and use that instead of making a homemade white sauce! 

Crumb topping:

• Butter – salted butter
  
• Cracker crumbs – crushed crackers (I often use Ritz crackers) or bread crumbs work ok too. If using plain bread crumbs, you might want to add a little bit of salt or seasonings to the crumbs!

Supplies we used:

• Several saucepans – one to cook the potatoes, one to make the white sauce, and another to cook the chicken if you’re starting with raw chicken.
  
• Spatulas, measuring cups and spoons, peeler and a whisk
  
• Casserole dish – a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, or a dish similar in size
  
• Microwave safe dish – to melt the butter to be mixed with the crumbs
  
• Cutting board and kitchen knife – to dice potatoes, onion, and chicken, if necessary
  
• Nonstick cooking spray – to grease the pan

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How to make Chicken Potato Casserole

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Peel and dice 4 potatoes (or enough to equal about 4 cups) and cook them in salt water until they’re soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Cook the chicken (1-2 breasts) then shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces. (Unless you have leftovers to use!)

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Dice the onion and sauté for a few minutes, then whisk in the flour until smooth and bubbly. Add the cup of milk and chicken broth, salt and pepper and whisk and cook on medium heat until somewhat thickened. Stir in the sour cream.

Layer the tender potatoes, juicy chicken, peas and creamy sauce in a greased baking dish. Melt 2 tbsp. of butter then thoroughly mix the melted butter with the cracker crumbs, then spread it evenly on top of the casserole. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the crumbs are golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

Storage

Place any leftover casserole in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How to Reheat Chicken Potato Casserole 

Oven Method (best for keeping the casserole’s creamy texture without drying it out): preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the casserole with foil to keep moisture in and bake for 20–25 minutes until heated through.

Microwave Method (best for speedy reheating with minimal fuss): heat individual portions on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring or rotating halfway for even warmth. 

Tips, Tricks & Notes

Parboiling your potato chunks before assembling the casserole is simply to make sure they’re tender by the time the casserole is heated through and bubbling.

Season each layer. Instead of counting on the white sauce to add all the flavor, make sure each ingredient is seasoned to your liking before layering in the pan. For example, taste a potato and add salt if necessary. If cooking raw chicken, add salt and any other seasoning you like. Once each different item tastes great to you, it’s ready to be layered together in the pan! 

Homemade white sauce substitute: mix a can of condensed cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom soup) with a can of water, then mix in the sour cream and use that instead of making a homemade white sauce! I don’t recommend doing this though, it doesn’t taste as good!

A quick and easy way to make cracker crumbs for this potato chicken casserole is to simply place the crackers in a Ziploc bag, seal out the air and take the rolling pin over the crackers to crush them! A food processor works great too, if you have one of those. It takes about one regular sized sleeve of Ritz crackers to equal one cup of crumbs.

Let the casserole rest before serving. Once out of the oven, allow the dish to sit for at least 5 minutes. This helps it set slightly, making it easier to scoop!

Add some flavor!

• Add a touch of mustard. A spoonful of Dijon mustard whisked into the white sauce adds a gentle tang to the dish.
  
• Sprinkle in some fresh herbs. Finely chopped herbs like parsley or chives sprinkled in adds fresh bursts of flavor throughout the casserole.
  
• Use smoked paprika. A sprinkle of smoked paprika in the white sauce adds a subtle, smoky depth that complements the creamy texture.

Looking for more easy weeknight dinner ideas?

Try some more of our delicious chicken recipes:

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