This chicken and pasta casserole with vegetables is a hearty and delicious one-dish meal that is perfect for busy weeknights. I made this recipe up using ingredients I had on hand. The result was a delicious comfort food that my family devoured.
This recipe comes together fairly quickly and requires no fancy ingredients. Made with tender chicken, al dente pasta, and a variety of colorful vegetables, this casserole is both nutritious and satisfying.
It’s also a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you may have in your fridge. Whether you’re feeding a hungry family or meal-prepping for the week, this casserole is sure to become a family favorite.
Simple Ingredients in the Chicken and Pasta Casserole with Vegetables
This is a delicious casserole that comes together quickly and will leave your family feeling satisfied. A pasta casserole is always a comfort food for my family and this creamy chicken pasta bake is no exception. All the creamy and cheesy goodness along with chunks of chicken is just pure delightfulness. You can feel good about this dish as it is a great way to sneak in those vegetables.
Rigatoni Pasta, Creamy Chicken Soup, Heavy Whipping Cream, Black Pepper, Dry Mustard, Paprika, rotisserie Chicken, Broccoli and Cauliflower mix, Shredded Cheese, Ritz Crackers, and Butter.
Recipe Variations
Sometimes, just changing the vegetable, noodle, or the crunchy topping is enough to have your family feel like they are eating a whole new meal. Only you know that you are using up vegetables and other ingredients from your pantry.
Pre-cooked chicken. I like to get rotisserie chicken when it is on sale. I take it off the bone and cut it into bite-size pieces and freeze. It is so handy to have for easy weeknight meals like this. However, leftover chicken works great in this dish. You can certainly cook up a few chicken breasts and use it in this recipe too.
Change up the vegetables. Today, I used frozen cauliflower and broccoli; however, just about any vegetable fresh or frozen would work well in this dish. Here are a few ideas to try.
- Corn
- Peas
- Green Beans
- Carrots
- Zucchini
Switch out the rigatoni for another hearty pasta
Choose a hearty pasta that will not disintegrate in the casserole when baking. Here are a few types of hearty pasta that work well in this dish.
Penne Pasta. Sometimes called mostaccioli, the shape of penne pasta is very close to rigatoni pasta. This is a tube-shaped pasta with a diagonal cut on both ends. The larger hole in the center works great with sauces, and casseroles with meat and vegetables as they will sometimes get inside the shell.
Fusilli Pasta. It is a thick spiral-shaped pasta that is great for carrying sauces. You can often find it in salads and pasta casseroles covered with sauce.
Rotini Pasta. Another spiral-shaped noodle that looks like corkscrews.
Gemelli Pasta. This hearty pasta is more of a thin spiral-shaped pasta that also works well in sauces and pasta salads.
Lasagna. It is a long wide noodle that comes with a flat or curly edge. It is often used in a lasagna casserole where the ingredients are layered as it holds up well.
Macaroni. Is a short curved tube-shaped pasta that is the star of macaroni and cheese. It is often found in pasta salads too. The hole through the pasta is a great place for sauces to hang out; therefore, making each bite satisfying and saucy.
Radiatore. This sturdy pasta has a ruffled appearance. Another noodle that is perfect for sauces in salads and casseroles.
Cheese. Really, any type of melting cheese that you like the taste of works well in this casserole. I used a mixed blend of Monterey jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, and Asadero cheese.
Switch out the cracker crumbs. A delicious alternative is using a box of stuffing mix. Just mix with the butter and sprinkle on top and bake.
Prepare This Casserole Ahead of Time
While it does not take long to get this casserole assembled for baking, you can make this the morning before or night before.
Just cook the noodles, layer in the ingredients and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. When you are ready, bake and serve. When baking straight from the refrigerator, add 10 minutes onto the baking time as the dish will be cooler at the beginning of the bake time.
What to Serve with This Chicken Pasta Bake
There are several options for side dishes that would complement a chicken pasta bake, such as a green salad, garlic bread, biscuits, homemade pickles, or pickled beets. You could also consider serving a soup or a creamy soup-like tomato soup with the pasta bake.
Chicken and Pasta Casserole with Vegetables
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces Rigatoni Pasta Cooked Al dente
- 10.5 Ounces Creamy Chicken Soup 1 can
- 10.5 Ounces Heavy Whipping Cream
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Dry Mustard
- ½ Teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Rotisserie Chicken Cut up
- 12 Ounce Broccoli and Cauliflower mix 1 frozen bag
- 2 Cups Cheese Shredded
- 10 Ritz Crackers Crushed
- 2 Tablespoons Butter Melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit
- Cook the pasta to al dente, drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add creamy chicken soup, heavy whipping cream, black pepper, dry mustard, and paprika. Mix until combined.
- In a 9 x 13 baking pan prepared with spray cooling oil layer in the diced rotisserie chicken pieces, frozen bag of broccoli and cauliflower, and pasta.
- Next, pour on the sauce.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheese. I used a mixed blend of Monterey jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, and Asadero cheese.
- Finally, crush the ritz crackers and combine with the melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture on top.
- Bake for 45 minutes until hot and bobbly and the crackers are golden brown and crispy.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
While it does not take long to get this casserole assembled for baking, you can make this the morning before or night before.
Just cook the noodles, layer in the ingredients and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. When you are ready, bake and serve. When baking straight from the refrigerator, add 10 minutes onto the baking time as the dish will be cooler at the beginning of the bake time.
