One-Dish Wonders: 5 Fantastic Chicken Casserole Recipes

No Comments | Written on January 13, 2012 at 3:00 pm, by The Editors

$chicken casserole recipes$ When we got to thinking about some of our favorite chicken casserole recipes, we immediately thought of the phrase “one-dish wonders.” Puns abound in food writing, and that play on the phrase “one-hit wonders” is repeatedly invoked to describe casseroles of all stripes. On the one hand, that’s no surprise: the creamy, often cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth combo of, say, chicken, noodles and tender baked vegetables is indeed wonderful. And, of course, the fact that it all goes into one dish (convenient) and that many casseroles can be prepared in advance and then either frozen or refrigerated (super convenient) only makes them even more worthy of the designation.

But really, “one-hit wonders”? Unlike those catchy flash-in-the-pan singles that once upon a time were played again and again on the radio, only to fade to obscurity, these casserole favorites have the staying power to become perennial hits as part of your regular weeknight dinner repertoire. Still, we thought it’d be fun to see just how far we could push the comparison. More hoity-toity websites might offer you wine pairings with their recipes — we’ve paired some of our (embarrassingly) favorite one-hit wonders with some stellar one-dish wonders. Our apologizes if you find yourself humming any of these as you’re in the kitchen.

Busy Mom’s Chicken Pot Pie

chicken casserole recipes

This quick-prep combo of rotisserie chicken, prepackaged vegetable medley and frozen biscuits is, indeed, perfect for busy moms — just the kind of ladies who might be dashing over to the school in Jeannie Riley’s 1968 tsk-tsk classic “Harper Valley P.T.A.”

Cheesy Chicken and Mostaccioli

chicken casserole recipes

For those who like their chicken casseroles cheesy, this one does the trick: bubbly, creamy and deliciously hearty. For those who like their music cheesy, however, few songs can probably beat Bertie Higgins’s gooey 1982 hit “Key Largo.”

Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Casserole

$chicken casserole recipes$

Traditional Tex-Mex flavors like chili powder and green chilies give a decided kick to this chicken-and-rice casserole. The fact that it only takes 20 minutes to prepare, and that it can be made 24 hours ahead of time, means that you’ll have plenty of time to “Relax” — as Frankie Goes to Hollywood famously put it back in 1984.

“Healthified” Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

chicken casserole recipes

If you’re too sexy for your car, your hat and, for that matter, your shirt, then you’ll no doubt love these healthy alternatives to chicken enchiladas. With half the fat of the original recipe and way more calcium, these will keep you looking svelte and sexy — maybe, like Right Said Fred back in 1992, “too sexy.”

Cajun Chicken Lasagna

chicken casserole recipes

You can’t get more down-home, all-American than this Cajun chicken lasagna, with its chopped green peppers, smoky andouille sausage and good-ol’ country kick. One bite, and it’ll have you standing up and gettin’ all twangy alongside Lee Greenwood: “God Bless the U.S.A.” indeed!