Easy Chicken Stroganoff Casserole with Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie chicken makes this stroganoff casserole a way to use cooked meat without cooking it again in a skillet. Sauté mushrooms and onion, make a simple broth sauce, and fold in the shredded chicken, sour cream, and egg noodles before baking. The sauce contains no canned soup.

Chicken stroganoff casserole recipe

Yield: 6 servings
Estimated time: 15 minutes preparation, 45 minutes cooking, 5 minutes resting; about 65 minutes total
Course: Main dish
Equipment: Large pot, large skillet, colander, whisk, 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish, instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (225 g) dry wide egg noodles
• 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, divided, plus more for the dish
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped, about 1 cup (150 g)
• 10 ounces (285 g) white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons (about 25 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (475 ml) reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups (about 400 g) cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed
• ¾ cup (180 g) full-fat sour cream
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional

Method

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter the baking dish. Cook the noodles in boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package time, then drain.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the mushroom liquid mostly evaporates. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter in the skillet. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth, then simmer for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats a spoon.
4. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and pepper. Remove from the heat. Fold in the cooked chicken and sour cream, then combine with the drained noodles. Taste before adding salt. If the mixture looks dry, loosen it with broth 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time.
5. Spoon into the prepared dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Chilled chicken may lengthen the cooking time. Rest for 5 minutes and scatter parsley over the top if desired.

These are estimated timings. Check the center with a food thermometer; the FoodSafety.gov temperature chart specifies 165°F (74°C) for casseroles.

Choosing and preparing the chicken

Measure the meat after removing the skin and bones. Rotisserie chickens vary in size, and a whole bird is not a reliable unit for a recipe. A mixture of breast and thigh meat works well. Shred it into short, bite-size pieces so the chicken mixes evenly with the noodles.

Plain cooked chicken can replace rotisserie chicken in the same measured amount. Raw chicken is not a direct substitute in this method. Cook it separately before adding it, and check poultry for 165°F (74°C).

Rotisserie chicken and broth may already be well seasoned. Taste the combined sauce before adding salt. For a milder result, reduce the mustard to 1 teaspoon (5 ml). Keep the sour cream off direct heat when stirring it in to reduce the chance of a grainy sauce.

Preparing ahead and keeping leftovers

For an overnight head start, cook the mushroom sauce and noodles, cool promptly in shallow containers, and refrigerate separately from the chicken and sour cream. Combine before baking. Add broth if needed, cover, and allow extra oven time for the cold ingredients. Check the center for 165°F (74°C).

Count the chicken’s refrigerator time from when it was originally cooked or purchased hot. Baking it into a casserole does not provide a fresh storage period for chicken already nearing the end of its usable life.

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3 to 4 days. Freeze portions promptly for longer storage. See USDA guidance on handling leftovers.

Add a spoonful of broth to a portion, cover loosely, and microwave in short intervals, stirring between intervals. Heat to 165°F (74°C) throughout, checking more than one spot. For a larger amount, use a covered oven-safe dish at 350°F (175°C); heating time depends on depth and portion size. Follow USDA reheating guidance.

Freeze cooled individual portions in airtight containers. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. Noodles may soften and sour cream may separate after freezing; stirring in a little broth during reheating can improve the texture. Freezing does not improve an already dry casserole.

For another use for cooked chicken, try Crescent Roll Chicken Pot Pie with Rotisserie Chicken. For beef with a similar homemade sauce, see beef stroganoff casserole without canned soup.