Chicken casserole is the ultimate comfort food. It’s warm, hearty, and full of flavor. But even casserole fans can get tired of the basic recipe after a few bland batches. The good news is that there are lots of simple ways to make your chicken casserole taste even better. This article will give you 9 tasty ideas for changing up your regular chicken casserole. With a few extra ingredients, you can turn an old favorite into a dish that everyone will be begging for more of.
1. Sautéed Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic form the flavor base for countless savory dishes, so they’re a perfect choice for giving a flavor boost to chicken casserole Sauté the onions and garlic before adding them to the casserole, and they’ll add a rich sweetness and depth that takes the overall flavor up a notch I like using a combination of yellow and red onions for a complex layered flavor. Fresh garlic is best, but granulated garlic works too if you’re in a pinch. Just a quarter cup of cooked onions and a teaspoon of garlic per casserole will do the trick.
2. Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are an easy way to brighten up any dish. For chicken casserole, classic herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, and thyme all work wonderfully. Chop the herbs and stir them in at the end for a vibrant finish. Or sprinkle them on top of the casserole before baking for an extra punch of flavor and color. Herbs infuse the casserole with their fresh, aromatic essence and give it a more polished flavor profile. Start with 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs and adjust to taste.
3. Grated Cheese
What makes cheese so magical? The way it melts into creaminess and envelops all the other ingredients in luscious flavor. Cheddar parmesan and monterey jack are all excellent melty choices for chicken casserole. But for an extra decadent twist, try using a combination like grated gruyere and fontina. Grate about a cup of your chosen cheese(s) and sprinkle it over the casserole before baking until melted and bubbling. The cheese releases its oils and coats every morsel in gooey, indulgent richness.
4. Crushed Crackers or Croutons
Adding some crunch on top takes chicken casserole texture to the next level. Crushed crackers like Ritz or buttery round croutons make an easy crunchy topping. The crackers or croutons toast to golden brown and provide contrasting crunch against the soft noodles and chicken. Sprinkle them over top just before baking so they don’t get soggy. For extra flavor, toss the crackers or croutons with a teaspoon or two of dried herbs before topping the casserole.
5. Crisp Bacon Pieces
Bacon makes everything better, so why not add it to chicken casserole? Chopped cooked bacon adds little bursts of smoky, salty, porky goodness throughout the dish. Try using thicker cut bacon for heartier texture and flavor. Cook the bacon until nice and crisp, then drain on paper towels and chop into small pieces. Stir the bacon into the casserole along with any rendered bacon fat for extra richness. A quarter cup of chopped bacon per casserole does the trick.
6. Sautéed Mushrooms
Earthy, meaty mushrooms are a wonderful addition to chicken casserole. Sautéing concentrates their flavor for a more pronounced mushroom taste. Go for classics like white or brown mushrooms, or get fancy with wild varieties like shiitake, oyster, or cremini. Thickly slice the mushrooms, then sauté them in butter or olive oil until lightly browned. Stir the sautéed mushrooms into the casserole, and they’ll add fabulous texture and savory flavor to every bite.
7. Diced Roasted Red Peppers
The savoriness of chicken casserole goes well with the sweetness of roasted red peppers. Cutting up some roasted red peppers and adding them will give it a bright color and taste. Peppers can be roasted yourself, or you can buy them already roasted in jars. When the pepper pieces heat up in the casserole, their sweet juices come out, giving the dish a lovely Mediterranean flavor.
8. Frozen Peas and Carrots
Frozen peas and carrots that cook quickly are a simple way to add vegetables to chicken casserole. The carrots and sweet peas thaw and heat through in the oven to add color and nutrition. Buy frozen peas and carrots that don’t have any sauce or seasonings on them. Take about a cup of the vegetable mix and mix it into the casserole before you bake it. The bright peas and carrots balance out the rich, cheesy casserole in a healthy way.
9. Canned Diced Tomatoes
Because tomatoes are acidic, they give creamy chicken casseroles a bright flavor. You should get a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes and drain them before adding them to the casserole. The tomato pieces heat through and release their juicy goodness, adding a nice sourness and the taste of a garden-fresh tomato. To make it spicier, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the tomatoes.
With a little creativity, the possibilities for elevating chicken casserole are practically endless. Try out some of these add-ins to create your own signature version that will have family and friends begging for the recipe. Just a few extra ingredients can take chicken casserole from boring to beautiful!
How To Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- There are no bones or skin on these chicken breasts. For this recipe, I use them, but you can use chicken thighs instead if you’d like. It’s better to use chicken breasts in this recipe because they are leaner and thicker than chicken thighs. If you don’t want chicken, try our Tuscan salmon or shrimp instead.
- Oregano: The earthy, aromatic flavor of oregano helps to round out the flavors of a dish and adds a nice bitterness.
- Butter: There is a reason everyone loves butter. This is how I use it to give the sauce an extra layer of creaminess. To get rid of some of the brown bits stuck on the pan from the chicken, this will help. These bits are great because they hold so much flavor.
- Garlic: Strong-smelling, warm, and a little spicy, garlic makes any dish taste better and is a traditional Tuscan ingredient.
- Tomatoes with cherry In either case, it’s important to use bright, fresh vegetables to get a real Tuscan taste.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is what gives this simple sauce its rich, silky base for your chicken.
- Parmesan: This recipe calls for two types of Parmesan. The rich and nutty Parmesan adds flavor and texture to the sauce. It fills in the gaps between the chicken pieces and helps the sauce stick to them.
- For the Lemon Wedges, add some acidity that balances out the dish really well. If you don’t like lemon, feel free to leave it out!
I start this recipe off by heating olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, until the oil looks slick and begins to glide across the face of the pan. When the oil is hot, I add the chicken breasts, making sure there is enough space between them so that all four can fit at once. I then season them with oregano, salt, and pepper. We can season the chicken ahead of time, but seasoning in the skillet lets us mix back into the chicken and sauce any extra seasoning that doesn’t stick right away. Cook the chicken for about 8 minutes on each side. Your chicken is done when it has a golden crust on both sides and is no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside, covered, until ready to reintroduce.
Next, I add my butter to the same skillet and stir it as it melts, making sure to scrape any stuck-on chicken and seasoning bits back into the mix. Then I stir in my garlic and cook it until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Then, I add in my cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook the tomatoes until the skin begins to burst, then add in the spinach and cook until it begins to wilt.
Once the spinach wilts, I add in the heavy cream and parmesan and stir the mixture to combine, until it reaches a simmer.
Then I reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to continue to simmer until it is slightly reduced and thickened. This should take about 3 minutes.
When the sauce has reached our desired consistency, return the cooked chicken to the skillet and allow it to cook in the sauce until heated through completely, about another 5 to 7 minutes.
Plate, serve with lemon wedges, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
What To Serve With Creamy Tuscan Chicken
I love this dish served with bread, but you can also serve it over rice or pasta, or with creamy mashed potatoes. Whatever you do, I highly recommend serving this alongside something to sop up all of that incredible Tuscan sauce—let’s be honest, it’s the real star of the show here.
Feel free to store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The Tuscan sauce can also be batched ahead of time and frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months before use.Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Step 1 In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. If you stick an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and read 165°, the chicken is done. This should take 8 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Step 2: Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add the spinach and cook until it starts to wilt. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst. 3: Add heavy cream and parmesan cheese, then bring the whole thing to a simmer. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for about three minutes, or until it has thinned out a bit. Add the chicken back to the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until it’s fully heated through. Step 4 Serve with lemon wedges.
Easy Chicken and Stuffing Casserole Bake with Stove Top Stuffing (So Delicious!)
FAQ
What to add to a bland chicken casserole?
Try different herbs for added flavour: sage or lemon thyme work wonderfully well. For a meatier casserole, add chopped sausage or pancetta when cooking the chicken.
How do I add more flavor to a casserole?
Casseroles can really shine when they achieve a harmonious balance of flavors. Sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic elements should blend well and complement each other. Add ingredients like caramelized onions, olives, or lemon zest to give your casserole a depth of flavor.
What to add to chicken casserole?
A basic chicken casserole has cooked chicken, a creamy sauce (often cream of chicken soup), and a starch, like rice or noodles. Other common ingredients include vegetables like celery, onions, and carrots, and a topping like breadcrumbs or crackers.
What can I add to chicken to make it more flavorful?
Make a paste with paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic, and olive oil to add a little spice to your chicken breast. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure. This Middle Eastern spice rub is delicious when charred on the grill.