Easy Potato Chip and Chicken Casserole with Cheese
Sneak Preview: Make this Potato Chip Casserole with Chicken and Cheese the next time you have leftover chicken, turkey, or tuna. Crunchy chips and chewy cheese are SO satisfying!
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Do you like to raid the recipe boxes of family members? Me, too. I got this easy chicken and potato chip casserole from my sister’s recipe box. It’s a “goodie.”
The word “casserole” sounds so June Cleaver-ish. But I’m a Texas city girl with roots in Indiana farm country. So casseroles equal comfort food in my book.
This weeknight-appropriate casserole is full of chicken (or turkey leftovers), cream sauce, sour cream, potato chips, and finally, topped with cheese. Use different flavors of chips to add variety.
How to make this recipe super fresh:
Recently, I decided this easy recipe using leftover rotisserie chicken needed a makeover. The recipe required some freshness and kick without making the directions too complicated.
Instead of buying condensed cream of chicken or mushroom soup, try whipping up a quick cream sauce. Use a skillet and stove (see video), or save time by cooking the sauce in a microwave (illustrated below.)
This cream sauce is the same recipe as my Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup. It’s a handy recipe to have in your back pocket.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Thicken the cream sauce with cornstarch, not flour. The entire recipe will be gluten-free if you use a gluten-free chicken base. (That assumes you also aren’t using any other substitutes with gluten.)
Curious, I researched the chicken base I use, Better Than Bouillion. Unfortunately, according to their website, “We do not make the gluten-free claims upon any of our Better Than Bouillon Food Bases.” Hmmm.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time or freeze it?
You can assemble this earlier if you bake it the same day. Otherwise, the chips will absorb moisture and get soft.
I don’t recommend freezing this casserole. The chips tend to have a leftover potato-chip flavor, in my opinion.
If you feed only 2-3 people, try making a half-recipe. You may still have leftovers, but not as much.
Substitutions:
- Substitute two cans of cream of chicken or mushroom soup for the scratch cream sauce to save time. (This substitution makes the recipe easy for kids to cook.)
- Kettle-baked potato chips hold up the best and make a fabulous crunchy crust on top. However, you can use any chips you have on hand. This is a great way to eliminate leftover chips from your last party.
- Consider using flavored chips. We love jalapeño chips for their flavor and spice.
- Replace the sour cream with full-fat yogurt if you prefer. Don’t use fat-free yogurt, or you run the risk of separation when the casserole starts to bubble with heat.
- Instead of rotisserie chicken, you can use leftover turkey or any cooked chicken you have on hand.
How to make Potato Chip Casserole with Chicken: (without canned soup)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
If you have questions or suggestions, email me privately for a quick answer: Paula at saladinajar.com. Hope to see you again soon!
Potato Chip Casserole Recipe Without Canned Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon chicken base
- 3 cups whole or 2% milk - (divided)
- 1 cup sour cream - 8 oz
- 4 cups chopped cooked chicken - cooked chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces potato chips - We like kettle-baked, plain or flavored–jalapeño chips are our favorite
- 4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Combine the first five ingredients plus 2-1/2 cups milk in a medium bowl, a blender, or a food processor. Mix or process until smooth.
- Pour cream mixture into a large skillet and heat until thickened. Alternatively, cook in a microwave for 6-8 minutes until thickened, stirring a couple of times while cooking.
- Whisk sour cream into the sauce until smooth. Stir in chicken and remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Season with pepper.
- Crush chips and layer half of them on the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Distribute creamed chicken on top of the chip layer, then cover chicken with remaining chips. Sprinkle cheese over the top chip layer.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes until bubbly. If chips start to brown too much, lay a piece of foil over the top but don’t seal. You want the chips to be crispy.
Paula Rhodes, author
I’m a retired home economist, wife, mother, grandmother, and creator of Saladinajar.com. I believe you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Here you’ll find time-saving tips, troubleshooting advice, and confidence-inspiring recipes to make life in the kitchen more fun, appetizing, and satisfying.