There’s a whole lot to love about chicken zucchini casserole. Loads of fresh zucchini, tender pieces of rotisserie chicken, and chunks of stuffing and carrots, all tossed in a heavenly combo of condensed chicken soup and tangy sour cream. Condensed soup casseroles are a weeknight favorite for a reason. Just chop the veggies, dump everything into a dish and go! The hardest thing about this casserole is waiting till it’s time to pull it out of the oven.
Chicken Zucchini Casserole Ingredients
- Stuffing mix: Casserole recipes are one of the best ways to use that box of stuffing sitting in your pantry. Stuffing bulks up your casserole while also serving as a buttery, crispy topping for the hot dish.
- Butter: Used to moisten the stuffing mix, butter also brings extra flavor to the casserole. Personally, I go for Kerrygold. Regular salted or unsalted butter will work great!
- Zucchini: One of our favorite types of summer squash, zucchini boasts a mild, subtly sweet flavor that’s ideal for seasonal eating when the mercury rises.
- Chicken: For the ultimate convenience, pick up a rotisserie chicken from your local market to use. Leftover cooked chicken breast or chicken thighs also works fabulously in casseroles. Whatever route you choose, just make sure you’re using cooked chicken.
- Condensed cream of chicken soup: A can of undiluted condensed cream of chicken soup gives this cozy casserole its creamy, silky texture while adding a savory boost to the dish.
- Vegetables: Aromatic onion and sweet carrot play more of a background role in chicken zucchini casserole, but they’re still an important part of the ensemble. Both are versatile veggies that complement the other flavors in this dish.
- Sour cream: To thicken and enhance the creamy texture of this dish, finish it off with a big dollop of sour cream. It also adds a nice tanginess to the other savory ingredients. If you’re out of sour cream, Greek yogurt and cream cheese are perfect substitutes.
Directions
Step 1: Combine the casserole ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix and melted butter until the stuffing is well-coated. Reserve 1/2 cup stuffing mix for the topping. Stir the zucchini, chicken, soup, carrot, onion and sour cream into the bowl of stuffing.
Step 2: Bake the casserole
Grease an 11×7-inch baking dish. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, and top with the reserved stuffing. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling hot and the topping is golden brown.
Chicken Zucchini Casserole Variations
- Use cream of mushroom soup: Raise your hand if you love mushrooms! For all the fungi fans out there, try cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken.
- Make it cheesy: Add 1 to 2 cups shredded cheese for a deliciously cheesy chicken casserole. Mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gruyere are good starting points.
- Add more veggies: There’s no such thing as too many vegetables when it comes to casseroles. Mix in a medley of summer squash, toss in a few bell peppers, or try eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower or green beans.
- Spice it up: Crushed red pepper flakes, pickled jalapenos, a sprinkling of cayenne pepper or chopped fresh chiles will put the hot in your hot dish.
- Mix in herbs: Fresh or dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage and tarragon brighten up the casserole in a garden-fresh way. Blends like Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence are big winners here.
- Make it crunchy: Buttery Ritz crackers, potato chips, cornflakes and Fritos are all serious home runs anytime you want to boost the crunch factor of your casserole topping.
How to Store Chicken Zucchini Casserole
Once cooled, transfer your chicken zucchini casserole leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge, and enjoy within four days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through, or pop it in the oven and bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes.
Chicken Zucchini Casserole Tips
What do you do if your casserole is too runny?
Whisking a 1:1 mixture of cornstarch and water and then stirring it into the dish will help save a watery casserole before cooking. A tablespoon of each should do the trick. Bake as per the instructions. Flour and arrowroot powder work if you don’t have cornstarch stashed in your pantry.
To fix a watery casserole after cooking, try cooking it for another 5 to 10 minutes, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes once it’s out of the oven.
What should you serve with chicken zucchini casserole?
Vegetable side dishes like roasted broccoli or spiced sweet potatoes hit the spot, or keep the summery theme with grilled sweetcorn. Homemade biscuits or buttery dinner rolls always go down well, as do all your favorite summer salad recipes. For something a little heartier, try rice, couscous or quinoa to soak up the creamy casserole.
