Creamy Chicken Casserole with mushrooms is a treasure of a recipe. It’s popularly called “Chicken Gloria” and it will win you over. This chicken bake is the perfect party dish and is a reader favorite.
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We love easy chicken casserole recipes like Chicken Tetrazzini and One-Pot Chicken and Rice. This Chicken and Mushroom Casserole does not disappoint!
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Why we love this Chicken Bake
Crowd-Pleaser! Galina (my sister’s mama-in-law) is an amazing cook and this is her chicken and mushroom casserole. It is always a hit at parties and church potlucks. We make this often.
The chicken is incredibly tender – you will savor every morsel. I’ve seen sorta-somewhat similar recipes online referred to as Chicken Gloria, but I love that this one is made from scratch. It uses simple, non-canned ingredients (no cream of chicken soup needed).
Reheats Well – This chicken and mushroom casserole also re-heats really well (if you are lucky enough to have leftovers). You will likely add this recipe to your list of favorites.
Ingredients for Chicken Casserole
The ingredients for this recipe are surprisingly simple but they just work (see full printable ingredient list below):
- Chicken breast (or chicken tenders)
- Chicken broth
- Half and half*
- All-purpose flour (or use a GF substitute)
- Mushrooms
- Onion – it disappears into the sauce
- Garlic – don’t skip it
- Lemon juice – fresh is best
*What is half and half? Half and half is basically light cream. If you aren’t able to find “half and half” at your grocery store, you can substitute with equal parts of milk and heavy cream.
Can I Substitute the Mushrooms?
You can replace white mushrooms with portabello mushrooms. If you don’t like mushrooms, you can substitute with different vegetables, just pick sturdy veggies (avoid zucchini which turns mushy). Here are some great options to replace mushrooms:
- Frozen peas
- Asparagus
- Caramelized onions
- Artichoke hearts (well-drained)
How to Make Chicken Casserole
1. Sautee Chicken: Season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Once the oil is hot, add chicken and saute until golden, and transfer to a 13×9 casserole baking dish.
Pro Tip: Work in batches if needed so you don’t crowd your pan. Don’t worry about cooking the chicken through; it still needs to go in the oven
2. Sautee Mushrooms: Add 3 Tbsp oil along and saute mushrooms and onions until soft and golden. Add garlic and saute another 1-2 min. Spread mixture over the chicken.
3. Make the Sauce: In a medium saucepan (or in the same pan you’ve been using), melt 3 Tbsp butter. Whisk in 3 Tbsp flour until lightly golden (1-2 min). Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup half & half and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Combine and Bake: Pour sauce over the chicken casserole. Cover with foil and bake chicken and mushroom casserole at 350˚F for 45 minutes. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Serve with
This chicken bakes in gravy so it is great served over Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Egg noodles (the same way we serve Beef Stroganoff). It’s also great paired with these fresh sides:
Common Questions
You can use trimmed chicken thighs or chicken tenders instead. If using chicken tenders, you don’t need to slice them.
Make and combine the chicken and mushrooms and refrigerate. The next day, make the sauce, assemble, and bake as directed.
Yes, you can reheat a pre-baked and chilled chicken casserole in the oven: cover with foil and bake at 325˚f for about 20 minutes or just until hot, or reheat on the stovetop over low heat just until hot, stirring occasionally.
Yes! You can freeze leftover chicken casserole. One of my readers shared her method: “It works! I took the pan out of the freezer, left it in the fridge most of the day, and reheated it in a 350* oven for about 40 minutes.”
One of our readers reported great results using a multi-cooker/ slow cooker: brown the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker using the sautee function and remove. Sautée onions and mushrooms then return chicken to the pan. Combine sauce ingredients in a pan on the stove, pour it over the chicken, and slow-cook on low for five hours.
More Casserole Recipes:
Casseroles are perfect for parties and gatherings because they are easy to make and easy to scale up. These casserole recipes always get rave reviews:
- Lasagna – arguably the “ultimate” casserole
- Stuffed Shells – so easy with a 3 cheese filling
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole – creamy, cheesy, delicious!
- Green Bean Casserole – elegant and made from scratch
- Sweet Potato Casserole – with crunchy pecan topping
- Baked Tilapia Casserole – topped with veggies
Chicken Casserole Recipe (Chicken Gloria)
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chicken and Mushroom Casserole:
- 2 1/2 lbs chicken breasts , (4 to 5 large), cut into 1 -inch thick strips
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt , plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour , to coat the chicken
- 6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 pound white mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Ingredients for the Sauce:
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, for the sauce
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup half and half, or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge both sides in flour. Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Once oil is hot, add chicken and saute until golden. Work in batches if needed so you don't crowd your pan. Don't worry about cooking the chicken through; it still needs to go in the oven. Transfer chicken to a 13×9 casserole baking dish.
- Scrape of any debris from the skillet. Add 3 Tbsp oil along with sliced mushrooms and diced onions and saute until soft and golden. Add garlic and saute another 1-2 min. Spread mixture over the chicken.
- In a medium saucepan (or in the same pan you’ve been using), melt 3 Tbsp butter. Whisk in 3 Tbsp flour until lightly golden (1-2 min).
- Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup half & half and bring to a simmer. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour sauce over the chicken and mushrooms. Cover with foil and bake at 350˚F for 45 minutes. Serve warm or hot over mashed potatoes, pasta or rice.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Can I used already grilled chicken? I’m thinking about following recipe for sautéing the onions, mushrooms and garlic, and making the sauce. Then just throwing sauce and veggies over leftover grilled chicken. Would following my the recipe with already grilled chicken toughen the chicken?
Hi Toni! I haven’t used already cooked chicken for this. I would still follow all the steps afterward and prepare in the same method. Since your chicken is already cooked thoroughly, you may be able to cut a few mins off the baking
So so good. I used a 1:1 gluten free mix and it was perfect. Love that it’s all made from scratch; no funky ingredients.
Could I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? If I use frozen vegetables when should I add it?
That should be fine too, frozen veggies will work fine it’s best to add them when you’re cooking the mushrooms and onions.
To make gluten free what do I dredge chicken in
Hi Diane! I haven’t tested an alternative. GF flour should be fine. Some have even reported dredging in almond flour, but I would sauté it on lower heat since it can burn easily. Let us know if you experiment.
Can this be made ahead if having guests for dinner?
Hi Deb! Make and combine the chicken and mushrooms and refrigerate. The next day, make the sauce, assemble, and bake as directed.
Hello!
I would love to make this recipe but I’m not a fan of mushrooms. Can you suggest a substitute that will work with this recipe? Thank you.
Hi Julie, we prefer it with the mushrooms, some of my readers even double them, but I understand not everyone will be a fan. We always recommend making the recipe as written the first time around before making adjustment. But here’s what one of my readers wrote about omitting mushrooms, I hope its helpful to you: “I made this last night and it was FABULOUS! With a few alterations, I layered a can of sweet peas under the chicken (I like the veggies on bottom better) and omitted mushrooms from half the dish since my son and husband aren’t fans of it. I also added a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to the sauce. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS AND WILL DEFINITELY BE MAKING THIS AGAIN.”
What is half and half?
I am unable to comment yet!
Hi Jim, Half & Half is sold in the dairy section in stores in America. It is a 50/50 mix of cream and milk. I hope that’s helpful.
Made this for dinner tonight it was delicious 😋 I added 1Tbs each of onion powder, garlic powder and tarragon to the sause. Will definitely make this again.
Can you substitute cream for Greek yoghurt?
I haven’t tested that to advise. We’d love to know how it turns out if you try that!
Looks delicious. I was wondering if this recipe could be halved as there is only two in my family.
Hi Jo-Anne! Yes, you can change the serving size in the recipe card and it will convert the ingredients for you.
My husband says this is the best chicken casserole he has ever had. The chicken was so tender.
I’m so glad to hear that, Vivi!
In lieu of milk, half and half or heavy cream what can I substitute to make this dairy free?
Hi Sharon, I have not tried any substitution for milk to advise. It will not be creamy if we omit that ingredient. You can try adding more broth but it won’t be creamy at all and won’t produce the same result.
I used coconut cream and it was delicious.
Made this for dinner tonight. It was absolutely delicious. So flavourful. We all enjoyed it. Thank you. Will definitely make this again.
This is so flavorful!!! I added more mushrooms and they were cremini. I served with rice and cleaned my plate! Perfect recipe and thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Ginnee!
It’s a great recipe ! Can you freeze it as want to make it for a family expecting their first baby 🙂
Hi Ruth, I address that in our recipe post under the “Can I freeze chicken casserole?” section. I hope that helps!