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.

creamy chicken casserole (chicken bake) with mushrooms garnished with parsley

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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!

Chicken Casserole Video

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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.

Ingredients for Chicken Casserole with chicken breast, mushrooms, lemon, garlic, 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.

How to Make Chicken Casserole step by step with dredging and sautéing chicken

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.

Sautéing mushrooms, onions and garlic for chicken casserole

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.

how to make cream sauce for chicken casserole

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.

Creamy chicken bake in casserole with mushrooms garnished with parsley and served in casserole dish

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

Can I substitute the chicken breast?

You can use trimmed chicken thighs or chicken tenders instead. If using chicken tenders, you don’t need to slice them.

Can I Make this ahead?

Make and combine the chicken and mushrooms and refrigerate. The next day, make the sauce, assemble, and bake as directed.

Does chicken casserole reheat well?

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.

Can I freeze chicken casserole?

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.”

Cooking in a crock pot or slow cooker?

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.

Chicken and Mushroom Casserole chicken bake

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:

Chicken Casserole Recipe (Chicken Gloria)

4.94 from 644 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Chicken Casserole
The chicken in this chicken casserole is incredibly tender – you will savor every morsel! This chicken bake re-heats really well (if you are lucky enough to have leftovers).
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 10

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 lb white mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

Ingredients for the Sauce:

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

Don’t use a dutch oven for this recipe. It bakes better in a casserole. 

Nutrition Per Serving

340kcal Calories15g Carbs28g Protein18g Fat5g Saturated Fat90mg Cholesterol155mg Sodium658mg Potassium1g Fiber1g Sugar225IU Vitamin A4.2mg Vitamin C41mg Calcium1.5mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Casserole Recipe (Chicken Gloria)
Amount per Serving
Calories
340
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
18
g
28
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Cholesterol
 
90
mg
30
%
Sodium
 
155
mg
7
%
Potassium
 
658
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
 
15
g
5
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
28
g
56
%
Vitamin A
 
225
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
 
4.2
mg
5
%
Calcium
 
41
mg
4
%
Iron
 
1.5
mg
8
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken Casserole
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 340
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.94 from 644 votes (261 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Pax
    March 12, 2018

    Soooo Good ! I made this with bone in w/Skin chicken thighs. Added some cayenne pepper to the sauce served with white rice. It’s a Keeper! THANK YOU

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 12, 2018

      You’re welcome Pax! I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  • Brett
    March 10, 2018

    This sounds awesome! I’m wondering if I could add rolled out dough over top then bake , crisscrossed strips maybe

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 10, 2018

      Hi Brett, that sounds like a great experiment – sort of like a pot pie, but I haven’t tested that and don’t recall anyone else trying it with this recipe. If you experiment that way, let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

      • Brett
        March 11, 2018

        As usual I scanned recipe and made a suggestion. After actually starting to make it I realized with foil cover u needed no dough!! Fabulous dish!! By the directions!

        Reply

  • Galina
    March 8, 2018

    Thank you so much! I made it for dinner tonight. My family like it so much. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 9, 2018

      You’re welcome Galina! I’m glad your family enjoys the recipe as much as mine does! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Gladys Woynowskie
    March 7, 2018

    Very delicious and so easy.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 7, 2018

      I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Gladys! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  • J. Sanchez
    March 6, 2018

    Made this for dinner last night. I think it’s a wonderful base but we found it bland to our palettes. I’m going to make it again but with my version, Italian seasoning, more garlic and Marsala wine and chicken tights they soak up flavors much better.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 6, 2018

      Let me know how that goes! Those sound like great add-ins.

      Reply

  • Alena
    February 28, 2018

    Sorry, forgot to give 5 stars!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 28, 2018

      Awesome!!! 🙂

      Reply

  • Alena
    February 28, 2018

    Very tasty recipe! Tried it today. It was delicios!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 28, 2018

      I’m glad you enjoy it Alena, thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  • Karen
    February 24, 2018

    Made this tonight for just the 2 of us. It was amazingly delicious. I used baby portabellas and added a little Mrs Dash. Put some asparagus in the oven while the chicken baked and the potatoes boiled. The hubs went back for seconds and we are looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow after church. Thanks!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 24, 2018

      My pleasure Karen! I’m glad to hear you both love the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!

      Reply

  • LW
    February 23, 2018

    do you bake at the top or bottom rack?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 23, 2018

      Hi LW, I bake this one on the center rack 🙂

      Reply

      • LW
        February 23, 2018

        Ok thanks!

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          February 24, 2018

          You’re welcome!

          Reply

  • Marly
    February 21, 2018

    Do you think adding brussel sprouts would be a good way to add greens to this dish? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 21, 2018

      Hi Marly, I’ve never tried Brussels sprouts in this recipe but it’s worth experimenting. Let me know how it will turn out, since we love Brussels sprouts.

      Reply

      • Marly
        February 21, 2018

        The dish turned out great with the brussel sprouts! I left them whole with a cross cut at the stem.

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          February 21, 2018

          That’s great, I’m happy to hear that Marly! Thanks for sharing!

          Reply

  • Paula Walker
    February 21, 2018

    I made this for dinner last night. It was delcious and easy to make! My daughter said it’s her new favorite.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 21, 2018

      I’m happy to hear how much your family enjoys the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review Paula!

      Reply

  • Misty
    February 9, 2018

    Could you make this dish in the crock pot?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 10, 2018

      Hi Misty, I haven’t tried it in a crockpot so I can’t really recommend it without testing it myself. I don’t recall any of my readers trying it in a slow cooker either. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.

      Reply

  • Julie
    February 9, 2018

    I’m gluten intolerant. I know I can dust the chicken in potato starch, but can you recommend a good substitute for the flour in the sauce? Could the same amount of potato starch as flour be used in the sauce? I haven’t figured out sauces or gravy yet.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 10, 2018

      Hi Julie, I haven’t tried starch but I think it could work well. My sister is gluten free and uses a gluten free mix called “Namaste” from Costco which is a gluten free organic flour blend but use less of it than called for in the recipe because it thickens more.

      Reply

      • Viv
        February 10, 2018

        I have made this without gluten free flour it was absolutely fine.

        Reply

  • Olga
    February 1, 2018

    Hi Natasha! Can I do the first part of the recipe one day and then bake it the next (just before guests arrive so its nice and hot)?

    Reply

    • Olga
      February 1, 2018

      Just read your response to someone else. Thx!☺

      Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 2, 2018

      Hi Olga, you can pre-make the chicken one day. Than make the sauce and bake it the following day.

      Reply

  • Lisa Cindric
    January 26, 2018

    Can i make this ahead of time? One day in advance and reheat or just prepare, keep it in the fridge uncooked and then cook it the next day for company?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 26, 2018

      Hi Lisa, the way I make this ahead of time is to make and combine the chicken and mushrooms and refrigerate. The next day I make the sauce and bake.

      Reply

      • Bonnie Hatch
        January 28, 2018

        Can you use leftover chicken for this recipe?

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          January 28, 2018

          Hi Bonnie, I haven’t tried it that way but one of my readers, Peggy, left a super helpful review about just that! “I made your chicken and mushroom casserole and used a rotisserie chicken. When I sauteed the mushrooms, onions and garlic I added extra flour to compensate for the flour from the chicken. I did steps 2 to 4 and then added the chicken I had cut into smaller pieces. I added some parsley at the end before serving it over rice. It was delicious.”

          Reply

  • joanne
    January 26, 2018

    i have not made this yet but plan to next week. just want to say that i love all your recipes! they are always simple but tasty. you should have a cooking show!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 26, 2018

      Thank you Joanne, that’s quite the compliment. I’m glad to hear how much you’re enjoying the recipes. Thanks so much for following!

      Reply

  • Dee
    January 25, 2018

    Made this and it was excellent. Great idea for another way to use chicken. Just an FYI it takes a bit of time to prepare the dish for the oven and if your chicken pieces are small it may not take 45 minutes in the oven.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 25, 2018

      I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe Dee! Thanks for sharing your helpful review with other readers!

      Reply

  • Fatima Mohamed
    January 15, 2018

    I am making this mmmm recipe
    tomorrow, please kindly email me this recipe, love it as it is very easy.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 16, 2018

      Hello Fatima! Here is the direct link to the printable recipe, I hope this helps!

      Reply

      • Mel
        February 1, 2018

        The link doesn’t work ???

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          February 1, 2018

          Thank you for noticing that. I just fixed it 😀

          Reply

  • Mary
    January 13, 2018

    I cut the recipe in half because there are just two of us 😊 My question is I cut the sauce in half too.. Will there be enough? It’s not in the oven yet!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 14, 2018

      Hi Mary, there will be enough sauce as long as you are using half the size of baking dish. I hope you’ll love it 😃

      Reply

  • Kristina
    January 12, 2018

    Is it ok to make It the night before without cooking it in the oven with the sauce?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 12, 2018

      Hi Kristina, the way I make this ahead of time is to make and combine the chicken and mushrooms and refrigerate. The next day I make the sauce and bake.

      Reply

    • Viv
      January 13, 2018

      I’ve made 7 dishes of this the day before sauce included as I wouldn’t have had time to make sauce on the day and it was fine I had also made one dish and frozen it and just defrosted and then cooked on day really recommend this receipt

      Reply

      • Brenda
        October 16, 2018

        Did you cook the dish in the oven before refrigerating, or just add all the ingredients, including sauce, to cook in oven the next day?

        Reply

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