Cheesy Chicken Hashbrown Casserole (With Bacon!)

This Chicken Hashbrown Casserole is the definition of easy, cheesy, and oh-so-cozy. It’s also a great way to use up leftovers, so your fridge gets a little cleanup too!

 

Why We Love This Easy Chicken Hashbrown Casserole

• Cozy Cheesy Potatoes – This dish is super creamy, cheesy and cozy, similar to the very popular funeral potatoes but a full meal in a dish! Plus we’ve made this version with no cream of chicken soup.
• Great Way To Use Leftovers – Have leftover chicken, leftover bacon or leftover vegetables? This easy casserole recipe is a great way to clean out the fridge a little bit, dice everything bite sized and add what you have to the mixing bowl!
• Bacon Makes It Even Better! – That diced bacon in the dish adds something a little bit extra that’s simply tasty.

Ingredients For Chicken Hashbrown Casserole

• chicken breast – cooked chicken, diced or shredded chicken, can use rotisserie chicken or cooked boneless chicken thighs.
• cheddar cheese – shredded
• Monterey jack cheese – shredded
• shredded hash browns – frozen
• bacon – cooked, chopped, 16 ounces is about 2 cups of bacon, see notes.
• frozen mixed vegetables – I used a vegetable medley of corn, peas, carrots and green beans. 12 ounces is about 1 1/2 cups. Canned vegetables can also be used if drained well.
• butter – salted butter is fine, if you have unsalted butter just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt when you add the butter. You could also use oil such as olive oil, canola oil or another cooking oil but you will have better flavor using butter.
• all-purpose flour – I have not tried this with gluten free flour, but it should swap easily if you already have a gluten free flour you like. I don’t recommend using almond flour.
• chicken broth – I prefer low sodium chicken broth.
• heavy cream – can also use half and half, we’re using the cream, broth and the flour to make a creamy sauce instead of using condensed soup.
• garlic powder
• onion powder – you can also dice up 1/4 of a fresh onion into small pieces, and add it to the potato mixture.
• salt
• black pepper
• sour cream – I used full fat sour cream; you could also use plain Greek yogurt.

How To Make Chicken Hashbrown Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with spray cooking oil and set to the side.
2. Chop the chicken and the bacon into bite sized pieces. Add the frozen hashbrowns, chicken, cheddar cheese monterary jack cheese and veggies to a large mixing bowl. Mix well until combined then set to the side.

3. Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and allow the butter to melt. Add flour to the butter and mix with a whisk continually. Cook the flour mixture for 1 minute while whisking which will get rid of any floury taste. Add chicken broth and heavy cream to the flour mixture, mixing with a whisk every few minutes. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Pour sauce over the hash brown mixture and add sour cream. Mix the hashbrown mixture and the sauce together until the hashbrowns, meat and vegetables are thoroughly coated. Scoop the potato mixture into the prepared pan evenly, then cover with aluminum foil.

5. Bake the cheesy chicken hash brown casserole for 1 hour until it is hot all the way through to the center. Remove the foil, then bake the casserole for an additional 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Hashbrown Casserole Variation Ideas

Topping ideas – Sprinkle crushed corn flakes over the top for a little crunch. Crushed buttery Ritz crackers work great too.

Swap the cheese – Use whatever cheese your family likes. Sharp cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, or a mix all work well.

Use different frozen vegetables – Any frozen veggie mix can be used. If pieces are large, defrost briefly, drain, and chop into bite-sized pieces before adding. Veggies like carrots, corn, and peas can go in frozen. Broccoli, spinach, or cauliflower hold more water, so it helps to defrost and drain them first to keep the casserole from getting mushy.

Add fresh vegetables – Fresh veggies work great here too. Dice them small so they cook evenly. Bell peppers, mushrooms, green beans, corn, broccoli, or cauliflower are all good options.
If using watery veggies like spinach, onions, or tomatoes, sauté them first to remove some moisture before adding to the casserole.

How Long Will This Chicken Hashbrown Casserole Recipe Last?

Expect this casserole will last for about three days if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can place the entire casserole dish in the refrigerator once it is fully cooled, but I recommend covering it with either a tight fitting lid or tight fitting plastic wrap.

You can also freeze leftovers of this casserole. I recommend freezing in individual pieces as it is much quicker to reheat. You can bake leftovers until warm all the way through. Heating in the microwave is a little more mushy than the oven, but still delicious.