Pecan Chicken Casserole with Cheesy Crumble

Add Southern pecans to chicken in a creamy sour cream based sauce and you have a perfect weeknight casserole or weekend brunch. A cheesy pecan crumble on the top and bottom gives this chicken casserole some crunch and flavor. No canned soup here, just an easy egg based sauce that can be prepped in only 15 minutes. Let the oven do all the work.

Make a Chicken Casserole with Pecans for Dinner Tonight

This easy chicken pecan casserole is perfect for a weeknight dinner when you just don’t want to have to think about what to cook. The nutty, toasty pecan crust adds both texture and flavor to the creamy casserole. In the South, we like to add pecans to everything even casseroles and who can pass by a crumble, normally seen topping sweet blackberries, it’s fabulous on a savory casserole.

While this uses eggs, only four, they just hold everything together, I would not consider this to be an egg based casserole like with an overnight breakfast casserole. So if you have egg haters, this would be a great casserole to serve for breakfast or brunch. It’s much lighter than a hamburger potato casserole and would be great with Mimosas!

The chicken casserole cooks in 30 minutes but only takes a few minutes to prepare and requires minimal cleanup time. All of the ingredients are things you probably have in your refrigerator, and pantry. These simple staple ingredients all come together to make something incredible – the oven really transforms them into a special meal. 

It doesn’t have a homemade mushroom soup base like chicken and stuffing casserole or chicken broccoli and rice casserole but a lighter sour cream and mayonnaise base.

The casserole is filling all by itself, but even the best casseroles are made better with a side dish. Roasted asparagus or a mixed fruit salad would be two great choices to compliment the flavors and of course some buttermilk biscuits. Finish off your dinner with peach cobbler or if peaches aren’t in season, a slice of hummingbird cake for the perfect Southern meal. 

How should I cook the chicken for the casserole?

There are a couple of ways to go about making the chicken for this casserole. Of course, the simplest way to get cooked chicken for this recipe is to buy a rotisserie chicken from the store and pick all the meat off of it. They aren’t terribly expensive, and on a truly busy night, the convenience is absolutely worth any extra cost. 

You can also roast boneless skinless chicken breasts, it only takes 30 minutes and is super simple. Cook a bunch at a time and freeze it to have on hand for taco chicken and rice, chicken tamale pie or Ranch chicken and pasta, I always have a few vacuum sealed packs in the freezer for weeknight dinners.

Why You’ll Love Pecan Chicken

• Simple to make: It takes very little time to make this recipe, making it a perfect choice for busy weeknights. 

• Crowd-pleasing: Creamy, cheesy, and nutty – what’s not to love? It’s a wholesome casserole that even picky eaters will enjoy.

• Classic comfort food: There’s something heartwarming about a creamy casserole fresh out of the oven. It’s pure comfort in every bite.

All About Pecans

Pecans are native to the southern United States and have a sweet, buttery flavor that pairs perfectly with the creamy texture of this dish. They’re so plentiful that you can pick them up at roadside fruit stands and farmers markets. That’s why you’ll see them in so many Southern recipes like pecan pie, sticky buns and peach crumbles. Typically they’re found in sweet applications, but I think they really make savory dishes like this chicken casserole or a sweet potato casserole even better. 

Chicken Pecan Casserole Recipe Ingredients

• Cooked chicken: Tender chunks of chicken are the main protein in this dish you can use rotisserie or roast your own chicken breasts.

• Cheddar Cheese: Brings a rich, cheesy goodness to both the crust and the filling. You can also use Monterey, Pepper Jack, or Colby cheese. 

• Pecans: These buttery and crunchy nuts give the crust both flavor and texture, you could substitute with walnuts.

• Sour Cream: Creates a creamy and tangy base for the filling.

• Mayonnaise: Adds tang and creamy smoothness to the filling. Mixed with sour cream, it’s the perfect base for a casserole. 

• Pantry staples: butter, eggs, flour, chicken broth, paprika, onions, dried dill, hot sauce.

Pro tip: If you have a lot of chicken you want to shred, try using a hand mixer to shred chicken, it’s so easy!

Directions for an Easy Chicken Casserole Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the pecan crust.

Combine flour, seasoning, cheese and pecans and add melted butter. Press most of it into the bottom of your casserole dish and reserve some for the topping. Bake it for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Make the filling.

Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, mayo and chicken broth. Add some onion, cheese seasonings and cooked chicken and pour it over the baked crust.  

Step 3: Bake the casserole. 

Sprinkle the reserved crumble over the top and bake.

As it bakes, it thickens so that you can easily cut in into squares for easy serving. Don’t over bake this casserole or it can get dry. Take it out with just a little moisture on the knife when tested.

Chicken Casserole FAQs

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream? 

Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute for sour cream in this recipe.

Can I freeze individual portions for later? 

Yes, you can freeze this in small containers and reheat in the oven.

Can I make this ahead of time?

This recipe is not one that can be assembled ahead of time. You can bake the crust ahead of time but wait to add the filling until prior to baking. Otherwise, the crumble will absorb into the casserole.

More Chicken Casserole Recipes to Try

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