This fabulous hash brown chicken casserole is the ultimate cozy comfort food! Loaded with tender chicken, creamy sour cream, crispy hash browns, and green beans, it’s a hearty dish that everyone loves. Inspired by Cracker Barrel’s famous hash brown casserole, this version turns a classic side into a satisfying main dish that’s perfect for weeknights, holidays, or potlucks. Quick to prep and make-ahead friendly—it’s a winner on every level!
When you’re craving something warm, rich, and filling, a chicken and hash brown casserole is the perfect solution. It takes the crowd-pleasing flavor of hashbrown casserole (often called “funeral potatoes”) and upgrades it into a complete meal by adding shredded or cubed cooked chicken and veggies. The sour cream and cheese create a creamy base, while the hash browns bake to crispy golden perfection on top. Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to throw together before baking—what’s not to love?
This chicken hash brown casserole is a family favorite. You can swap in different vegetables like spinach or mushrooms, use rotisserie chicken or leftovers, and even prep the entire dish ahead of time. It’s great for meal planning, freezer meals, or feeding a crowd at your next holiday party or gathering. This recipe has quickly become a staple in our home—and once you try it, it’ll be one in yours too!
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Why We Love This Chicken and Hash Brown Casserole
- It turns a classic side into a full meal
We took our beloved hashbrown casserole recipe Cracker Barrel and made it entree-worthy by adding chicken and green beans for protein and veggies. - Total comfort food in one dish
Creamy, cheesy, warm, and hearty—it checks all the boxes for the perfect cozy meal. - Make-ahead and freezer-friendly
Prepare it up to 3 days ahead, or freeze it unbaked for a no-fuss meal whenever you need it. Just bake and enjoy!
Chicken and stuffing casserole is another great dish for your holiday spread; try it today!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Shredded hash browns: Ore Ida frozen or fresh Simply Potatoes.
- Chicken: Shred up a store-bought rotisserie bird, or use whatever cooked poultry you have on hand! You may also use shredded chicken in Instant Pot!
- Green beans: We like to thaw out a bag of frozen green beans, but you can use fresh or canned if you want to.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar, but you can substitute any type of shredded cheese like mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or Colby.
- Light sour cream: This gives a nice tangy flavor and helps to bind the ingredients together. You can also use Greek yogurt.
- Cream of chicken condensed soup: Use low sodium if you prefer. Or, use homemade condensed chicken soup.
- Onion: Finely chopped.
- Pepper: Freshly ground pepper adds a great pop of flavor.
How to Make Shredded Chicken
Stove Top
- Use a skillet or large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add chicken breasts. Cover with water and several generous pinches of salt. Or use broth instead of water for even more flavor.
- Bring to a boil, add the lid, and turn down the heat to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It’s is ready at 165 degrees F.
- When they’re cooked all the way through, remove them to a bowl and let them cool for a few minutes.
- When you can handle them, shred them with two forks.
Baked
- Preheat your oven to 375º. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the breasts to the sheet, and brush with olive oil. Then, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes. Check the internal temperature after 30 minutes. It’s done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165º.
- Once it’s cooled, shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- Check out these posts on meal prep ideas and cook-once-eat-all-week meal ideas on how to prep and use shredded chicken.
Recipe Variations
- Add mushrooms or spinach: For extra nutrients and flavor, stir in sautéed mushrooms or fresh spinach before baking.
- Swap the meat: Use turkey, ham, or even ground beef instead of chicken.
- Go spicy: Add diced jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, or a dash of hot sauce to kick up the heat.
- Try different veggies: Peas, corn, or diced bell peppers can easily be mixed in.
- Top it off: Add crushed buttery crackers or panko breadcrumbs before baking for an extra crispy topping.
- Herb it up: Add fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to elevate the flavor profile.
- Chicken hashbrown casserole without soup: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of cold chicken stock or broth until combined. Then slowly stir in 1/2 cup of cream. Microwave for 30 seconds and heat in a saucepan until thickened.
If you don’t have cream, then use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of stock, and 1/2 cup of whole milk.
Add this homemade cream soup substitute in place of the cream of chicken soup in the recipe below for an equally delicious casserole!
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Casserole dish or baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
How to Thaw Frozen Hash Browns
- Thaw frozen potatoes on a baking sheet at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. They defrost without sitting in water, so the shreds stay nice and tender.
- To thaw the hashbrowns faster: Spread them on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 175 degrees F oven.
- Alternatively, you can defrost them overnight in the refrigerator. Place the frozen shreds in a colander, and set them in a shallow bowl or dish in the fridge so that the water is collected as they thaw.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Do not rinse hash browns (frozen or fresh). The shreds soak up water and become soggy.
How to Make Chicken Hash Brown Casserole
Make this recipe in 4 simple steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit, then prepare a 9″x13″ dish by spraying it with cooking oil spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together hash browns, chicken, green beans, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, sour cream, soup, chopped onions, and pepper.
- Pour the ingredients into the prepared dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake the chicken and hash brown casserole for 45-50 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and golden on top, and the edges are puffy.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy and satisfying hash brown chicken casserole pairs beautifully with simple sides that offer contrast in texture and flavor. Try it with a colorful medley of roasted carrots and peas, or a crisp green salad. Drizzle a warm mushroom sauce over the top or serve it on the side to add even more savory depth. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or thyme, and if you’re feeling indulgent, sprinkle on some crispy bacon bits before serving. This chicken hash brown casserole is the perfect comfort food dish that shines at family dinners or holiday gatherings!
Recipe FAQs
We recommend thawing them before baking for a few reasons. Cooking from frozen can prevent it from baking evenly and leave the center cold. Thawing first makes it bake quicker. And the condensation on frozen shredded potatoes can water it down.
This dish uses shredded potatoes as the main ingredient. Other potato casserole recipes might use diced potatoes (also called O’Brien potatoes).
You can use fresh instead of frozen by shredding or grating them first.
Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator. Let the casserole cool completely and transfer to a sealed container before placing it in the fridge.
If you plan to make this dish in advance and freeze, I suggest you use a foil container: Not only is it freezer-safe, but the container can be safely used in the oven as well to reheat it.
Prepare the casserole as directed, without baking, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Or prepare casserole without baking in a freezer-safe container, cover with a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Again, a foil casserole pan works really well here. Then bake from frozen (do not defrost) as directed, plus an extra 15 minutes or so until it’s heated throughout and the cheese is golden.
More Easy Casserole Recipes To Love…
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Hash Brown Chicken Casserole
Equipment
- skillet pan oven-safe - casserole dish or baking dish
- large mixing bowl
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (1 small bag) shredded hash browns, fresh or frozen thawed; I prefer Ore Ida frozen or Simply Potatoes fresh
- 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken use rotisserie chicken, Instant Pot shredded chicken, or see notes to make your own
- 2 cups (10 ounces) frozen green beans thawed
- 2 cups (8 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese grated, divided; you may use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or Colby
- 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream may also use Greek yogurt
- 1 can (10¼ ounces) cream of chicken condensed soup or use homemade condensed chicken soup
- 1 cup onion finely chopped; 1 small onion
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Prepare the casserole dish by spraying it with cooking oil spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together hash browns, chicken, green beans, 1 cup cheddar cheese, sour cream, soup, chopped onions, and pepper.
- Pour hashbrown chicken casserole ingredients into the prepared casserole dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and golden on top, and edges are puffy. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Add mushrooms or spinach: For extra nutrients and flavor, stir in sautéed mushrooms or fresh spinach before baking.
- Swap the meat: Use turkey, ham, or even ground beef instead of chicken.
- Go spicy: Add diced jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, or a dash of hot sauce to kick up the heat.
- Try different veggies: Peas, corn, or diced bell peppers can easily be mixed in.
- Top it off: Add crushed buttery crackers or panko breadcrumbs before baking for an extra crispy topping.
- Herb it up: Add fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to elevate the flavor profile.
- Chicken hashbrown casserole without soup: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of cold chicken stock or broth until combined. Then slowly stir in 1/2 cup of cream. Microwave for 30 seconds and heat in a saucepan until thickened.
If you don’t have cream, then use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of stock, and 1/2 cup of whole milk.
Add this homemade cream soup substitute in place of the cream of chicken soup in the recipe below for an equally delicious casserole!
- Thaw frozen potatoes on a baking sheet at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. They defrost without sitting in water, so the shreds stay nice and tender.
- To thaw the hashbrowns faster: Spread them on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 175 degrees F oven.
- Alternatively, you can defrost them overnight in the refrigerator. Place the frozen shreds in a colander, and set them in a shallow bowl or dish in the fridge so that the water is collected as they thaw.
- Do not rinse hash browns (frozen or fresh). The shreds soak up water and become soggy.
- Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator. Let the casserole cool completely and transfer to a sealed container before placing it in the fridge.
- If you plan to make this dish in advance and freeze, I suggest you use a foil container: Not only is it freezer-safe, but the container can be safely used in the oven as well to reheat it.
- Prepare the dish up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. Or freeze it and have it ready to pop in the oven whenever you need a delicious meal with minimal effort.
- Or prepare casserole without baking in a freezer-safe container, cover with a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Again, a foil casserole pan works really well here. Then bake from frozen (do not defrost) as directed, plus an extra 15 minutes or so until it’s heated throughout and the cheese is golden.
Nutrition
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Holley says
The whole family loved this casserole! Also, a great way to get my kids to eat their green beans 😉
Kim says
This will be a perfect addition to the church potluck this weekend. Bonus points because I can make it ahead of time!
Sky says
This is so easy to make and tastes delicious. My whole family loved it! I will definitely be making it again.
Casey says
Not a fan of green beans so I substituted broccoli florets and this was amazing! Even the kids loved this recipe.
Chenee says
This is the perfect comfort meal! Hot, flavorful, and so filling!