Turn Chicken Piccata Into a Creamy Crowd-Pleasing Casserole

I did not grow up eating chicken piccata—my sisters and I would have balked at capers, and my mother didn’t cook with wine—but as an adult, I think of it as a dish that has wide-ranging appeal. For one thing, few recipes scream “classic comfort” like chicken piccata. It’s so easy and quick that it’s perfect for any weeknight, but you’d feel proud serving it to company.

This variation on a theme wraps all the ingredients and flavors of a classic chicken piccata into the comforting format of a 9x13 casserole. While chicken piccata is an easy dish to make, it’s a tough one to serve to a crowd because you can only fit about four chicken cutlets at a time into your largest skillet. This version skips the cutlets altogether for the convenience of shredded rotisserie chicken.

And whereas you might serve chicken piccata with pasta on the side, this recipe combines the two into a clever pasta bake that stretches the intense flavors of capers and their brine, garlic, and white wine with creamy canned soup. Chicken piccata’s gutsy flavors cut through the casserole’s richness, giving it lots of lift and keeping it from tasting stodgy or boring.

What To Serve With Chicken Piccata Noodle Casserole

A rich and creamy dish like this needs a good side salad. My preference is something hearty and crunchy, like a kale Caesar or a chopped salad with romaine. Otherwise, a veggie side like glazed carrots or just-tender green beans makes a perfect pairing.

Tips for Making Chicken Piccata Casserole

• Swap pastas: This recipe uses fusilli pasta, but you by no means have to stick to the script. Substitute any medium-sized pasta shape, like penne, cavatappi, rigatoni, or medium shells.
• Use leftover or poached chicken: If you have leftover chicken, feel free to substitute that for the rotisserie chicken here. Or you can poach some chicken breasts instead. You’ll need about one pound of chicken breasts to equal three cups of shredded poached chicken.
• Add more herbs: If you don’t think you’ll be able to use the leftover parsley from making this recipe, chop it all and add it to the casserole. A creamy, rich dish like this can benefit from a lot of fresh, green herbs.
• Make it ahead: You can assemble the whole casserole, cover, and refrigerate it until ready to bake. You can also freeze the assembled casserole for up to two months. Let it thaw completely in the refrigerator before baking. You will need to bake a chilled casserole longer. After baking for the recommended time, continue baking in 15-minute increments until the center of the casserole reaches 165°F.