12 Lazy Dump-and-Bake Casseroles That Practically Make Themselves

What will you do with your free time?

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Published January 19, 2026
Theodora Kaloudis
Casserole dish with chicken divan topped with crushed crackers a wooden spoon serving a portion

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Getting dinner on the table doesn’t get any easier than with these hearty and comforting dump-and-bake casseroles. It’s exactly as it sounds: combine the ingredients, dump them in a baking dish, pop it in the oven, and voilà, you’ll have a delicious home-cooked meal on the table with minimal fuss! It feels a bit like magic, but we assure you it's not. The only other thing you need to do is decide how to spend your free time. Read on to find your perfect hands-off dinner.

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  • Chicken and Corn Casserole

    Chicken, Corn, and Tangy Cabbage Casserole in a baking dish with a serving spoon

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer 

    “Using shredded rotisserie chicken makes this casserole effortless—there’s no need to poach, roast, or dice raw chicken. Leftover cooked chicken works just as well, if you have it at the ready.” —Anne Wolf, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

    Overhead view of a green baking dish with chicken and broccoli casserole and a serving spoon next to a small plate with a serving

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Sally McKay / Christina Daley

    “As a bonus, this easy casserole is a great way to use up leftovers. You’ll need some cooked chicken (any kind works) and a couple of cups of cooked white rice (this is a great time to use microwave rice if you don’t have cooked rice on hand). With the chicken and rice already cooked, this casserole comes together fast, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights.” —Afton Cyrus, Senior Editor

  • Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

    Chicken stuffing casserole in a baking dish with a serving spoon visible

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

    “The casserole can be assembled in advance, it requires minimal ingredients and minimal prep time, there are endless ways to adapt the basic recipe to suit your family’s preferences, and it’s one of those rare gems that everyone seems to love.” —Blair Lonergan, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Chicken Cobbler

    Angled view of a white plate of chicken cobbler and fork on a speckled countertop

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    “Frozen mixed vegetables ensure bite-size pieces with pops of color and flavor in the cobbler, with no need to peel, prep, or even defrost them first!” —Afton Cyrus, Senior Editor

    Continue to 5 of 12 below

  • Chicken Divan

    Casserole dish with chicken divan topped with crushed crackers a wooden spoon serving a portion

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    “There’s also some versatility built into the recipe format. You can poach your own chicken breasts or use rotisserie chicken or roast turkey. You could swap half the broccoli for cauliflower florets, add sautéed mushrooms, or switch up the Ritz cracker topping for panko or even crispy fried shallots.” —Stephanie A Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • No-Peek Chicken

    no-peek chicken in a casserole dish at a table setting with two glasses and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    “Make sure you’re using quick-cooking rice, such as Minute Rice. This ensures the rice will cook through without drying out the chicken breasts.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • TikTok-Famous Chicken Cobbler

    viral tiktok chicken cobbler

    Simply Recipes / Myo Quinn

    “There are zero reasons why I wouldn't sprinkle cheese, like shredded cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, or fontina on top of the cobbler. A minute or two under the broiler, after it bakes, would yield irresistible crispy, cheesy bits.” —Myo Quinn, former Associate Editorial Director

  • Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

    Baked chicken thighs on seasoned rice in a rectangular baking dish with a serving spatula

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

    “My oven-baked chicken and rice is a full meal on its own, but I love pairing it with a simple Middle Eastern salad like a Lebanese cabbage slaw or fattoush salad, or even just a scoop of plain yogurt on the side all work really well.” —Yumna Jawad, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 12 below

  • Pizza Lasagna

    Spatula Slightly Lifting a Slice of Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna From a Casserole Dish With the Rest of the Lasagna

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    “The small pepperoni slices make the lasagna easier to cut and serve. I used Hormel Minis. If you can only find large slices, you can cut them in half or quarter them before assembling the lasagna.” —Frank Tiu, Recipe Developer

  • One-Pan Baked Penne alla Vodka

    One pan baked penne alla vodka lifted from casserole dish using a wooden spoon

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “This recipe is a new staple in my home; everyone loves it, and we modified it to include sausage for protein while it cooks, so there isn’t a delay in the eating. Everything about this recipe is easy, and we love it in my house!” —Jinny B, Reader

  • Reuben Casserole

    Alison Bickel

    “I prefer to use deli pastrami to deli corned beef, because the flavor is more pronounced and stands up better to all the competing flavors in this casserole. My deli will give me a sample; I’m sure yours would too. Don’t be afraid to ask to try a piece, then decide for yourself—corned beef or pastrami. They cost about the same.” —Summer Miller, former Senior Editor

  • Taquito Enchilada Casserole

    Taquito enchilada casserole in a white baking dish

    Simply Recipes / Meghan Splawn

    “You can riff on this casserole endlessly. For example, try combining chicken taquitos and green chile enchilada sauce. Use pepper Jack instead of Monterey Jack cheese. Add your favorite pickled jalapeños to the dish or line the bottom of the dish with beans and more cheese to make it even more filling.” —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

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