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19 Canned Chicken Recipe Ideas For A Simple CHEAP Dinner Tonight


Need some recipe ideas for an easy dinner? Try these easy canned chicken dinner ideas! These quick all-in-one dishes are SO easy to prepare, low mess, extremely cheap, and perfect for hectic evenings — plus, you can make them ahead of time and reheat when ready!

When it comes to cheap family meals, canned chicken (or leftover shredded chicken) is SUCH a help to keeping costs down and making your dollar go further.

If you have chicken (fresh, frozen or canned), one casserole dish and a few other cheap ingredients, you can whip up an easy low mess dinner for your family in no time.

19 Canned Chicken Recipe Ideas For A Simple CHEAP Dinner Tonight

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19 Chicken Casserole One Dish Meals (cheap quick and EASY dinners!)

Casseroles With Canned Chicken

19 cheap chicken casserole dinners

19 cheap chicken casserole dinners

I’ve been testing about 24 chicken casserole recipes that can be made with canned chicken or with leftover chicken I’ve shredded up.

The 19 casserole recipes below all turned out beautifully with canned chicken and are now on my weekly meal planning rotation.

The chicken casseroles below all get bonus points for being very budget-friendly, quick and easy to make for large families AND are easy low mess dinners made in one dish.

While SOME of these casserole recipes are “make ahead and freeze” appropriate, not ALL of them are (the others turn out better when you just throw the ingredients in a casserole dish and bake).

If you’re looking for make ahead and freeze casseroles ONLY…

✅ Here are my favorite make ahead freezer meals.

Alrighty…. grab your canned chicken and a casserole dish and let’s get cooking!

Frito Chicken Casserole

Frito Chicken Casserole

Frito Chicken Casserole is an easy, 30 minute dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights! The whole family will love it and you can assemble it ahead of time – or make ahead and freeze.

Frito Chicken Casserole Recipe

Potato Chip Chicken Noodle Casserole

chicken noodle casserole with potato chip topping

This chicken noodle casserole with potato chip topping is a BIG hit with my picky eaters! Love that it’s made with canned chicken – makes it SO easy to throw together!

Potato Chip Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

For a delicious and EASY meal, look no further than this creamy chicken taco spaghetti recipe.

This casserole is sure to become a family favorite, combining canned chicken (or leftover chicken), taco seasoning, and a creamy sauce. Even the picky eaters will be asking for more!

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

Chicken Casseroles

Photo Credit: luresandlace.com

Best EVER Chicken and Rice Casserole

2 thumbs up for this chicken and rice casserole - so good (and EASY)!

The recipe comes together in about 10 minutes, making it a delicious way to feed your family on busy nights!

Photo Credit: www.pinterest.com

Crazy Good Chicken Pasta Casserole

Fried Chicken and Bacon Pasta Casserole, is the perfect hearty dinner! It also gives you a great reason to clean out the fridge because you can add any leftover meat and veggies you like. Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake is another great one! This dish can be prepared in advance and baked later.

Photo Credit: www.pinterest.com

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe

Cheesy and so creamy, this easy chicken and rice casserole recipe makes the perfect satisfying dinner! It has rotisserie chicken, soft rice, veggies, and cheddar.

Photo Credit: in.pinterest.com

Paula Deen's Chicken Casserole

Creamy chicken casserole is a very tender casserole with creamy sauce and lots of cheese. The sauce contains sour cream and milk, and this gives the whole casserole a special creamy texture.

Photo Credit: www.pinterest.com

Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Million Dollar Chicken Casserole - Chicken, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, onion, garlic, cream of chicken soup, top with crushed Ritz crackers

4-Can Mexican Chicken Casserole

4-Can Mexican Chicken Casserole

This is a fabulous recipe especially when you crave a Mexican dish. I made the recipe as written except I added the whole cup of cheese when mixing.

I put it in fridge overnight to make a quick pre-made meal to bake the next day.

4-Can Mexican Chicken Casserole Recipe

4-Ingredient Mini Chicken Pot Pies

4-Ingredient Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Canned chicken and canned biscuits make this SUCH an easy meal that is fun for my picky little eaters!

This is a VERY simple meal to throw together with just a few cheap ingredients I always have on hand!

4-Ingredient Mini Chicken Pot Pies Recipe

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Very very good! I’ve been making this casserole with canned chicken and rotisserie chicken for a few months, but tried the recipe with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving dinner and it was delicious, too!

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe

Chicken Sliders Casserole

Chicken Sliders Casserole

I used 2 cans chicken, Hawaiian rolls, bacon bits and ranch (left out a lot of the ‘extra’ seasonings and the spinach) and the family gobbled these cheesy chicken sliders up!

Best of all, a cheap SIMPLE dinner was on the table in 30 minutes!

Chicken Sliders Casserole Recipe

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

This casserole turned out really good!!

I’m from the South (where we LOVE our stuffing or ‘dressing’), so I would recommend doubling the stuffing. Just one box (or 3 cups), doesn’t give you a lot of that yummy stuffing part.

Overall, delicious!

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole Recipe

Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Made this again for dinner tonight and it was sooooooo delicious and everyone loved it!

The only thing I did different this time was to add cooked pasta shells and put them at the bottom of the casserole dish then added the chicken mixture topped with buttery crackers crumbs. Super good!

Million Dollar Chicken Casserole Recipe

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Casseroles With Canned Chicken

This chicken casserole recipe is absolutely amazing and so easy! My 1 year old couldn’t get enough and neither could we.

I paired it with cilantro lime rice and black beans as recommended. So great!

Chicken Tortilla Casserole Recipe

Loaded Potato Chicken Casserole

Loaded Potato Chicken Casserole

This is the kind of meal that I can eat every day and still want more! A very satisfying and delicious casserole that is the ultimate comfort food for me!

Loaded Potato Chicken Casserole Recipe

Mexican Rice Chicken Casserole

Mexican Rice Chicken Casserole

I made this casserole ahead of time and put it in the freezer – it came out fantastic!!! I put crushed Tostitos on top and finished with sour cream….Love, love it!!!

Mexican Rice Chicken Casserole Recipe

Chicken Hashbrown Casserole

Casseroles With Canned Chicken

Tried this chicken hashbrown casserole and will absolutely be making it again soon because my whole family loved it.

I “cheated” with canned chicken and cheap bacon bits but still SO good!

Chicken Hashbrown Casserole Recipe

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole

I’ve made this casserole with leftover chicken, canned chicken AND shredded rotisserie chicken and it’s always so good – my husband LOVES it!

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

I made 4 pans of this for our church potluck supper and they kept coming back for more! Big hit!! Delicious!

I have had this basic recipe for years with one difference… regular Doritos crunched up.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe

Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole

Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole

Very delicious and comfort food-style casserole. Use canned chicken or leftover shredded chicken.

I also halved the recipe a couple times when I’m cooking for just the two of us – we ate until we were stuffed and still had leftovers!

Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole Recipe

Chicken and Biscuits Casserole

Chicken and Biscuits Casserole

With only 7 simple and CHEAP ingredients, this chicken and biscuits casserole was budget-friendly AND delicious!

Will be making this again and again!

Chicken and Biscuits Casserole Recipe

More Casserole Recipes I’ve Tried:

Ground Beef Casseroles and Large Family Dinners


Best Casseroles To Make Ahead and Freeze


More Cheap Dinner Recipes:

Best Dinner Recipes with Pork Chops


Easy Cheap Meals For Large Families On A Budget


Low Budget Pasta Dinner Recipes


Last EASY Crockpot Dump Dinners


19 Super Easy Chicken Casseroles!

Casseroles With Canned Chicken

19 Canned Chicken Recipe Ideas For A Simple CHEAP Dinner Tonight

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