Well, hello there.
You've stumbled upon a new segment of our blog, where we share what we're making in our Things Could Be Worse Casseroles. Who doesn't love a good casserole? They are easy to make on a busy night, and use lots of items you probably already have on hand. Easy peasy. Even if you're like me, and not the most experienced cook. Maybe your husband/wife/partner cringes when they see you with a big sharp knife. Most recipes have a preamble the size of a small book, telling you about how they came up with the perfect recipe that you're about to use. Not this one. I used my typical method of searching Pinterest for the ingredients that I had on hand, then substituted lots of stuff that I didn't have. But the result is *chef's kiss*.
If you'd like to check out the original recipe, where someone does know what they're doing, has beautiful photography, and the original ingredients, here's the link: Plain Chicken.
Feeling adventurous? Read on...
I made quite a few adjustments to mine, but it turned out fabulous. Also, I used our shallow bowls and Robot Serving Bowls for prep and was very happy with how much more I liked them vs my regular glass bowls, due to their shape and size.
What I was working with:
What I was working around:
That adorable fluff-ball is Atticus, and this is unfortunately his favorite place to lay down while I work in the kitchen.
Cheddar Pierogi Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
2 14-oz packs of Potato & Cheese Kasia's Pierogies (find them at Costco)
1 (10.5-oz) can Cream of Chicken soup
1 (10.5-oz) can Cream of Mushroom soup
2 cups (16-oz) Plain, non-fat Greek Yogurt (Kirkland brand is perfect)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and black pepper to taste (I didn't need to use any salt, used about 1/2 tsp black pepper)
4 cups cooked chopped chicken (I used hand-pulled rotisserie chicken from Costco)
5 Baby bella mushrooms, sliced
4 strips of cooked bacon, chopped
1 medium white onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
about 2 tbs butter
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray your Things Could Be Worse Casserole dish with non-stick spray (I forgot to do this, and nothing stuck on, so this is optional)
Heat a skillet on medium, then add about half a tablespoon of butter. Cook mushrooms to remove some moisture, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add in onions and continue cooking until softened, 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Using the same skillet, melt about a tablespoon of butter and crisp outside of pierogies. You'll need to batch these in order to let them cook evenly. Cook on each side for a few minutes, until they begin to brown.
In a large bowl, whisk together soups, greek yogurt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Add 1 cup Cheddar cheese, mushrooms & onions, cooked chopped chicken, and half of the bacon.
Add some of the mixture to your casserole, then Layer in half of the pierogies. repeat until you've used all of the mixture and pierogies. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese and bacon on top.
Bake uncovered 35 to 45 minutes. Mine only took 35 minutes.
That cheese is living on the edge:
Susan
June 10, 2025
Hi.
I’m sure the Cheddar Pierogi Chicken Casserole is delicious, but I couldn’t stop laughing. When I lived off campus in the late 60’s – early 70’s, this was the kind of throw-everything-in-it casserole we made when we were stoned. And our dog was present in the same position. Thanks for giving this old hippie a great memory.