If you love pierogi, this cheesy chicken-layered casserole will become a favorite go-to for your family gatherings or potluck events. The hearty comfort food is made with varying layers of delicious ingredients. That starts with store-bought frozen pierogis and delicious freshly shredded cooked chicken breast. It’s followed up with a generous amount of crispy bacon, green onion, cheddar cheese, and a garlic sour cream sauce. It’s a decadent cheesy treat for the taste buds!
My partner is Ukrainian and loves “Pedaheh” (used in some Ukrainian dialects). Much to my daughter’s delight, we often have them with cabbage rolls. She’s always loved them, and I made them so often that I started coming up with different ways to cook the traditional potato-filled dumplings. I debated a new way to make them a tasty, complete meal on their own when I stumbled across the idea of creating a layered casserole similar to a lasagna. I topped it with a heavy garlic sour cream sauce because, if you know your Ukrainian cooking, everything starts with a generous amount of garlic in the pan.
I decided upon simple ingredients because when you go to a church supper or potluck event, using simple ingredients that don’t break the bank is often a factor. The entire dish uses only three boneless, skinless chicken breasts. It makes enough to easily feed eight people a good helping or twelve people a spoonful or more of a tasty sampling. It’s so simple to toss together and pop in the oven for busy weeknights.
If you want to continue with the Ukrainian potluck theme, here is our lazy cabbage roll casserole dish.
Why You Will Love This Simple Layered Casserole Dish
Comforting and Delicious: This casserole combines the comforting flavors of pierogis, creamy sauce, cheese, and savory chicken into one delicious dish. It’s like a warm hug in a bowl, perfect for cozy nights or family gatherings.
Family-Friendly: Even picky eaters are likely to enjoy the cheesy goodness of this dish, making it a crowd-pleaser for the next time you are having a family dinner or potluck.
Balanced and Filling: Packed with protein from the chicken, carbs from the pierogis, and creamy richness from the sauce and cheese, this casserole is a well-balanced meal that will leave you satisfied and full.
Let’s Start Getting This Together.
This easy main dish comes together quickly, making it a family favorite for potlucks, gatherings, or busy weeknight meals. The potato pierogies are frozen and need no pre-cooking. Before layering the easy casserole dish, you need to spray the bottom of the casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray or oil it to keep it from sticking, as cheesy dishes often want to do. I used my Remi Oliver stoneware dish (Rectangular dish: 91.3 oz, 14.8″ x 9.8″ x 2.4″) to make this, and it was filled halfway up when done. You can use a different-sized baking pan. You will need to play around with the layers to fit it in.
Now, you can start to layer them in a single layer in the deep casserole dish. I laid in one direction and then the opposing direction to fit as many in as possible. Layering the pedaheh like this also ensures even cooking. It makes it easier to serve up a delicious bite in every scoop.
The boneless, skinless chicken needs to be pre-cooked and then shredded. To ensure it is cooked one hundred percent, the meat thermometer should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Season the chicken with a simple salt and pepper blend in a large skillet to bring out its savory flavors while cooking.
Once the chicken has fully cooked, you can easily tear it using two forks on a clean cutting board. Layer the chicken meat onto the first layer of the pierogis in the casserole dish. Then, add a generous layer of grated cheddar cheese, green onion, and bacon. Reserve some for the top layer.
Now add the next layer of frozen pierogies, remembering to lay them like you did the first layer. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, onion, and bacon.
Peel, chop, and saute the fresh garlic in a frying pan on medium heat with two tablespoons of olive oil for one minute. Then, spoon the creamy sauce over the entire dish. It’s ready to go into the preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for forty minutes uncovered.
It won’t likely spill over from your dish, but you can put the casserole pan on a rimmed baking sheet. I do this now to avoid spillage when using the oven. It’s always easier to clean the pan than the whole oven.
Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: This protein choice is a leaner cut, which reduces the calorie count—a good thing in this hearty casserole. Shredded chicken brings the right balance of flavors to the delicately flavored pierogis.
Store-Bought Pierogis: For this recipe, we used Cheemo store-bought frozen cheese pierogis. You can use your favorite brand and flavor of pierogies instead—just have the right amount on hand. We also chose to use the potato and cheese filling instead of onion or bacon, as those ingredients are already being added to the recipe. The convenience of using frozen store-bought pierogies dramatically reduces the work time in the kitchen. If you have the time, making homemade pierogies from scratch would also make a delicious baked casserole.
Old Cheddar Cheese: This baked pierogi casserole recipe uses old cheddar cheese. The orange cheese brings a color pop to an otherwise colorless dish, and the cheese melts into an ooey, gooey, tasty mouthful.
Green Onions: Chopped green onions bring a fresh, mildly sharp flavor to the chicken pierogi casserole. They add a pop of color and a hint of oniony freshness that complements the rich cheesiness of the dish.
Pre-cooked Bacon: This ingredient adds a smoky, salty flavor to the chicken pierogi casserole, enhancing its overall taste profile. Its crispy texture provides a satisfying crunch with each bite, adding depth to the dish’s texture. Additionally, the rendered bacon fat helps to moisten and flavor the casserole, ensuring a rich and flavorful outcome.
Fresh Garlic: In Ukrainian cooking, garlic is a significant flavor enhancer and aromatic agent. I’ve added it to the rich cream sauce spooned over the casserole’s top. We created the sauce in part because my partner is such a fan of sour cream on the pedaheh. If you prefer, I recommend mincing the garlic over chopping. I chopped for the recipe, which resulted in some rather larger bits in a bite here and there, which some may find unpleasant.
Heavy Cream: I used 35% whipping cream to create the garlic sauce base. Its high-fat content contributes to the dish’s indulgent mouthfeel. It helps to balance the flavors of the chicken, cheese, and other ingredients, resulting in a decadent and comforting meal.
Sour Cream: Incorporating sour cream into the garlic heavy cream sauce adds a tangy twist to the chicken pierogi casserole. Its creamy texture also helps to thicken and stabilize the sauce, ensuring a smooth and velvety consistency that coats the pierogi and chicken with a luscious layer of flavor.
Substitutions and Add-Ins For the Cheesy Pierogi Casserole
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: This is an easy protein to pre-cook and shred for the delicious casserole. However, if you are short on time, I suggest buying a whole rotisserie chicken and skinning, boning, and shredding the white meat. You can also add the dark meat if you wish. The dark meat is packed with rich, meaty flavor that will change the flavor profile. Another option that would work well if you were reducing the overall size of the casserole would be pre-cooked chicken slices that you can often find in the deli-aisle of the grocery store.
Store-Bought Pierogis: As stated above, I used Cheemo brand store-bought pierogis, an inexpensive option in the frozen food aisle. However, you can make this easy dish using any frozen pierogi.
Old Cheddar Cheese: The orange old cheddar is a budget-friendly choice that is often on sale. However, this cheese can be switched to cheeses that pair well with pierogies, such as Monterey Jack, Gouda, Havarti, or Pepper Jack. Feel free to experiment with these substitutions based on your taste preferences and what you have available in your kitchen! You can also make this with less cheese to be more economical. Add cheese to the top of the dish and leave it out of the center layer.
Green Onions: This fresh ingredient has a milder flavor than cooking onions or other large onions. Plus, the green stem adds a pop of color. If you want to change this ingredient for another, I recommend using the greens from leeks or freshly picked chives. Chives have a similar mild onion flavor to green onions but are thinner and milder in taste. They can be mixed into the layers of pierogies casserole for a subtle onion flavor.
Pre-cooked Bacon: If you prefer, due to the cost, you can use regular slices of bacon. Cook it nicely and crisply before cutting or breaking it into smaller bite-sized pieces. Alternatively, you can use turkey bacon or a sprinkle of smoked sausage. Diced smoked sausage can provide a similar smoky flavor and meaty texture to your casserole. Cook it until browned and slightly crispy before adding it to your dish. I don’t recommend bacon bits as they tend to have too artificial a flavor and won’t bring the desired taste results to your delicious pierogi casserole.
Fresh Garlic: If fresh garlic isn’t available, you can use garlic powder as a substitute in the cream sauce for your chicken pierogi casserole. Garlic powder provides a concentrated garlic flavor without the need for mincing or sautéing, making it convenient. Start with a small amount, such as 1/2 teaspoon per clove of fresh garlic, and adjust to taste. Whisk the garlic powder into the cream sauce until well combined, ensuring the flavor disperses evenly throughout the dish. Or you can use dried garlic in the cream sauce for your chicken pierogi casserole.
Dried garlic flakes or granules offer a concentrated garlic flavor. They can be rehydrated in the cream sauce as it cooks. Start with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried garlic per clove of fresh garlic called for in the recipe, and adjust to taste. Allow the dried garlic to simmer in the cream sauce for a few minutes to rehydrate and infuse its flavor before adding it to the casserole.
Alternatively, you can use jarred garlic as a convenient substitute for fresh garlic in the cream sauce for your chicken pierogi casserole. Jarred garlic is typically minced or crushed and preserved in oil or vinegar, offering a similar flavor to fresh garlic but with less intensity. To use jarred garlic, measure the equivalent amount called for in the recipe, adjusting to taste if necessary.
Heavy Cream: If you don’t have 35% heavy cream in your fridge, you can make a slightly lighter version of the cream sauce using half-and-half creamer or lower-fat milk.
Sour Cream: If you don’t have sour cream or would use something else, suitable choices would be plain or Greek yogurt or cream cheese. The cream cheese would result in a creamy cheese sauce that would be tangy and delicious for your easy pierogi casserole recipe.
Expert Tips, Serving and Storing Suggestions:
Tip #1: Layering the Pierogi’s. Don’t just toss the pierogi into the baking dish. Instead, make rows, as seen in the picture above. Placing the pierogis in neat rows allows for more even cooking. It also allows each serving to be easily cut or scooped out without disturbing the arrangement of the pierogis.
Tip #2: Use Crisp Bacon. If your pre-cooked bacon needs extra crisping, put it on a plate in the microwave for two to three minutes. Or place it on parchment paper in the oven heated at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes.
Tip #3: Cook The Chicken Properly. Since the chicken goes into the casserole with frozen perogies, which take longer to heat, you want to ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked before shredding. Test with a meat thermometer; it should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit if it’s fully cooked.
Serve this easy dinner with a fresh salad for the next family gathering or potluck. The cheesy casserole will become a favorite at your family’s dinner table.
Store uneaten portions cooled and covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I don’t recommend freezing the meal as it’s best fresh.
Have you tried making this layered chicken bacon pierogi casserole? We would love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below the recipe card. We love hearing from you, our readers.
Easy Layered Cheesy Bacon Chicken Pierogi Casserole
Equipment
- 1 Casserole Baking Dish
- 2 frying pans
- 2 Forks
- knife
- Cutting board
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
Shredded Chicken
- 3 Lrg Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Cooked Then Shredded
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 3 Tbsp Black Pepper
Pierogi Casserole
- 2 Boxes Cheemo Frozen Pierogies 4lbs or 2x 907 gram boxes
- 2½ Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
- 3 Green Onions Sliced
- 12 Slices Pre-cooked Bacon
Garlic Cream Sauce
- 9 Cloves Fresh Garlic Chopped or Minced
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Cup 35% Cream Or Lower-Fat Option
- ¾ Cup Sour Cream
Instructions
Making the Shredded Chicken
- In a frying pan cook the chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper blend on both sides.
- Cook on medium-high heat for ten minutes and then test with meat thermometer for doneness.
- Chicken is cooked when it reaches 165℉.
- Remove cooked chicken from heat and tear apart using two forks on a clean cutting board.
Layering The Casserole
- In the bottom of the casserole dish layer the frozen pierogies in one direction and then the next as pictured.
- On top of the layer of pierogies spread the cooked chicken.
- Sprinkle with a mix of old cheddar, green onion, and cooked bacon.
- Repeat pierogi layer and top with remaining cheese, bacon, and onion.
- Spoon the garlic cream sauce on top of the casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 400℉
Making The Garlic Cream Sauce
- Peel and dice or chop depending on preference the garlic.
- Add two tablespoons olive oil to frying pan and sauté garlic on medium heat for one minute.
- Add the heavy cream and stir well.
- Spoon in the sour cream and mix until well blended and heated through.
- Remove from heat and use on top of the casserole.