Chicken crescent roll casserole featuring a buttery crust, creamy chicken and vegetables, and melted cheese. This timeless comfort dish is simple enough for weeknights yet satisfying enough to share.

The flaky crescent roll topping puts this chicken crescent roll casserole in the realm of pot pie. The chicken filling is creamy, but you also get a satisfying crunch from the water chestnuts and almonds.

This was a popular casserole growing up in the 90's and it was officially known as "Chicken Crescent Almondine".

My mother alternated between this chicken crescent roll casserole and this cheesy chicken and broccoli casserole. Both were served with hot steaming rice.

This one was decidedly fancier in my mind since it contained water chestnuts (which we lovingly called "crunchies") and a pastry topping with slivered almonds (oo la la!).

But really, this casserole is a breeze to put together whether you're cooking for yourself or for company.

Serve with a green vegetable or salad and finish with one of our family favorite desserts such as Pumpkin Bars, Layered Banana Cheesecake Dessert, or Blueberry Delight.

Does anyone know the history of this recipe? I couldn't find an origin. Considering the cream soup and crescent rolls, it seems like late 60's or 70's.

If you have a story related to this recipe, please share in the comments below!

Ingredients & Substitutes

The full list of ingredients and quantities are listed down in the recipe card, but here are some key ingredients you'll need and potential substitutes if you're out.

• Chicken - you'll need 3 cups of cooked chicken, which is about 1 lb before cooking.
• Celery - adds nutrition and some texture. Can sub another vegetable such as green beans or peas.
• Mushrooms - you can use fresh instead of canned, or leave them out if you don't like mushrooms.
• Water chestnuts - you can double the amount of celery if you need to leave these out.
• Onion flakes - you can substitute ½ cup finely chopped onion instead of the dehydrated onion flakes.
• Cream soup- the cream of chicken soup can be substituted with cream of mushroom or cream of celery.
• Refrigerated crescent rolls - you can use original rolls, or the crescent sheets. Whole sheets didn't exist when I was a kid!
• Cheddar - feel free to use your favorite cheese instead, Monterrey Jack or Swiss are good options.
• Almonds - the recipe calls for slivered almonds, but sliced will also do.

How to Make Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

1. Combine all the filling ingredients in a pot and heat until bubbly.
2. Put the filling in a baking dish and layer the topping ingredients: crescent rolls, shredded cheese, almonds, and drizzle it all with melted butter.
3. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Note: preheating the filling is essential so the bottom of the crescent roll crust cooks instead of staying soggy and raw.