Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Tip: Preheating ensures your casserole cooks evenly and comes out perfectly golden on top.

Prepare the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain and set aside.

Pro Tip: You can use leftover pasta for this step, which saves you time!

Mix the casserole base. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, shredded cheese, frozen peas, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together until well combined.

Tip: Make sure the soup and sour cream are fully incorporated so the casserole has that creamy texture throughout.

Add the pasta. Gently fold the cooked pasta into the chicken mixture until everything is well mixed.

Pro Tip: The pasta should be fully coated with the creamy mixture to ensure even flavor distribution.

Transfer to a baking dish. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and pour the chicken and pasta mixture into it, spreading it out evenly.

Tip: If you don’t have a 9x13-inch dish, a smaller casserole dish will work too, but you might need to adjust the baking time slightly.

Bake the casserole. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.

Pro Tip: If you like a crispier top, you can broil the casserole for a few minutes at the end of baking.

Let it cool. Once done, remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.