There's nothing better than a good casserole because I feel like it just does most of the work for you. You can prep it earlier, get it in the oven, and then totally forget about it for a while. And because I'm feeding Roger and Ben as well as myself, I like food that feels generous and comforting without me having to cook three different dinners.

I've also learned that casseroles are brilliant for leftovers. Some are even better the next day, and quite a few can be turned into something completely different. Wraps, toasties, pasta fillings, or even a quick lunch.

I do freeze some of these, but I wouldn't freeze every single one. Creamy sauces can split or become grainy after freezing. Particularly if they're very dairy-heavy. Sometimes I freeze the chicken and sauce separately, or I make a smaller batch for the freezer.

You'll find plenty of garden herbs, leftover roast chicken, and little shortcuts in these. I'm a chef, but I'm also a mom with a child, two dogs, and a garden to look after. So I'm absolutely not making life harder than it needs to be.

1) Classic Chicken and Rice Casserole

This is probably one of those casseroles that I make when I want everyone just to be quiet and eat without having to negotiate or beg or bribe. Chicken and rice, vegetables, and a creamy sauce- it just works every single time. It's simple and basic.

With chicken and rice, you've got to get the liquid right. Rice is going to suck up so much liquid, so don't be tempted to make the mixture too thick before it goes into the oven. You also should use chicken thighs because they stay much juicier than breast meat.

Fresh thyme and parsley from the garden also make a huge difference. Roger loves this one because it feels like a proper comfort food, and Ben usually doesn't complain when everything is mixed. If there's any left, I'll turn it into little lunch portions rather than freezing it in an airtight dish. It really heats well with a splash of stock.

2) Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

Everyone in this family has a little bit of a weakness for Alfredo. I don't make it quite as heavy as some other versions because it makes me feel a little bit sick if I make it too creamy. But with a creamy garlic sauce, chicken, pasta, and loads of parmesan, it bakes until the top is bubbling… It's almost impossible not to go back for another serving, right?

I actually like using leftover roast chicken for this because it saves a step and the chicken already has flavor. If I'm cooking the chicken specifically, I'll season it well and brown it first rather than putting completely bland chicken into the sauce. And don't overcook the pasta before baking.

It should be slightly underdone because it's going to continue cooking in the oven. Nobody wants mushy pasta casserole. Creamy dairy sauces can lose their silky texture when frozen and reheated. My husband told me that. So if I know we won't finish it, I'll keep some of the pasta and sauce separate rather than freezing the whole baked dish.

3) Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

This is really a sneaky family meal where I get quite a lot of broccoli into it without really telling everyone how much I'm using or making a huge announcement about it. Ben isn't always thrilled when vegetables are sitting there looking like vegetables, so I chop the broccoli quite small and mix it through the cheesy rice. And he absolutely has no idea.

The other thing I learned is not to cook the broccoli to death before it goes into the casserole. You've gotta have it tender. And it must have a little bit of a bite. Use a mature cheddar here because you get much more flavor without needing half the packet. A little bit of English mustard or Dijon mustard in the cheese sauce goes a really long way and is one of my favorite tricks. You don't really taste the mustard at all, but it does make the cheese taste cheesier.

If I have leftover chicken, this becomes ridiculously quick, and the leftovers are actually useful. Spoon them into wraps with some salad, and you've got an entirely different lunch the next day.

4) Southern Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

The name sounds like something you'd be served in a little southern kitchen in the American countryside, and that's basically the feeling I want from this one when I make it. It's creamy chicken with soft dumplings baked over the top. My husband cannot resist this dish.

The dumplings soak up some of that sauce underneath while the tops stay lightly golden, and that contrast is what I think makes this bake really good. I use chicken thighs, and I make a really flavorful stock because the sauce is the whole point. This is where all that homemade stock I've frozen away becomes useful.

And the dogs know when this one is happening. Lily and Lola seem to have an incredible ability to recognize a southern chicken before I've even finished cooking. They prowl around the kitchen and wait. All that chicken skin. I wouldn't freeze the finished dumplings if I could avoid it. They do lose their texture. Freeze the chicken mixture instead.

5) Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I love Mexican-style food. But let's all be honest here. When I'm cooking for the family, it's normally after a long day, and I'm tired and not always in the mood to roll individual tortillas and try to keep the filling from escaping everywhere.

With this one I layer the tortillas with a creamy chicken, beans, corn, salsa, and cheese, and bake the whole thing. And everyone has beans or corn, beans in the pantry, corn in the freezer, tomatoes, to make a salsa. So it's one of those dishes you can make without having to go to the shop. My little trick is to use leftover roast chicken here again.

It makes a casserole really easy and gives you a second dinner from one roast. I also keep the spice level a little bit low because if it's too hot, Ben just won't eat it. The adults can always add hot sauce afterwards. Fresh coriander and avocado go on after baking.

6) Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch Casserole

This is definitely one for Roger and Ben, as I'm not a bacon eater. But chicken, bacon, creamy orange sauce, pasta, all potatoes, and cheese- I already know it's going to disappear before I've had time to sit down. And I normally make this one on a Tuesday or a Thursday because that's when soccer practice is, and they come home and want to eat and go to bed.

The orange flavors come from that combination of herbs, garlic, and tanginess. And I love adding spring onions at the end, so the casserole doesn't become one big heavy beige dish. Cook the bacon separately, too, because you want it crispy before adding it. Some goes through the casserole, and some you hold back for the top. It just gives that lovely crispy texture.

This is really good for a leftover lunch. I've been known to take the chicken and bacon mixture and put it in a toasted sandwich the next day for the boys.

7) Easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Everyone loves a chicken pot pie. Chicken and a creamy filling underneath crispy pastry. The combination never gets old. I use carrots, peas, celery, and chicken, plus a creamy sauce, then cover the whole dish with puff pastry I bought. The important thing is not making the filling too watery because then you end up with soggy pastry.

You can cook that lid of pastry separately and then just add it on top of your dish. If you've got leftover pastry, it's really cute to cut little shapes out with your child and then put them on top like little stars or leaves. Ben loves doing this.

This freezes really well. And it's actually better to freeze and then bake. I would assemble the filling, cool it completely, and then top it with pastry and freeze it properly wrapped. And you just need to bake it when you need. Always a goodie.

8) Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bake

This is definitely for those who love garlic, and boy, do I love garlic. I don't just put one little clove in this. I put tons of garlic into the sauce. I brown the chicken first because that little bit of caramelization gives you so much more flavor than just putting raw chicken into a creamy sauce. And then it goes into a parmesan sauce with garlic, herbs, and a little bit of stock.

Fresh thyme from my garden is particularly good here. Although rosemary works well too. I love the way the herbs cut through that richness. I do think it is a must. The trick with parmesan is not boiling it aggressively once it's in the cream because it will split. You could also use pecorino if you've got that.

Keep the sauce on a gentle bubble so it stays smooth. This one is so lovely served with green veggies, like peas and broccoli and some fine green beans. And it's particularly good with some crunchy bread to mop up that sauce.

If there is sauce left over, don't throw it away. Just toss it through some fresh pasta the next day, add leftover chicken, and you've got a whole new dinner sorted.

9) Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel

Rotel is one of those American ingredients I first came across in recipes where people seem to put it into everything. Tomatoes and green chilies in one can. And once I tried it in chicken spaghetti, I understood why. Where I come from, it's just called tin tomato with green pepper or chilies or anything.

But anyway, it's basically creamy chicken spaghetti with tomatoes, green chilies running through it. So you get richness but also acidity and heat. When I make this, I keep it very mild for my boy, Ben. You can always add extra chili or hot sauce to individual portions when you're eating it.

One thing I don't do is overcook the spaghetti because it does go into a casserole, and it needs enough bite to survive being baked again. I have made that mistake where I overcooked it and my husband was like, no. This is also a brilliant use for leftover chicken, and if there's enough left over, I sometimes turn it into little pasta portions for the freezer. Pasta casseroles do generally freeze well, although the texture will always be better if you don't overcook the pasta in the first place.

But this normally goes to work with my husband the next day. He's got a thing about frozen pasta that he just doesn't dig.

10) Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

This one is basically Sunday roast leftovers that I've turned into this casserole. Which is exactly the kind of cooking I love because there's no waste. You've got your chicken, creamy sauce, veggies, and stuffing all baked together. So it tastes like a roast dinner without actually having to roast another chicken.

And if I've got leftover stuffing, it goes straight in. If I don't, I'll make a quick herb stuffing mixture from breadcrumbs, onions, celery, and fresh herbs. But I can never get it as good as my mother-in-law's stuffing. I just have to admit it.

This is where my garden comes in again, wonderfully. Thyme, rosemary, and sage all work really well with chicken, and I love being able to grab a handful rather than measuring everything. The top is my favorite part. I want some crispy stuffing mixed with the creamy chicken underneath.

I wouldn't freeze this one for months and months because the stuffing can lose some of that texture. But frozen in portions, properly wrapped, it can still make a very useful emergency dinner. Freeze leftovers and store them in airtight containers for the best quality.

11) Creamy Tuscan Chicken Casserole

The Tuscan part of this casserole usually comes from the combination of creamy sauce, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, and herbs, rather than some complicated traditional Tuscan technique. I love using sun-dried tomatoes here, which I have made myself because they give the sauce that intense flavor.

Add spinach at the end so it doesn't completely disappear and wilt away in the sauce. And if I've got fresh basil, this is where it gets used generously. Basil makes the creamy sauce taste so much fresher and lighter. I also like adding mushrooms, especially if I've got a few different ones in the fridge that need using.

Roger loves anything with a creamy sauce and chicken, so this is an easy win in our house. You can serve this with rice, pasta, or crusty bread.

12) Cheesy Chicken and Hash Brown Casserole

This is not a casserole I make when I'm trying to impress anyone with my chef's skills. But it's the one I make when I want everyone fed, happy, and quiet. Frozen hash browns are absolutely perfect here. I don't thaw them first. They go straight onto that creamy chicken filling and into the oven. You want those little potato pieces to stay exposed so they become really crispy on top while the chicken underneath stays super creamy.

Roger is very happy when this appears for dinner because it just ticks all the boxes: chicken, potatoes, and cheese. Ben is also much more interested in a casserole when crispy potatoes are involved.

One thing I wouldn't do is freeze the finished casserole if you can avoid it. The creamy filling is fine, but the hash browns lose that crispiness. If I have extra filling, I'll freeze that separately and add fresh hash browns when I use it.

13) Chicken Parmesan Casserole

For this version, I use chunks of crispy chicken rather than worrying about making perfectly shaped chicken breasts. I just buy chicken schnitzels from the shop, add them to the tomato sauce with mozzarella and parmesan, and bake until it bubbles.

Traditionally, you should have chicken to bread, sauce to make, cheese to grate, and then everything has to be assembled. But I'm all for shortcuts. Especially when they don't compromise the final dish. And I have a strong opinion about the cheese. Don't cover every square centimeter. You want some tomato sauce poking through because those exposed bits get caramelized around the edges. There's nothing better.

Fresh basil over the top makes it taste much fresher and lighter. And if there's any left, chop it up the next day and put it in a toasted sandwich with rocket. Honestly, it's a very good leftover situation.

14) Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

I make this bake when my basil plant has gone slightly out of control and is about to go to seed, and I need to harvest it by the handful. I make my pesto with almonds rather than peanuts. They are so much cheaper, and I always have them around.

Basil, almonds, garlic, parmesan, or pecorino, a splash of olive oil and lemon, and it goes into the food processor. And that's my starting point. Then I mix the chicken with pesto and pasta, add a creamy sauce, and bake it.

But here's the bit I think makes a difference. Don't cook all your pesto into the casserole. Keep a spoonful or two aside and then swirl it over the top just before serving. You get that really fresh basil and garlic flavor instead of everything tasting like it's been cooked for ages. Also, it oxidizes. So just be aware of that.

And when I've got too much pesto, I freeze it in little portions. Put it in an ice cube tray, freeze, and then that's how you take them out and then put them in a ziplocker bag. It's brilliant to have when you need dinner quickly.

15) Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

This is a slightly naughty one because it feels like you've made a chicken pie, but you've actually taken a shortcut with the tube of crescent roll dough. And I'm not apologizing for it. I make a thick, creamy chicken filling with vegetables and herbs, spread it into a baking dish, and then arrange the crescent dough over the top.

As it bakes, the pastry pops up and turns golden, while the filling underneath bubbles away. Ben loves anything involving pastry, so this one usually gets a much better reception than a casserole with more obvious veggies. The filling needs to be quite thick before you add the dough. If it's too loose, the pastry steams.

I also think this one is best made fresh. The creamy chicken filling can be prepared ahead, but I wouldn't freeze the baked crescent topping. It just isn't the same once it's been thawed. Fresh pastry turns this from an ordinary chicken casserole into something that feels like a proper dinner.

16) Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This is what I make when I'm craving something Mexican-y, but absolutely cannot be bothered to roll individual tortillas. Instead, everything gets layered: Tortillas, creamy chicken, sour cream, green chilies, cheese.

And I actually find it easier to serve because you can just cut it into squares. I much prefer this version. And then you can keep the chilies fairly tame, which I do because Ben will simply refuse to even touch it if it's too spicy, which is understandable. Rog and I can add hot sauce afterward, so there's no reason to make the whole dish fiery. The sour cream gives such a lovely tang. It's the best part.

I like finishing the casserole with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime. My coriander growing in the garden makes this easy to finish without any extra trips to the shops. If you have leftovers, don't just reheat the same plate. Scoop the filling into a warm tortilla with lettuce and avocado, and you've got a completely different lunch the next day.

17) Chicken Divan with Broccoli

Chicken divine is one of those old-fashioned casserole names that always makes me smile. It sounds like something you'd order in a very grand restaurant, but it's essentially just chicken, broccoli, and creamy sauce baked all together. Honestly, I think the old recipes were onto something, right?

I like the broccoli to still have a little texture. Nobody wants broccoli boiled into submission, especially when it's going to spend more time in the oven. My little flavor upgrade is a tiny amount of curry powder in the creamy sauce. Not enough for anyone to notice the curry flavor. It just gives the chicken and broccoli a bit more depth.

I usually add toasted breadcrumbs over the top rather than just cheese. They give you that lovely contrast between the creamy filling and a crunchy topping. And if I'm using leftover roast chicken, this comes together really quickly.

18) Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Noodles

This is the casserole I make when I want something deeply savory rather than cheesy. Mushrooms do most of the heavy lifting here, so I like using a mixture rather than just a packet of white mushrooms. Fresh mushrooms are the best, but if I've got dried mushrooms in the cupboard, I'll soak a handful and use them too.

That dark, mushroomy soaking liquid can go into the sauce, and it just gives you so much more flavor. Chicken noodles, garlic cream, and thyme. You can't go wrong. And that's all you basically need. If my thyme is looking good in the garden, I'll use plenty because it works incredibly well with mushrooms.

I wouldn't make the noodles too soft because they go into the casserole and they carry on cooking and soaking up the sauce in the oven. This is one I'd happily eat for lunch the next day, but I'm not a huge fan of freezing the finished casserole. The noodles can become overly soft if I know I'm cooking extra for the freezer. I'll freeze the mushroom and chicken sauce, and cook fresh noodles when I need it.

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