Cheesy Ham And Hashbrown Casserole

10.5 ounces cream of chicken condensed soup ((1 can))

½ cup cream cheese (softened to room temperature (do not use lite, fat free, whipped, or 'spreadable' cream cheese))

½ cup milk (whole or 2% recommended)

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided ((mozzarella, Jack, pepper Jack may be substituted))

3 cups hash browns (I use frozen that I thaw, refrigerated are also fine, see FAQs for more info)

1 cup cooked ham

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Fresh parsley or thinly sliced green onions, optional for garnishing

Preheat oven to 375F, spray your baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
To a large mixing bowl, add the condensed soup, cream cheese, milk, half the cheese, and whisk to combine. Tip - It's important that the cream cheese be very well softened to room temp or this step is unnecessarily challenging.
Add the hash browns, ham, salt, pepper, and stir to combine.
Turn mixture out into prepared baking dish, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
Evenly sprinkle the remaining half the cheese over the top, cover tightly with foil, and bake for about 30 minutes. Tip - If you're making this in advance, cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Before baking, allow the casserole dish to sit on your counter for 30-60 minutes, or until it's not chilled. Baking with a cold casserole dish may cause uneven baking, or may unnecessarily add time to the baking process.
Remove the foil and allow the casserole to bake, uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden browned.
Optionally garnish with parsley or green onions and serve immediately. Anything with melted cheese is always better served hot and freshly made.

Course🍽️Main Course

Diets🥩Carnivore...

Category🥘Casserole

Cuisine🇺🇸American

Occasions📆Everyday👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Family Gathering

Season🔁Year-round

DifficultyEasy ⏰ 45m