Your family will love this easy Chicken Casserole recipe. It’s the epitome of comfort food, made with minute rice, chicken, celery, a creamy sauce to hold it together, plus buttered cornflakes crushed on top.

Looking for more kid-friendly recipes? Try Calzones, Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Spaghetti Pie, or Crispy Bean and Cheese Burritos!

An easy Chicken Casserole recipe in a white oval baking dish, topped with a corn flake topping.

My husband’s favorite meal from his childhood was this Chicken and rice casserole recipe. My Mother-in-law is well know for her recipe, and my kids love it just as much as my husband. You can make it ahead of time, so it’s great for a quick weeknight, or bringing dinner to someone in need.

How to Make Chicken Casserole:

Combine Ingredients: Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl except for the cornflakes and butter then pour mixture into a greased casserole dish.

Two images showing chicken, mayonnaise, celery, rice, almonds, and boiled eggs mixed in a creamy sauce in a glass bowl, and then transferred to an oval baking dish for the best Chicken Casserole recipe.

Make Topping: Mix crushed cornflakes and melted butter together then sprinkle over casserole mixture.

Two images showing a small bowl with crushed cornflakes and melted butter mixed together, and then the crunchy topping on top of a chicken casserole in a baking dish.

Bake the chicken casserole with rice at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes then serve with Burrata Salad and Artisan No Knead Bread!

A dinner plate with traditional chicken casserole on a plate next to a simple green salad, ready to eat.

Make Ahead Instructions:

Make the chicken/rice mixture, spread it in the pan, cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake this traditional Chicken Casserole, sprinkle the buttered cornflakes on top and bake as directed.

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Recipe

A white oval baking dish filled with an Easy Chicken Casserole recipe, topped with a crunchy cornflake topping.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 40 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cups cooked chicken , diced
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup celery , diced
  • 1 cup minute rice , uncooked*
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3 large eggs , hard boiled, sliced
  • 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup (or homemade)
  • 1 Tablespoon onion , grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup corn flakes cereal , crushed
  • 1 Tablespoon butter , melted

Instructions
 

  • Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl except for the cornflakes and butter. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish.
  • Mix crushed cornflakes and melted butter together. Sprinkle over casserole mixture.
  • Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes.

Notes

Rice: could substitute 2 cups of cooked rice, instead of the minute rice.
Make Ahead Instructions: Make the chicken/rice mixture, spread it in the pan, cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake this traditional Chicken Casserole, sprinkle the buttered cornflakes on top and bake as directed.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 613mgPotassium: 105mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 300IUVitamin C: 1.7mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 2.4mg

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I originally shared this recipe November 2014. Updated February 2018 and September 2023.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I love this recipe. We do the topping a bit different though we substitute the cornflakes for kettle chips and cheddar cheese gives it such a crispy top.

  2. 3 stars
    I was really excited to try this but it was a bit bland. All other recipes have been delicious and so flavorful but this just did not hit the same level of flavor. It needs some extra zing to make it 5 stars. I do plan on making it again, but I will add extra seasonings.

    1. I would suggest making ahead and storing in the fridge for a day or two before baking, rather than freezing (since the mayo, rice and hard boiled eggs will change in texture slightly after freezing.)

  3. Any ideas about something to sub for celery that would be good and to add some veggie? My kids can spot celery in anything and refuse to eat it…

  4. Oh, wow!!! This is almost the exact same recipe that I have in my family cookbook, that my family has been cooking for as long as I can remember. We use cooked rice, not minute rice, and we dont use eggs. Everything else seems the same. How fun to see it here! So, for anyone skeptical, I’m here to tell you that my entire family; parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and even my picky husband all approve! Try it! 😀

  5. I really appreciate your note about using cooked rice instead of minute rice. I don’t know how many recipes I have refused to copy since I don’t use minute rice (it doesn’t sound nutritious to me.) Now to figure out what to do with all the leftover cornflakes!

    1. You honestly CANNOT be serious, is this your TRUE belief regarding “Instant Rice”??
      You can honestly say that you believe that “Minute Rice” isn’t as “HEALTHY” as regular rice, therefore, due to that ridiculous reasoning CBSyou just scroll along and IGNORE ANY RECIPE that happens to call for “MINUTE RICE”?? Never considering the fact that you COULD MAKE THE RECIPE WITH YOUR VERY OWN COOKED/PREPARED RICE?? (Of course, that’s IF you are actually capable of making your own rice…)

      What do you think Minute Rice consists of?? It’s the same rice as any other Long Grain Rice! They’ve just saved you a bit of time and hassle by doing part of the prep work FOR YOU before you start your meal. It works especially well for those who struggle with preparing a nice/complete meal. Some people really have a difficult time making regular rice, I don’t know what makes it so difficult but I have taught numerous people how to make the perfect pot of rice WITHOUT a Rice Cooker.

      However, in a pinch, if someone just doesn’t want to try to make regular rice, “Uncle Ben’s” has the MOST AMAZING 90 Second Instant Rice you’ll ever find. It has much better flavor than many of the traditional rice brands and the texture is ALWAYS PERFECT! That’s DEFINITELY not to say that ALL FLAVORS OF Uncle Ben’s are great, SOME ARE DEFINITELY NOT, however, the majority are a great choice, especially for those who are in a hurry.

      Do you have some belief that Minute/Instant Rice comes from the “sub~par”, less than acceptable, poor neighborhoods, the super sketchy Rice Fields? Like it’s not treated as well or given the same living conditions as regular rice?? It seems that maybe you should re~think how you make your decisions regarding the recipes that you are interested in…

      I believe this is probably the MOST asinine comment I’ve read this weekend. Oh well, to each their own, I suppose… 🤦🏻‍♀️

      1. There is absolutely no reason to be degrading to another person’s ideas – if you don’t agree you don’t have to comment.

  6. 3 stars
    Sad to unpin as it sounded and looked delicious but it’s really bland. I’d maybe try added smoked bacon and more sauce. Sautée the veg a little maybe.

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