Your family will love this easy Chicken Casserole recipe. It’s the epitome of comfort food, and perfect for a cold night or easy weeknight meal. Made with minute rice, chicken, celery, a creamy sauce to hold it together, and buttered cornflakes crushed on top.
Most of the men in my life are what I call “meat-and-potato” guys. Out of all the food out there, their everyday favorite meals are comfort foods like meat and potatoes, lasagna or a some sort of casserole.
My husband’s favorite meal from his childhood was this chicken casserole recipe. It’s one from my mother-in-law’s collection of favorite recipes and she kindly granted me permission to share it with you all. His other favorites include Pizza Casserole and Italian Meatball Subs .
How to make chicken casserole:
The recipe starts with cooked, chopped chicken. I like to season mine with salt, pepper and garlic powder and cook it on the stove. You could use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken.
Chop some celery and a little bit of onion and add everything to a mixing bowl.
Next add minute rice (no need to precook it, just add it in as is).
Add some slivered almonds and chopped hard boiled eggs to the mix. I really like the addition of the hard-boiled eggs. I think they add great flavor and texture to the dish. But if it’s not your thing, leave them out.
Next, add cream of chicken soup. I like to make it homemade, but the canned stuff works too. Add mayo, lemon juice and salt. Mix everything together and spoon it into a casserole dish.
Sprinkle some buttered, crushed corn flakes over the top. Bake for 25 minutes, and enjoy!
To Make Ahead:
Make the chicken/rice mixture, spread it in the pan, cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake it, sprinkle the buttered cornflakes on top and bake as directed.
Consider serving this with:
Recipe
Chicken Casserole
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
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe November 2014. Updated February 2018.
Could this be made ahead and frozen?
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.)
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…
You can leave it out or put in diced carrots!
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! 😀
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!
I love this recipe! I sometimes add chopped water chestnuts for an extra crunch!
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.