Dinner doesn’t get easier or more delicious than this cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole, made in just one pan, with a few simple ingredients.
Here’s what a nerd I am when it comes to cooking: for my 14th birthday a friend gave me a cookbook, and it was one of my favorite gifts! It was a compilation of favorite recipes from close friends, and one of the recipes was this cheesy chicken and rice casserole.
What I love about Chicken and Rice Casserole:
- One pan: throw everything together in a casserole dish and bake. This makes for low prep and easy clean-up! I love recipes where the oven does all of the work. Check out my other one-pan recipes!
- Kid friendly: The end result is another kid-friendly recipe that’s delicious and flavorful. The perfect comfort food for a fast weeknight meal or Sunday dinner that requires hardly any prep.
- Adaptable: Like most casserole dishes, there are plenty of variations you can make to this recipe. See more ideas below in the post.
How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole:
1. Prep rice mixture: Add rice, cream of soups, milk, water and onion soup seasoning to a bowl and stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheddar cheese.
2. Add chicken: nestle chicken breasts into the rice mixture.
3. Bake: Cover the dish with aluminum foil (the pan will be very full!) and bake for 1 hour 30 min to 2 hours , or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. (Mine usually bakes in 1.5 hours, but time may vary depending on oven, altitude and other variables).
4. Top with cheese and serve. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh roasted veggies or a green salad.
Recipe Variations:
Cheese: leave it out, or substitute Colby jack, mozzarella or Swiss.
Rice: Minute rice will not work with this recipe. Brown rice would require additional liquid (at least ½ cup) and longer cooking time, so if using brown rice, I suggest using chicken thighs, instead of breasts, so the chicken doesn’t overcook/dry out.
Herbs: if you’d like to add additional flavor, consider adding fresh thyme, parsley, freshly minced garlic or garnish with fresh basil.
Broccoli Chicken and Rice: add 2 cups chopped broccoli florets to the casserole before baking.
Veggies: Feel free to add chopped mushrooms, onions, green peppers, green beans, broccoli, etc.
Cream of soup:Â My homemade version is so easy and delicious but you can use any type of cream of soup for this recipes including chicken, mushroom, or celery.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice: Reduce water to ½ cup and milk to 1 cup. Only use 1 can of cream of soup. Cook on high pressure/manual setting for 8-10 minutes (depending on thickness of the chicken breasts). Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes.
Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:
To make ahead: This is a great make-ahead recipe. Prepare the dish but do not bake. Cover it well and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before baking.
To freeze: Prepare the dish but do not bake. Cover it well with plastic wrap and tinfoil and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking, uncovered.
Consider trying these popular one-pan meals:
- One pan baked salmon and vegetables
- One pan creamy lemon chicken tortelliniÂ
- One pan chicken fajita pasta
- One pan skillet lasagna
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Recipe
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup (or homemade)
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 batch homemade onion soup mix , or one envelope Lipton onion soup mix
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese , divided
- 3 thick boneless skinless chicken breasts , or thighs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13'' pan (or similar size casserole dish) with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Add rice, cream of soups, milk, water and onion soup seasoning to a bowl and stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheddar cheese.Â
- Nestle chicken breasts into the rice mixture. Cover the dish with aluminum foil (the pan will be very full!) and bake for 1 hour 30 min to 2 hours , or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. (Mine usually bakes in 1.5 hours, but time may vary depending on oven, altitude and other variables).
- Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
- Serve with fresh steamed veggies or a green salad.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this recipe March 2017. Updated September 2020.
This dish had a good flavor but I had to add some chicken broth because it was very dry. I’m glad I saw the comment about stirring the dish halfway through because it was very clumpy. I added braised chicken after the rice was done and cooked it until the cheese melted.
Not enough liquid? Came out thick, clumpy. Too salty!
Really didn’t enjoy this mostly salty and tasted just like an oxo cube. Chicken came out super dry even though it was emerged in the sauce. Maybe just my taste but a very old fashioned dinner in my opinion. Made the cream of chicken soup from scratch and the onion mix from scratch also.
Made this for the first time, it turned out great. I had to tweak it a bit and make my own onion soup mix from scratch and also I used brown rice instead of the white rice which called for a 1/2 cup more of water. I also stirred half way through the cooking time to make sure rice cooked nicely, increase your cooking time about 35 minutes as well if using brown rice or dish seems a bit watery otherwise. served with biscuits and green beans was delish
I don’t know what all these terrible comments are about! I LOVED this! I cooked this exactly as it was written, except used 1 can cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of chicken. Greased the casserole dish with butter. Added a little extra garlic. Some thyme and sprinkled green onions on the top for garnish. It was fantastic.
Your comments do not seem to be consistent with your star rating. Any reason for that?
I don’t know what all the negative reviews were about. The only part of the recipe I altered was I cut my chicken breast more into tenders. No the chicken wasn’t seasoned, and I was too exhausted to care. But the rice was cooked perfectly, and my chicken breast was juicy. I also nestled it down into the rice/liquid. I cooked it for 1.5 hours. I 100% would make this again. It was an absolute life saver to not have to stand at the stove after working out in the heat all day. My family ate it, we had enough for 2 people to have leftovers today, and outside of that it was all gone.
Very delicious! Chicken was moist and flavorful. I made 1/2 recipe as it was just 2 of us eating. I used 3 smaller pieces of chicken, still cooked it for an hour and a half. We love cheese, but were running low, so I skipped the cheese and topped it with french fried onions in the last 5-10 minutes instead. Will definitely be making this one again.