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: 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 tortellini
- One pan chicken fajita pasta
- One pan skillet lasagna
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
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.
- 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
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.
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My family loves this recipe! I cook the rice first in chicken broth and cut the chicken up then mix everything with cheese on top It’s perfection
I cut up the chicken as well but I feel like when I cooked this it was so bland and I had to cook it for over 2 hrs but that’s probably because my oven isn’t very good.
What rice ? The article said don’t use Instant white rice . I may have said their name wrong .
In this recipe, it calls for long-grain white rice.
This was a wonderful recipe for a Chicken and Rice casserole. No, it was a fantastic recipe!
We enjoyed this dish! It’s just my husband and I and we had three meals out of this. Tasted better the second day even.
It was good. I used extra long grain organic white rice. 1.5 hours was perfect. I left the cheese off until the end I grated cheddar cheese and added around two tablespoons of Kerrygold butter while it was resting. Gave it a good stir and served it 10 minutes later. Very good. Kid approved.
Prepared, served and enjoyed comments from 4 guests!
Where did you find recipe? Would you share it? What other meal surprise’s do you possess and could provide us? etc.
Complements bordered towards embarrassing, yet, I demanded a round of applause and bowed in Thanks!
Your site was forwarded to all mobile devices and email addresses as they scurry about looking for leftovers for home? (They disappeared!!) 😉 😔
I will post comments from your other meals as I am sure I will be continuously be at this site.
Thank you from the heart and pleased stomach.
Until…..gordon
wow ..used brown basmati a nd added a little extra water’… have baked 1 and a half hours and it is still really soupy…what do you think.. used 2 percent milk
Let it sit 15 minutes. The rice will absorb the liquid. (It’s what we did anyway)
This is the first recipe of my very first meal plan I just started and it is not disappointing. Im so glad I found these meal plans!
My mom used to make this with instant rice, you just cut the baking time in half. Love this recipe, it tastes just like hers did.
Tried it in the IP with the IP modifications given in the notes. Burn. I’d stick with the oven on this one.
I have 5 chicken legs that were given to me by the food bank. Do you think I could use them in this recipe? Should I adjust liquid or cooking time?
I added 2 c. rice with 2 c. chicken stock and 1 c milk. Used 1 can cream mushroom,1 can cream or celery and 1 can cream chicken. Also cut the chicken up into chunks. Added chopped onion, 1 bag frozen mushrooms and 1 bag of frozen spinach. Cooked on 350 for 1 1/2 hours. It was just a little runny on the corners (probably the water from the frozen veg) but we loved it! We will be having plenty of leftovers tonight and are looking forward to it! This recipe is saved on my laptop as I will be making it again. Very pleased!
I doubled the recipe and the chicken was not even close to being done after 2 hours. Looks like to much liquid in the beginning but the rice needs it. It’s pretty bland so I wish I had added some other spices.