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!
I got a soup as well! I did not read reviews… sadly. I had 2 extra cans of cream of mushroom. I added those. I also used brown rice. Had too cook for at least 2 hours and 45 minutes. 1 ended up with a partially edial casserole. Tasted cheap to me, not mentioning the crispy bits of rice… still.
Loved this! Added 2 cups of chopped broccoli prior to placing the chicken and cheese on top and then placed in the fridge for about 14 hours before baking. Baked at 350 for an hour and forty five mins. Turned out perfect and not soupy as mentioned in some other comments. Perhaps the time in the fridge helped with this? Will definitely make again and test out other veggies next time – thanks for the tasty recipe.
This has become one of our favorite dinners! I have added different veggies each time I make it. I’ve had no issues with it being soupy at all. I used a deep casserole dish and it did take a bit longer for the rice to cook, but otherwise, its wonderful.
Yummy!!!! I followed the directions exactly as written and it came out perfect! Not sure why it came out soupy for some (maybe varying oven temps?). Thank you for sharing!
I tried the instant pot version. Got my first burn notice, so I took out chicken, stirred up rice, added a little more liquid (I actually used chicken broth instead of water) and started over. Another burn notice. At this point, rice is 3/4 cooked, but not quite there. I’m just gonna try finishing in stove, but rice is very thick, not soupy like others have had, that’s for sure.
I also had soupy casserole after 1 1/2 hours… I turned up oven as others said to 400, 20-40 minutes more still soup!!?? Less water next time?? I don’t want chicken to be tough so pulling it out hoping it will thicken?
Should have looked at the reviews before i started. Likewise mine turned out way too soupy. I thought 3 cups liquid (plus condensed soups x 2) to 1 1/2 cups rice was an imbalance. I even added spinach and mushrooms but the liquid was too much to absorb. My solution was to make another pot of plain rice to serve it over.
Love this recipe. I also had to turn the oven up, or we would still be waiting for it to be done!!!
Whole Family loved it, super simple
Used boneless skinless Chicken thighs as recommended
I am currently cooking this casserole and I took it out of the oven @350 after a hour and a half and it is soupy. I’ve turned the oven up to 400 for another 30 min. I hope it turns out, cause I have a very hungry family.