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.
This post contains affiliate links.
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!
This recipe is delicious. Cheese is a really nice plus that I had not thought of before. Will definitely make this recipe again.
I was so excited to make this simple recipe, just as you probably are. Let me save you the same heartbreak. DONT!! Nothing about this recipe is right. It’s too runny! I repeat, TOO RUNNY!!! The rice was crunchy during the first go with the timer. Don’t be like me and not READ THE COMMENTS! Out of everything I have cooked for my boyfriend, he asked me never to make this again stating “I’ll finish this bowl but I don’t want to have this again…it’ll make a turd I guess”.
So there’s my rating, hope it helps someone who ACTUALLY READ THE COMMENTS!!!
Fixed this tonight and we loved it. I did add some onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeños and it turned out wonderfully.
It hit a very specific comfort food button for me! I had a rotisserie chicken, so I just shredded it and put a layer on top instead of the raw chicken breasts and sprinkled an extra layer of cheese. I also mixed in a bag of frozen veggies cooked the casserole as directed. The chicken wasn’t dry and it was perfect for a broke 25 year old. I have leftovers in my freezer for future last minute dinners.
Did u add veggies frozen? I was going to throw in 10 oz bag of mixed vegetables?
I would let the veggies thaw before adding them.
Cooked for 1hr 50mins at 350 and the rice was nowhere near done. Put it in at 370 for another half an hour and the rice is still not done. Never making this again.
2 stars because it was edible but everyone thought the recipe as it was written was very bland.
This recipe was incredible! It was so easy to make with minimal dishes and the flavor was PERFECT. I’ve already sent the recipe to multiple people! We served it with a frozen veggie. We will absolutely be making this over and over. Thank you so much!
Did you find it runny like all other comments? Wondering I’d I need to tweek before so I don’t waste food or time.
May I just just say delicious! My husband is isn’t picky so he loves all the food I cook, but this he absolutely loved! Cooked it based on instructions. It’s was so delicious. Great recipe 😋thankyou!
This was very easy to make and very tasty. I used one can of cream of mushroom soup and one can of cream of chicken soup. Thanks for the recipe! I will be making this again.
The chicken and rice recipe was delicious. I used Jasmine rice. I added Rosemary, garlic, and dried onions, along with the salt and pepper. I also added some broccoli florets (frozen, & thawed in microwave) I baked 1 1/4 hrs at 350. The rice was fluffy, and the flavor was incredible!
Cooked for 1hr 45 minutes chicken was good but rice did not cook completely. Casserole was tasty but crunchy. Put it back in the oven fo another 45 minutes to see if rice cooks all the way. Next time may preboil broth to add in during prep stage.