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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!
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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.
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.
I use shredded chicken! I have found it is much more flavorful when I have shredded chicken, rather than chicken breasts or big chunks of chicken.
This was a wonderful recipe for a Chicken and Rice casserole. No, it was a fantastic recipe!
The Instant Pot version of this recipe did NOT work. Kept getting burn notice so I kept adding a bit more liquid. I don’t think you actually tried this, apparently you just made it up off the top of your head. With food prices where they are right now, I seriously don’t appreciate having to throw this out. Not happy with this recipe or you at this point.
I really wish I would have read the reviews. I also did the Instapot version and my chicken is NOT cooked AT ALL!!!!
I was wondering if you could cut up the chicken instead of leaving it whole. It would be easier to serve kids that don’t eat a whole breast. Would that make it tough and dry or would you have to adjust the time or temp?
I cooked it as directed and then when done just shredded up the chicken and stirred it together. It was very tasty 😋
Delicious! Whole family loves this recipe!!
Great base recipe but I question why some of the great suggestions after the recipe weren’t simply added to the recipe itself!
Without extra seasoning at the very least the recipe as listed is bland. I threw in a good pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder and a little thyme. Then when I pulled it out the oven I added some extra thyme, salt, and pepper. Takes this recipe from a 2 to a 5 star!
Enjoy chicken rice casserole. Always a good meal.
I just made this tonight I tweaked it a little bit but it turned out great I will make it again!!! Negative reviewers need to learn to cook JMO 😎
If you are worried about cooking time, use thighs🤷♂️. They are more tender, more flavorful and you can cook them longer than breasts.
Pre cook the rice most of the way! Shortens the time by a lot. Also slice breast in half lengthwise. Cooks quicker and chicken absorbs more of the flavors.
I used Campbell’s cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup pkua liptons. Wasn’t very good. I think I will try a more natural recipe using chicken brother ND my own souces and not soup mixes
Sorry you didn’t love the casserole- I suggest you use the recipe for homemade “cream of anything” soup that is linked in the recipe. You can find it here: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/condensed-cream-anything-soup/
I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but it seems like a long time to bake boneless chicken breasts that are usually cooked in a half hour or so. Doesn’t the long baking time dry out the chicken? Would bone in breasts or thighs work better?
Agreed I followed the recipe using chicken breasts it cooked too long and got dry. One hour should be enough time not 90.minutes.