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This Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole is one of those old-fashioned dinners I never get tired of. Tender chicken bakes right along with creamy rice, cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, and savory onion seasoning, all in one pan. There is no need to cook the chicken or rice first, which makes this such an easy dinner when you want something warm, filling, and family-friendly.
Table of Contents
- A Recipe Straight from My Heart 💕
- Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole Ingredients
- Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Tips for the Perfect Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Chicken Casserole Recipes
- Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
- What to Serve with this Casserole
A Recipe Straight from My Heart 💕
Today, I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite comfort food recipes: Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole. Whenever I make this Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole, I think of my Grandma Edwards. She used to make it every time we visited, and it was pure magic. Sitting around her kitchen table with my family, sharing laughter, and enjoying her cooking are memories I’ll treasure forever.
I think that’s part of why I still love this casserole so much. It’s simple, comforting, and made with ingredients I usually have on hand. Even better, the chicken and uncooked rice go straight into the baking dish, so there aren’t a bunch of pots and pans to wash afterward.
Over the years, I’ve also learned that a few little details really matter with this recipe. The chicken needs to be fairly thin, the rice needs plenty of liquid, and it needs the full baking time. Get those things right and you end up with tender chicken, creamy rice, and plenty of melted cheddar in every serving. It’s pure comfort in every bite, I know you are going to love it!
🩷 Echo
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are no more than about 1 inch thick so they cook through in the same amount of time as the rice.
- Rice – Regular uncooked long-grain white rice works best. I like using Jasmine rice because of the flavor and it’s usually what I have on hand. Don’t use Minute Rice because it cooks much too quickly for this casserole.
- Cheddar cheese – I like a good medium or sharp cheddar for plenty of cheesy flavor. Divide it so some cooks with the rice and the rest melts over the top.
- Cream of chicken soup – This gives the rice its creamy texture without having to make a separate sauce. You can also use one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of mushroom soup. I have also swapped out one of the cans of cream of chicken for a can of Campbell’s cheese soup and it’s delicious!
- Chicken broth – I like to heat up the chicken broth until it’s super hot, almost boiling before putting it over the casserole. I usually heat it in the microwave for a few minutes in a glass liquid measuring cup but you can also heat it over the stove.
- Onion soup mix – A packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix seasons the chicken and rice without needing a long list of seasonings.
- Salt and pepper – These add a little extra seasoning, but keep in mind that the soup, broth, and onion soup mix already contain salt.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to changing up the flavor, but I wouldn’t mess too much with the rice-to-liquid ratio.
- Chicken thighs – Boneless, skinless thighs can be used, but thicker thighs may need additional baking time. Always check that the chicken is completely cooked before serving.
- Cream soup – Cream of mushroom, cream of celery, or a can of cheddar cheese soup can replace one or both cans of cream of chicken soup.
- Homemade soup – If you don’t want to use canned soup, try our Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute or Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe!
- Cheese – Cheddar is my favorite, but Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or a cheddar blend will work too.
- Vegetables – Peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, or mushrooms are all good additions. If using mushrooms or another vegetable that gives off a lot of liquid, I like to sauté it first.
- Crunchy topping – One reader suggested toasted almonds over the rice, which I think would be SO good. You could also add a Ritz cracker crumble topping like our Poppy Seed Chicken casserole recipe.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Start with the uncooked rice, spreading it evenly across the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish (use cooking spray). Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and add 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
- Place chicken breasts evenly over cheese. Daub rounded teaspoons of cream of chicken soup over the chicken breasts and rice.
- Pour hot chicken broth evenly over the dish, making sure the rice gets fully saturated. Sprinkle onion soup mix evenly across the top.
- Bake, tightly covered with foil, at 375°F for about 1 hour, or until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Tips for the Perfect Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Don’t use thick chicken breasts. This is probably my biggest tip. If your chicken breasts are thicker than 1 inch, slice them horizontally, cut into smaller dices, or pound them thinner. We’ve had readers run into undercooked chicken when using very thick pieces.
- Make sure the rice gets wet. When you pour the water or broth into the pan, check for any dry patches of rice. Every grain needs access to that liquid in order to cook properly.
- Don’t use instant rice. Regular long-grain rice needs the full baking time. Minute Rice doesn’t and can become mushy.
- Give it more time if it needs it. Ovens, baking dishes, chicken thickness, and even brands of rice can affect cooking time. Check for tender rice and a chicken temperature of 165°F rather than relying only on the clock.
- Shred the chicken for kids. After baking, I sometimes shred the chicken right into the rice. It spreads the chicken throughout the casserole and makes it really easy for little kids to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The chicken goes into the casserole raw and cooks right along with the rice. Just make sure the chicken breasts aren’t too thick and check that they reach 165°F before serving.
No. Use uncooked long-grain white rice. It absorbs the broth, soup, and all those good flavors as the casserole bakes.
Usually the rice either didn’t get enough liquid, some of it stayed above the liquid, or it simply needs more time. Stir in a little more hot chicken broth, cover the pan with foil, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, checking until the rice is tender.
Yes, but watch the cooking time. Boneless thighs can be thicker and may take longer than chicken breasts. Check the thickest part with a thermometer and don’t serve them until they reach 165°F.
I don’t recommend cooked chicken for this particular version. The uncooked rice still needs close to an hour in the oven, which can dry out chicken that is already cooked.
More Chicken Casserole Recipes
There is a reason recipes like this Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole get passed around for generations. It isn’t fancy, and that’s exactly what I love about it. If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Leave a rating and comment below, especially if you try one of your own additions or substitutions. Be sure to take a pic and tag us on Instagram at @favoritefamilyrecipes 📸
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 6 pieces no thicker than ¾ to 1 inch
- 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice, such as Jasmine (not Minute Rice)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 3 cups chicken broth, heated until very hot, you can use low-sodium if you want to cut back on the saltiness
- 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Layer rice, 1 cup shredded cheese, salt, and pepper in pan.
- If your chicken breasts are thicker than 1", cut them in half lengthwise or pound them flat with a mallet so they cook thoroughly and evenly. Place chicken breasts on top. Daub rounded teaspoons of cream of chicken soup over the chicken breasts and rice.
- Slowly pour the hot chicken broth evenly over the casserole, making sure to pour around the edges and corners so all of the rice is moistened. Sprinkle the onion soup mix evenly over the top.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F. If the rice is still a little firm, cover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese over the top. Return to the oven uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use chicken breasts no thicker than ¾ to 1 inch so they cook through in the same amount of time as the rice.
- Use hot chicken broth and keep the casserole tightly covered while baking. The trapped steam helps the rice cook evenly.
- Make sure the broth reaches all the rice, especially around the edges and corners of the pan.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking so the rice can absorb any remaining liquid.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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What to Serve with this Casserole
I prefer to serve this Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole with cooked vegetables on the side in the winter months, and in the summer months, I serve it with a large garden salad. Try some of these delicious recipes that go perfectly with this casserole:
My mom was one of those that could cook without a recipe. I am the opposite. When I got older I asked for only one recipe from her and she told me, “a little of this, a little of that”. I tried and finally gave up trying to capture that childhood memory. THIS is so close or it could even be it but that was 60 years ago so….The next time I make it I’m going to add toasted almonds to the rice. I thought it would add the perfect crunch and flavor.
I LOVE the idea of adding toasted almonds, that would be delicious! I am so glad to hear you found a recipe so close to your mom’s! This is a super classic recipe so it could definitely be pretty close to the same one your mom used.
Made a few of these chicken,rice and soup casserole recipes, but this is the best one! The only thing that I did different was bake it at 400°. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, its a keeper!
I really liked this meal. Chicken was a little bland by itself, but I used a can of low sodium chicken broth (2 cups) and a cup of water to make up the 3 cups total… which I think was a good idea. I also added a can of corn (drained) on top the chicken and used 1 1/3 small bag of the shredded chedder. Turned out soo delicious! Rice and chicken was all cooked through- I used chicken tenders since they’re easier to cut toddler size bites, and I broiled on high just until the top layer of cheese was melty.
Now I just need to learn how to make this as a Low FODMAP meal without losing the flavor and be suited for my IBS diet.
I meant to add to my comment that I used good chicken broth instead of the water. YUM
I made this for a dinner party last night. It was DELICIOUS. I followed the recipe exactly but gave it 5-10 more minutes to bake. So very easy, I put it in the oven just before folks showed up and it was ready an hour later! YUM
I did this but with 1 can of cream of chicken and 1 can cream of mushroom (just what I had in my pantry already) and it turned out delicious! Toddler approved too
Do I cook the chicken breasts before putting them in the oven or not?
No, the chicken cooks with the casserole in the oven. Thanks for asking!
Can this be made in crock pot with shredded cooked chicken?
We haven’t tried that, but let us know how it turns out if you do!
I only have 1 can of the soup. Should I just use less rice and/or chicken? Also, I only have drumsticks available but planned on trying to use them in this recipe anyway.
We’ve only tested this recipe with the ingredients listed, so I can’t say how that will turn out.
I’ve been coming back to this recipe very often since I’ve found it! It’s delicious and really easy:)
also, i always dice up my chicken into pieces so it’s easier to mix and serve
i had to come back later and comment because we make this one a week. it’s a staple in our menu rotation because EVERYBODY loves it, including a 2yo and 6yo. i did make some alterations: 3 cups of chicken bone broth instead of water; 2 cups of cheese (1 in casserole, 1 under and on top of topping keep reading); 2 10.5oz cans of Campbell’s cheddar cheese soup instead of cream of chicken (also used cream of broccoli once and that was good too, kids weren’t fans though lol); always rinse the rice before use; use salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder as seasoning; and i use a crunchy topping: 2 sleeves of ritz crackers + 1 stick of unsalted butter. i put the casserole in for 45 minutes. when the timer goes off i leave it in the oven while prepping the topping. crush the crackers in a gallon ziploc bag. cut the butter into pieces and melt in the microwave. pour melted butter over the crackers and mix them up. take casserole out and mix very well. half a cup of cheese on the casserole, spread the topping over the top evenly, then sprinkle the remaining half cup of cheese on the topping. put back in for 20 minutes. it’s perfect every time
That sounds incredible!!!
I doubled the recipe (using 2 casserole dishes) after an hour cooking it’s very watery. I double checked recipe and I followed it exactly. Any one else have this problem?
When you cook two pans in the oven instead of one, sometimes they don’t heat as well. That could be the issue. Try cooking them one at a time if you can!
I used cheddar soup mix in this, since that’s all I had on hand.. was perfect! My husband loved it!
I made this recipe last week and it was great. I want to make it again but with linguine noodles. Can I cook it the same way with pasta? Thanks!
We haven’t tried cooking it with pasta before, so I’m not sure whether or not it will work.
Did anyone ever try to make this in the crockpot? How long and high or low?
My family loved this recipe! I added organic broccoli, used reduced sodium chicken broth instead of water, I also used 2 packets of onion soup mix.
That sounds amazing! I love how you made it your own. We will have to try it that way too.
Just made this casserole it was simple and easy to follow your directions I did add chicken broth instead of water and added a can of mushrooms to give it a little more texture and I used onion and mushroom Lipton soup mix. The family absolutely loves this and I will be making it again
This was delicious 😋 I used the vegetable Lipton soup package instead…it was absolutely wonderful!!!!
This turned out fantastic! Was cold here today so I thought I’d do this for husband even tho I’m not a casserole person.
I halved it, but it still needed the full hour for the rice. Brought it out at 45 min and added shaved parm. And didn’t have shredded cheddar so used slices of cheddar on bottom after rice. Used chic tenderloins and they were very tender. Definitely a keeper! The soup and onion soup mix make it when you want something easy.
I love this
If I were to cut this recipe in half, would the cooking time still be 1 hour? Thank you
The cooking time would still be close to an hour for the rice to fully cook. I would check it after 45-50 minutes and see if the rice is done.
This is in the oven right now and it smells amazing! I used frozen diced chicken breasts (that I mostly thawed), and I only had one can of cream of mushroom and a can french onion, so we’re going to use those. I mixed it all together in the pan (not on purpose initially, then I had to even it out) and we’ll see how it goes, but I’m very optimistic. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Right, so I have to be honest here and state that this is not the sort of meal I’d normally be making for myself since I don’t do rice so much nowadays. However, as I needed a special diet in preparation for a procedure I found this one via Google. Made using cream of mushroom soup, its actually pretty good. Now I’m wondering if there’s a way to adjust it to use vegetable rice
easy and delicious meal that everyone loves
Made this, and absolutely love love love it, made again tonight, I like to use a mixture of brown and white rices, parboiling the brown for about ten minutes before assembling the rest of the casserole 🤤
I just made a comment while this was in the oven, and when it was done after cooking another thirty minutes it was just about perfect….just a very few somewhat crunchy grains of rice. We all thought it was quite good, and I was pleased that the chicken wasn’t dried out….it was moist and husband said it was just how he liked it. I’ll make it again, and I’ll bake it for one and a half hours and either add a little more water in the beginning, or add a small amount halfway through cooking like I did tonight. A great recipe…glad I tried it!!
This was delicious and easy to make! I used chicken broth instead of water and added a little more cheese then recommended. I will definitely be making this again! Thank you for the recipe!
How many lbs. of chicken breasts would you use? The chicken breasts I buy are huge, often weighing 12 oz. or more, and six of them would be a LOT of chicken.
I’m not sure exactly how many pounds we use, but maybe try three of your chicken breasts cut in half?
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Yes!
If I added 2 more cups of rice how much longer should I leave in oven
I’m not sure since I haven’t tried it that way before. Make sure you add extra liquid as well!
I want to cook this today but don’t have any Lipton onion soup mix! Do you have suggestions for a substitute? Or can I just leave it out?
The onion soup mix flavors a lot of the dish so I would substitute some spices like onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and celery seed if you have it!
I know this comment was made a long time ago, but dried minced onion and beef Bullion cubes with a touch of paprika is a great substitute for the onion soup.
Heather, it may have been from a long time ago, but I am just now seeing it and scanning comments for a soup substitute. Thank you!!! Your answer was in great timing for me. Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, Holiday Season!
Hello, you can also use ranch seasoning or even Italian seasoning. I didn’t have have the onion seasoning on hand, and used hidden valley ranch for the seasoning.
I use Italian seasoning instead of soup mix!
Thanks for the recipe! My kids loved. I did not have any cream of chicken or mushroom soup, so I substituted sour cream and added a bit more chicken stock. Also used chicken tenderloins instead of breasts. Also added ranch mix. Very easy and made enough to fill up my teenage boys! Thanks again!
David
My family of 5 has been tired of my cooking during this quarantine. I wanted to make a casserole and my family loved this! I’m thrilled when they eat something and all agree it’s a make again dish. I think next time I’ll add broccoli florets to it. (I love casseroles with a green vegetable so I don’t have to make another pot dirty) Thanks for the recipe!
This has become a staple in our home. I’ve made a few small tweaks and the family loves it! After the layer of rice, cheese and salt and pepper, I go ahead and slowly pour 1 cup of the water mostly around the edges (seems to help keep the rice more moist at the end) and sprinkle about 1/3 of the onion soup mix. After adding the chicken breasts, I add a bit more salt and pepper to the top of them. I also mix in different cheeses with the cheddar depending on what I have on hand. Part of my regular rotation now. I usually make 2 pans so there are leftovers. 😀 Thank you!!
Going to try it this afternoon for dinner. Sounds easy and it is delicious. My grandmother used to make it.
I am cooking several casserole types of main dishes for my daughter in law and son in law. They have two small boys (the oldest is about to be 4) and my beautiful grand babies can eat like men! Crazy. I am very excited to make your grandmother’s recipe! I will have to modify one thing but when I get cream of chicken soup, I’m going to make it for me and my partner. The kids need a little help and this sounds like the perfect recipe. I am going to make a couple of portions so when they get home from work, all either of them has to do is pull one of the portioned meals out of the freezer, heat it and eat it!!
What would you recommend for the reheat, microwave or oven? If oven, should they add a little chicken broth or cream of soup to ensure it doesn’t dry out??
I will return after I have made it and rate it. I LOVE people who share family recipes! Thank you so much!!
One year for Thanksgiving, I located recipes people made between the dates of 1850-1899 for everything I made using. Very very difficult and a little stressful based on the fact that instead of a true measurement, their measuring system was a little different than modern techniques. The also used what was available to them, be it cost prohibitive items like refined sugar and white flour. They used molasses or brown sugar instead of the high priced refined sugar. They would use Rye flour, “Indian (corn) meal” with only a small amount of wheat flour for white flour or wheat flour. The fact that mildew rust on wheat flour caused most 19 Century Americans to all but abandon the wheat flour crop.
I am SOOO SORRY!! I have not idea how this became a history lecture of 19th Century recipes! Thank you again!!!
Penny
I LOVE hearing the history of anything to do with food. This is such a wonderful comment! We love getting personal stories and history stories like this, so thank you. That is so neat that you pulled off a Thanksgiving dinner from the 1800s! That is impressive!
To answer your question– you can totally microwave or use the oven to re-heat. I would do as you suggested and add a little chicken broth so the rice doesn’t dry out too much.
If you like family recipes you are totally in the right place 😀 I hope you have been able to browse around to find even more of our family’s favorites! We have over 1,000 of them on here with more being added each week. We hope you will keep coming back for more!
I made this tonight, as I didn’t have the energy to cook from scratch. Easy to put together and similar to a recipe that I used to use.
I used 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, didn’t add any extra salt, and I used jasmine rice (what I had on hand). I used 4 medium chicken breasts; 2 cut in to bite size and mixed into the casserole, and cut the other two in half and laid the pieces on top, and then added a bit of cheese all over.
I baked it at 375 degrees instead, for about an hour. When done, removed the big chicken pieces and gave it a stir to mix in the last bit of liquid. Turned out great.:)
Oh, I forgot to add that I mixed the soup, water, and dry mix together first before pouring over rice and cheese in the dish, and gave it a quick stir to ensure no dry spots of rice.
I am making this for Bunco tomorrow and the first recipe I found added French onions on top so that’s what I’m doing
The only things I did different was substitute salt for a pinch of kosher salt. I used one can of cream of chicken soup and a can of chicken and mushroom soup. And, while it cooked for the first hour, I would every so often stir the rice and liquids, and turned over the chicken so that everything would cook evenly. After an hour, everything was pretty much cooked through, but went ahead and stirred in the 1/2 cup water and let it cook for 5 more minutes. Came out great! Not too salty and rice fully cooked (Uncle Ben’s white rice). Next time I will probably add veggies! Great recipe!
Thanks so much for the nice comment! So glad you liked it!
Has anyone tried this in the crockpot? Wondering if that’s a possibility….
I made this after reading most of the comments.
I used a rotisserie chicken which I chopped up.
I rinsed my two cups of rice three times.
I used 2 cups water as the recipe says. I used cream of chicken and cream of celery soups (plus the rest of the ingredients as listed). I mixed all of it together in a bowl and poured it in the 9×13 pan. (I poured half, added grated cheese, and poured the rest.)
After an hour I stirred it and added more water (1/2 cup) as it was seeming to be dry. In about 20 minutes I checked it again , stirred, and added about another 1/2 cup water . And another 1/2 cup in about 20 more minutes.
I added a lot of cheese on top and cooked it about 20 more.
It was simply delicious!
It filled the pan all the way to the top (though didn’t boil over). So even a small serving is very filling. I feel like I could feed an entire football team! But I also read in the comments that it freezes well.
Will definitely be making this again and for sure when I need to feed a large group. It would provide a very inexpensive meal for a large group.
My husband loved it too!
Absolutely recommend!
Great idea using a rotisserie chicken. YUM!!!! Thanks for your comment!
I liked your idea of just mixing it all in a bowl and pouring it into the pan. I have it in the oven baking right now. Can’t wait for it to be done. Thank you for your comments.
I used minute rice and it turned out just fine for those who don’t have regular rice. The dish was really good.
Thank you! I was wondering as I only have minute rice!!
I am making this tonight. My plan is to mix everything together then place the chicken on top. Adding some veg as well.
I used taco seasoning instead of the onion soup mix (none on hand), pepper jack cheese, and added corn. Love it!
I’m definitely excited to try it again truly following the original recipe.
Great recipe, thank you for sharing it.
I used to make a chicken and rice casserole but had not made it in along time. Did this one last night for 2 with leftovers tonight–1/2 recipe using a package of Earthly Grains long grain and wild rice (equals 1 cup of rice), 1/2 cup of cheese, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 pkg onion soup mix and about 1 cup of water and 2 lg chicken breasts. It was very tasty. Husband approved.
I tried this tonight. Its really good!!! The I next time I make it, I think I will mix the soup with the rice, pepper (I would omit the salt if you use the Lipton Soup Mix) together I think you will get better rice consistency. I added some diced onion and celery to the top layer of the rice when I made it tonight. This recipe is wonderful. I also covered it with foil for about an hour of the cooking. I still got some pockets of hard rice under the chicken. Next time I think I might cut up the chicken and try it that way. I will definitely make this again. Great winter comfort food!
Hi this delicious iam going to make this I have never seen Lipton onion soup mix before what could I use in place of the onion mix could i use French onion mix instead.
Yes, you could use a French Onion dry mix. You could also use a combination of dried onion and onion powder. You will want to use 1/4 cup, which is the amount in one packet of Lipton soup mix. Thank you for asking!
can you use already cooked rice???
We haven’t tried it with cooked rice but I don’t see why not– you may just want to reduce the liquid if you try it. The rice will already be soft and won’t need the extra moisture
Do you think I could use frozen chicken?
You probably could– you will just want to cook it longer– the problem with that is that your rice may get a little dry. Ideally you will want to thaw the chicken first and then cook it.
My Husband made this and he followed the recipe exactly. Next time I would have mixed the onion soup mix and chicken soup right into the rice as the onion soup was very salty on top and did not dissolve and the rice was white. I am an experienced cook so he did not think to do this. No need to add xtra salt, peas or corn would b good for colour.
My mom used to make a recipe like this and she added half orange juice and half water. It was so good. I’m going to try this on Sunday for a potluck at church. I’ll let you know how it comes out. Thanks for the recipe as I had lost my mom’s.
Can this be cooked in the crock pot??? How long would it take???
We haven’t made it in the crock pot before but I am sure it could be done! If you try it out, let us know!
Followed the recipe to the tee… It is in the oven now! I can’t wait to try it!!!
I really want to make this for dinner tonight! Would this work in the crockpot? Have you tried that cooking method??
OH my! My boyfriend wanted chicken and rice of some sort so I started my google journey, trying to find the casserole that would best suite his taste (like a child). I made this recipe subbing 3 c of water with 2c of chicken stock and 1c of water.
I cut the chicken breasts in half and then half again to get tenderloin size pieces.
When I checked the casserole at 53 mins (I was impatient…) I added 1 more cup of water evenly distributed around the casserole and I added an additional cup and a half of cheese… I threw it back in the oven for 37 more mins… and sweet baby jesus…
This casserole fed 6 adults (I served with salad and a veggie tray). I could have had more it was so tasty and worked out so well. Everyone was raving! Thanks for such an easy recipe. I bet people will be asking for me to make more of it!!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing your success and your substitutions!
Could I use chicken thighs or any other part of the chicken for this dish?
would love to make this tonight but do not have cream of anything soup. The weather is horrible don’t feel like making the trek to the store. Any suggestion?
Yes, here is a great homemade “cream of” recipe from our friend Mel, click here:
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-condensed-cream-of-chicken-soup-and-how-to-sub-in-recipes/
I made this tonight. Very good! Fed 3 adults and 2 children and had tons left over. I used 6 half breasts. 15 min before it was ready it still looked watery, but I let it go and added an extra 10 min and it was brown on top by then. Loved it. I will also leave out some salt next time because it has lots. Oh I had chopped spinach ready to go into it too and totally forgot. I think that would be a great healthy addition. We served brocolli with it instead.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing! This recipe reminds me of my Grandma, she made a similar dish when we would go to visit.
can you use minute rice? Will it still work?
We haven’t tried this with minute rice so I am not sure how it would turn out. If you try it, let us know!
I only have Beefy Onion Soup a Mix. Do you think that would be ok to use?
Yes, that will work great
Could I use cooked chicken?
Yes, you actually cook the chicken first anyway, that would just save you a step.
Hi Echo:
Do you think it would work with cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup? We are out of cream of chicken and its a trek to the grocery store. If you don’t recommend the substitution I’ll make it another time. Thanks
Yes! Either one of those “cream of” soups would work just fine. I use cream of chicken soup because my kids are picky about the mushrooms and celery. If that’s what you have on hand, save the trip to the store! Thanks for asking!
All I have is minute rice. There must be some way to substitute. Any ideas?
I have not tried this recipe with minute rice. I think it would work if you reduced the water in the recipe to 1 1/2 – 2 cups instead of 3. Keep an eye on the casserole as it cooks and add more water if necessary. Good luck!
I made this last night for my boyfriend and I and we both loved it. We both agreed that the only thing we would change about it that shredded chicken would be better rather than the whole chicken breasts. Wonderful dish!
So glad you liked it!
Does it matter if you use SHARP cheddar cheese?
You can definitely use sharp… or not… any cheese will work 🙂
Why do people comment when they haven’t even tried the recipe??? I do not find “reviews” helpful when they aren’t reviews! We all know when a recipe looks good. Do I find other people’s opinions of a recipe before they’ve even tried it helpful? Not at all!
I totally agree!
Would there be any way you could use hash browns
Instead of rice? Not a rice lover? Thanks for advice.
I don’t see why not? That actually sounds really good!
Would you recommend adding broccoli to it?
Yes, its great with broccoli!
My mom used to make this when we were growing up, only she tightly covered the casserole with foil before baking. Also, the addition of salt is unnecessary since the onion soup mix is already salty.
Just wondering if you don’t use Minute Rice what rice would you suggest?
Just the regular long-grain white rice…
What if all I have is minute rice ?
It will work with minute rice, you will just want to stir it in after the chicken has already been cooking for about 30 minutes. Thanks for asking!
Did anyone try using milk instead of water?
This looks delicious! Do have any advice on how I could go about adding zucchini and squash to this recipe? Or would you advise against it all together? I’m just trying to save time and not have to prepare veggies separately and any recipe I can find where zucchini and squash are included doesn’t look anywhere near as good as this does 🙂
I would just chop them up and add them in before you cook it, they will cook in the casserole. That actually sounds really yummy!
I’m sick. When I feel like this I want salt, a lot of salt. Taking advantage of a casserole for dinner is a perfect answer for the exhaustion from a cold. There isn’t an easier recipe for Chicken and Rice anywhere! It turned out perfect! There is quite a bit of left overs, because it is just two ofus eating. Recommend stirring before serving.
Made this tonight. Everyone enjoyed it! Thanks! I think next time I’ll mix the rice, seasonings, and soup together first though, there were too many patches of dry rice and then others of straight cream of chicken. Thanks for the easy and delicious dinner!!
I am preparing to cook this this evening. I know the hubby will love it! Thanks fo sharing it
Any chance anyone has tried freezing this? We love this recipe and I make it every other week or so. I wanted to make up a few dishes to throw in the freezer before baby arrives, but wasn’t sure.
Yes, I have frozen it! It worked out great.
I substituted organic brown Texmati rice, cream of mushroom soup and chicken broth for the water. I did add 1/2 cup broth after an hour in order to finish the rice and then cooked it for another 15 minutes. Delicious!
I tried this tonight, and it turned out wonderful! I did substitute a can of Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese soup for one of the Cream of Chicken, and didn’t add any of the cheese. Also added a can of Rotel!
Do you think it would tastes as good made with a ranch packet instead of the onion packet???
It is not going to taste the same, but give it a try and let us know how it turns out!
I was going to ask the same thing. I have an onion allergy, and sub ranch for onion soup mix when I can. I’ll try it and let you know. 🙂
This was really good.I made it easier and used a rotisserie chicken.Cooked the rice separate then added all the other ingredients ,including shredded chicken, in a casserole and baked with a panko bread topping.I did only use a little of the package of onion soup as the chicken already had seasonings.My family loved it.It’s also a winner at potlucks.
How much of the water did you use?
Does this rice cook all the way? I have a chicken/rice recipe that someone gave me that I tried a couple of times and my rice was never cooked all the way through. I would just like to know before I cook it.
It should cook all the way through. I have never made it and had the rice NOT cooked through. If you are worried about it, add more liquid and cooking time.
I mixed my liquids poured over rice and then laid chicken on top – make sure pan or casserole dish is large enough – need room for liquid and rice to cook
I just cooked this and it looked so good . I must say to make sure that you first put some liquid on the bottom of your dish because my rice did not cook at all
I’m just learning how to cook and I made this for my family tonight! My two kids under five LOVED it. I think I might skip the salt next time – the onion soup mix and crm of ckn seemed to have plenty of sodium…I don’t think the recipe would miss it! Thanks for the post!
Just wanted you to know I found this recipe on Pinterest, had the chicken thawed out so made it last night for dinner. My entire family loved it, even my son who hates rice, he had 2 servings! This is a new family favorite, fast, easy and loved by all. Thanks so much for sharing it!
i love your recipes but, i would love to know how many people it would feed. with a big family i usually need to know if i have to double or triple recipes
It makes 6 pretty good sized servings. It would be one full chicken breast half for each person.
Could I add chicken broth to it for moisture?
Yes, that would be the perfect thing to add if you want more moisture. Thanks for asking!
Have you ever added veggies to this? Broccoli, green beans or frozen peas?
We haven’t done that before but I don’t see why not if you think it is something you and your family would enjoy! If you try it, come back and let us know how it turns out 🙂
I make this for my family alot. I have a fanly of 7 and sometimes 9. I just cut the chicken breasts in half so you use 4 chicken breasts for 8 people and i use 2 cups of rice. It is usually PLENTY. Use a nice big pan for this dinner. ♡
Making this tonight! Thank you for posting. Looks good! I love your website!
I just put the chicken and rice in the oven. It seems like there is a lot of water in this recipe,, eg, 3 cups. Does it evaporate?
The rice actually absorbs the water. It makes the rice nice and fluffy. Be sure not to drain any of the water out or it will for sure get too dry. Hope this helps!
Can this be made in a instapot?
I’ve never used an instant pot for this recipe, but I’m sure you could! Let me know how it goes if you try it!
I used half chicken breasts tonight and all ingredients in this recipe are completely cooked. There is not the slightest bit of pink in the chicken. When you cook at that temp for that long everything is completely safe. Baking in an oven actually cooks the chicken more evenly than pan frying. That is how everyone used to do chicken unless they were deep frying it. 🙂
Thank you for your comment! I agree with you. I’ve never had a problem with the chicken cooking thoroughly.
Echo, I think if you mix the rice with the soup and whatever liquid you use it will cook more evenly. I had a few spots in the pan that the rice did not fully cook. I used chicken stock when I made mine and the taste is wonderful! I love this and will make it over and over and find new things to add!
Thank you, Toni! I have this on the menu for this week. I will try it this way and adjust the recipe. I appreciate you sharing this!
You could cut the chicken up into pieces if you’d like. As far as the excess sauce, it just the sauce that is on the top of the rice, you stir it into the rice.
I’ve always mixed my rice and soups together then the chicken and seasonings and cover with foil (much like the No Peek Chicken), and the rice is fluffy and the chicken moist. I then add the toppings and broil for 1-2 minutes.
Everyone’s oven is a little different, but it sounds like 375 would work for you if you make this again.
What would the time difference be if you used pre-cooked chicken? Thank you so excited to try this recipe I’ve been creaming it!!
Pre-cooked chicken would be tough because the rice still takes the full hour to cook so I would be worried that the chicken would become dry in that time.
Can I make it ahead of time and put in the fridge so I can bake it when I get home.
I have made similar versions of this and the ones that work are the ones that you cover with foil for an hour or hour + and then take out, sprinkle cheese and brown the top for another 10 or so minutes. I’m not sure how cooking this recipe would work without covering it with foil. I also usually take out and stir the rice a bit and cover with foil again near the end.
I definitely pounded my down and they were really done!