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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:
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!