Easy Chicken Casserole

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Easy Chicken Casserole lives up to its name; easy to make, easy to eat and easy to clean up! Perfect dinner for busy weeknights when nothing but “easy” will do.

Spoon resting in baking dish of easy chicken casserole.

An Easy Chicken Dinner

Every family has a go-to chicken casserole, and this is mine! Just layer uncooked chicken, uncooked instant rice, condensed soups, and butter into one pan, then cover and bake. The rice cooks right into the creamy sauce and the chicken is tender and juicy. It’s a true dump-and-bake dinner with almost no prep.

I have used this recipe for the past twenty-five years as a simple weeknight meal. My family loves it and it works great during the school year when we are juggling homework, sports, church activities, and chores. The delicious taste and ease of the meal keeps it on the menu.

❤️ Echo

Ingredients

Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Cut into uniform bite-size pieces.
Instant white rice – I use Minute Rice.
Condensed soups – Cream of Chicken, Cream of Celery, Cream of Mushroom, French Onion. The French Onion soup adds a deeper savory flavor to the cream soups.
Butter – Melted and drizzled over the chicken and rice.

No Precooked Chicken or Rice Required

This is the beauty of this casserole – nothing has to be precooked! It is a dump-and-bake casserole. It’s so easy to make, I don’t recommend making it ahead or freezing it for later. The rice will start to soften in the soups and it will throw off the cooking time. The cream soups also don’t freeze well.

Using instant rice is essential in this recipe. Don’t substitute for another type of rice or it won’t cook evenly with the chicken.

Substitutes for Canned Soups

Spoon resting in a jar of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup. — Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute in a bowl — Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

If you’re not keen on using condensed soups in a recipe, we have created two delicious homemade versions of Cream of Chicken and Cream of Mushroom Soups. They’re super easy to make, and taste much richer and fresher and have way less sodium than canned brands. For the other canned soups called for, you can opt for low sodium options, which still taste delicious.

Step by Step Instructions

Baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Coat a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. For easier clean-up, line the pan with foil and spray the foil.

Glass mixing bowl of soup mixture with a whisk on the side.

Whisk the soups together with water in a mixing bowl.

Baking dish with soup mixture in the bottom.

Pour half of the soup mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Baking dish with mini white rice over soup mixture.

Layer the rice evenly over the soup.

Baking dish with soup mixture topped with rice and large pieces of chicken breast.

Distribute cut chicken over the rice evenly and in a single layer.

Pouring butter on top of chicken breast pieces in a baking dish over rice and soup mix.

Drizzle melted butter over the chicken and rice.

Baking dish with soup mixture on top of chicken pieces, rice and bottom soup mixture.

Pour the remaining soup mixture over the chicken, rice, and butter.

Covering chicken casserole baking dish with aluminum foil.

Cover the casserole with foil sealing the edges tightly. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Don’t peek while baking.

Stirring easy chicken casserole in a baking dish with a wooden spoon.

Remove the foil and using a wooden spoon, gently stir the casserole.

Sprinkle with parsley as a garnish. Optionally add salt and pepper as desired.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use cooked chicken?

I don’t recommend using cooked chicken as it will toughen and dry out. This recipe was designed for the chicken to cook at the same pace as the rice so it is tender and juicy.

How long does chicken casserole last in the refrigerator?

Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3 days.

Can I substitute regular white rice or brown rice?

No, this recipe works best with instant rice. It cooks to perfection along with the chicken and absorbs the flavors of the soups beautifully. It surprisingly doesn’t have the taste or consistency of instant rice in the casserole.

Why is my rice crunchy?

The rice can be crunchy if it isn’t fully mixed in with the soups. It needs to absorb the moisture. It can also be crunchy if it hasn’t cooked for the full time or if the foil wasn’t sealed tightly enough to trap the steam as it cooks.

Easy chicken casserole on a plate with parsley.

What to Serve with Easy Chicken Casserole

I always serve this casserole with a side vegetable and a large green salad to keep the overall meal on the healthier side. Try a few of these delicious side dish recipes that pair perfectly with this casserole:

Caprese Salad

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Sweet Sautéed Asparagus

Grilled Corn Salad