Description
Chicken alfredo rice casserole brings pure comfort straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Creamy pasta meets tender chicken and fluffy rice in one satisfying dish that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups cooked chicken
- 1.5 cups parmesan cheese
- 1 cup instant rice
- ½ cup frozen peas
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 cup double cream
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Topping Ingredients:
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to a cozy 350°F and lightly coat an 8×6-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour 1½ cups double cream and simmer gently for exactly 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Whisk 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan into the cream. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon dried parsley. Stir until the cheese melts completely.
- Fold 1½ cups shredded chicken, 1½ cups instant rice, and ½ cup frozen peas into the Alfredo sauce. Season with salt to your taste.
- Transfer the creamy mixture into your prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Mix ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumb mixture over the casserole, creating a uniform golden topping.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes until the casserole bubbles and the breadcrumbs turn a beautiful golden brown.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes, letting the flavors settle before serving.
Notes
- Toast the panko breadcrumbs in a dry skillet before adding to the topping for extra crunch and deeper flavor.
- Swap instant rice with leftover cooked rice or quinoa to make the dish more nutritious and reduce prep time.
- For a lower-carb version, replace rice with cauliflower rice and use a lighter cream alternative like half-and-half.
- When choosing chicken, rotisserie chicken works perfectly and saves time during meal preparation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 430 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg