Description
Chicken and rice casserole delivers pure comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen to your dinner table. Hearty layers of tender chicken, fluffy rice, and rich sauce come together in one satisfying dish that makes family mealtime feel special.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Soup and Liquid Base:
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of chicken soup
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup milk
Seasonings and Topping:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
Instructions
- Warm your oven to precisely 350°F. Thoroughly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
- Combine 1 cup uncooked rice, two soup cans, 2 cups chicken broth, ½ cup milk, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until your mixture becomes completely smooth.
- Add 2 cups shredded chicken and 1 cup cheddar cheese to the mixture. Stir until every ingredient is perfectly distributed.
- Transfer the entire mixture into your prepared baking dish. Spread it evenly across the surface using a spatula.
- Sprinkle an additional ½ cup of cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter and mix with ½ cup panko breadcrumbs in a separate small bowl. Distribute this buttery crumb mixture across the cheese layer.
- Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F for exactly 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 more minutes. Your casserole is ready when the rice becomes tender and the top turns golden brown.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5-7 minutes before serving. This helps the dish set and makes cutting easier.
Notes
- Choose long-grain white rice for the best texture and consistent cooking in the casserole.
- When selecting chicken, rotisserie chicken works perfectly and saves precious preparation time.
- Make this dish gluten-free by substituting panko with gluten-free breadcrumbs and using cream-of-something soups specifically labeled gluten-free.
- For added nutrition, mix in frozen mixed vegetables like peas and carrots before baking to boost the dish’s vegetable content.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 365 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg