Description
Whip up some creamy chicken and rice casserole when your family craves a comforting dinner that comes together in just one pan. Packed with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and a rich sauce, this recipe delivers a satisfying meal that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
Grains and Base:
- 2 cups long grain white rice
Flavor and Moisture Enhancers:
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup butter
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and generously coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
- Finely chop 1 medium onion and mince 2 cloves of garlic into tiny pieces.
- Melt ½ cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions until they turn soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cut 2 lbs of chicken breasts into 1-inch uniform cubes for even cooking.
- Add the chicken cubes to the skillet and cook until they’re lightly golden on all sides, around 5-6 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup sour cream, and 1 cup chicken broth until smooth.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, and ½ tsp dried thyme into the soup mixture, stirring to combine.
- Spread 2 cups of uncooked long grain white rice evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Layer the browned chicken and onion mixture directly over the rice.
- Pour the entire soup mixture evenly across the chicken and rice.
- Scatter 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole.
- Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to trap moisture.
- Bake for 45 minutes with the foil cover intact, keeping the temperature steady at 375°F.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 more minutes until the cheese turns golden and bubbly.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes, which helps the dish set and makes serving easier.
- Chop ¼ cup fresh parsley and sprinkle over the top as a bright, fresh garnish.
Notes
- Use long-grain white rice for the best texture and prevent mushiness in your casserole.
- Check chicken temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches 165°F for safe cooking.
- For a lighter version, swap full-fat cream soups with low-fat or reduced-sodium alternatives and use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Customize the dish by adding frozen mixed vegetables like peas and carrots directly into the rice layer for extra nutrition and color.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 470 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg