Description
Mamaws chicken and rice casserole brings comfort straight from Grandma’s kitchen, with tender chicken and creamy rice that feels like a warm hug from home. Hearty ingredients and simple Southern charm make this classic dish perfect for family dinners that create lasting memories.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb cooked chicken breast or thighs, shredded
Base Components:
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup chicken broth
Seasonings and Topping:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers or buttered breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Warm your oven to precisely 350°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage.
- Grab a large mixing bowl and combine 1 lb shredded chicken, 2 cups cooked rice, entire cans of cream of chicken and mushroom soups, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly until the mixture looks consistent.
- Transfer the entire chicken and rice blend into the greased baking dish, spreading it smoothly and evenly across the surface.
- Distribute 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese uniformly over the casserole’s surface.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter and mix with 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers until the crumbs look evenly coated.
- Scatter the buttered cracker crumbs directly over the cheese layer, creating a complete coverage.
- Slide the casserole into the 350°F oven and bake uncovered for exactly 35 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the edges bubble vigorously.
- Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes, which helps the dish settle and makes serving easier.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for a quicker and more flavorful base that saves prep time.
- Swap regular rice with cauliflower rice to make the dish lower-carb and gluten-friendly.
- Choose low-sodium cream soups if watching salt intake, which helps control the overall sodium content.
- For extra crunch, mix panko breadcrumbs with the crackers when creating the topping for a more textured finish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 46181
- Calories: 154 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 289 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 32 mg