Chicken and Rice Casserole, Creamy One-Pan Easy Recipe

A creamy chicken and rice casserole is a satisfying and cozy one-pan meal. This classic comfort food dinner uses simple ingredients, takes only minutes to prep for the oven, and everybody loves it.

I knew I had hit on a winning combination when David polished off every crumb and then said, “That tastes like seconds!”

Chicken and Rice Casserole is a simple and delicious blend of tender chunks of chicken cooked in a creamy, herbaceous sauce along with instant cook whole-grain brown rice and aromatics.

You’ll love how easily this wholesome one-pan wonder comes together and how your family rushes to the table to enjoy a tasty family dinner when my creamy rice and chicken bake is on the menu.

The Ingredients

• Butter
• Red Onion, minced
• Garlic, minced
• Chicken Breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• Instant Brown Rice
• Cream of Chicken
• Cream of Mushroom
• Cream of Celery
• Chicken Broth
• Dried Thyme Leaves
• optional garnishes: sprinkle of Cheddar and fresh thyme leaves

Possible Recipe Variations

There are as many ways to vary chicken and rice casserole as there are families who enjoy it.

Vegetables

Adding veggies to your chicken and rice makes this a great all-in-one meal that doesn’t even require a side dish. After removing the casserole from the oven, I often stir in frozen peas or chopped baby spinach. Then I garnish with a little grated Cheddar and thyme. Since the casserole rests about ten minutes before serving, the veggies heat through, and the cheese melts with no additional oven time.

For larger vegetable pieces like broccoli florets or cauliflower, use fresh or frozen and bake them right in the casserole. Keep in mind that some vegetables will add additional moisture to your chicken and rice casserole. If the casserole is fully baked and you need to reduce some of the liquid, remove the foil and give it an extra ten minutes or so in the oven.

Switch up the herbs to use your favorites. Both fresh and dried work beautifully, so capitalize on what you already have on hand. Italian seasoning blends, poultry seasoning, oregano, tarragon, marjoram, parsley, sage, bay leaf and rosemary are all excellent choices. Use your favorites.

Meat

Of course, you don’t have to use chicken. Turkey, leftover roast beef, pulled pork, rotisserie chicken or even lamb would also be scrumptious in the casserole. I would switch up the broth and cream soups accordingly.

My only caution would be to wait and stir pre-cooked meat into the casserole about halfway through the cooking time to prevent it from drying out and becoming tough. After stirring it in, be sure to cover the casserole tightly before returning it to the oven.

Cheese

I like to focus on making this satisfying casserole super creamy. I didn’t write the original recipe to be cheesy, but you certainly could. While I focus on Cheddar only as a garnish for the top, you could make your chicken and rice a cheesy dream by adding about 1 to 2 cups of freshly grated Cheddar, Swiss or Colby Jack Cheese stirred into the casserole before baking and/or sprinkled on the top during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.

There are lots of ways to make this recipe your own. Use my recipe as the base to create your own favorite family meal.

FAQs

Is instant brown rice as healthy as long-cook brown rice?

The short answer on nutrition is absolutely! Instant rice, both brown and white, is simply parboiled, meaning it’s been partially cooked, dried and packaged to prepare later. It has the same nutritional value as its long-cook counterpart.

Can I just use long-cooking brown rice in this recipe?

I don’t recommend the long cooked rice for this recipe. It changes the required liquid ratio to rice and will substantially increase the time you need to bake your rice and chicken casserole.

For complete details about why I almost always use instant rice and the research about its nutritional information, check out my post on how to cook brown rice perfectly every time.

How long will chicken and rice keep in the fridge?

Chicken and rice will keep in the fridge for up to four days. Place it in a container with an air-tight lid. Heat up the leftovers in the microwave for a warm and satisfying lunch. Leftovers never tasted so good!

Can I freeze creamy chicken and rice?

Yes. Chicken and rice casserole can be frozen after baking.

I never recommend freezing the casserole raw. The rice will absorb too much of the liquid and not bake up evenly later. And if the chicken has already been frozen and then thawed to cut it up, it is not safe to refreeze it raw.

The casserole can still be a great make-ahead dish, though. Simply bake it, cool it completely and then tightly seal it in its baking dish or smaller individual dishes that have air-tight seals. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the oven or microwave to serve it. A splash of milk or heavy cream helps to regain that creamy consistency after reheating.

Chicken and rice, like all casseroles, should always reach an internal temperature of 165° before serving. So rather than giving a specific amount of reheating time, I prefer that you cook to that safe internal temperature.

Tightly covering the dish with an oven-proof lid or with foil will help the casserole stay creamy and not dry out as it reheats.

Can I make creamy chicken and rice gluten-free?

Sure. The only adjustment needed would be to grab gluten-free cream soups instead of the standard varieties. Most grocery stores carry them, now, right there on the soup shelf. You can also try making your own gluten-free cream soups like these over at Iowa Girl Eats.

The recipe is so easy and takes so little time to prepare that it doesn’t require many “special tips”. That’s really all I have for you, this time.

How to Make Chicken and Rice

1. Preheat the oven to 375° and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Mince the onions and garlic and then toss them in the prepared baking dish with the butter. Place the pan of butter and veggies in the oven for the butter to melt while you get the other ingredients together.
3. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces (no bigger than 1″ x 1″).
4. Remove the pan from the oven onto a cooling rack.
5. Stir the melted butter, onions and garlic together.
6. Add the chicken, rice, thyme, soups and chicken broth to the pan and stir to thoroughly combine all the ingredients.

7. Tightly seal the dish with foil or a tight-fitting oven-proof lid made for the baking pan and bake your casserole for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the internal temperature has reached 165°.

Chicken and Rice Casserole is affordable, delicious comfort food that you’ll enjoy serving because it’s also simple to make and comes together in one pan, making clean-up a breeze. Your family is going to love the flavor and will ask for this satisfying meal over and over again. I’m excited for you to give it a try! Here’s the recipe.

The Recipe