Chicken and Rice Casserole bakes up bubbly and golden—layered, hearty, and perfect for potlucks, Sundays, and easy leftovers.
A Golden, Cheesy Chicken-and-Rice Bake
Comforting, hands-off, and crowd-pleasing—the kind of casserole that browns on top, stays creamy beneath, and makes leftovers a joy to reheat.
This casserole answers the common kitchen question: what do I make when I want something hearty, low-fuss, and good for a crowd? Tender pieces of seared chicken nestle into uncooked long-grain rice and a creamy mix of condensed soup, milk, and chicken broth; during the bake the rice swells and the sauce turns silky, studded with sweet peas and carrots. When it comes out of the oven it’s bubbling at the edges and flecked with melted sharp cheddar.
What makes it sing is the contrast of textures and straightforward flavor boosts. Browning the chicken first adds a little savory depth; using uncooked rice means you add everything to one dish and let the oven do the work. A final scatter of shredded cheddar and a buttery panko topping goes on for the last 10–15 minutes so you get a crunchy, golden finish that plays beautifully against the casserole’s creamy interior.
It’s a perfect make-ahead meal: assemble the casserole a day ahead and refrigerate, or freeze portions for longer-term meal prep. Bake from chilled until the rice is tender and the center is hot; individual servings reheat well in the microwave or oven. Swap the frozen veg for broccoli or roasted red pepper, use a different sharp cheese, or add a pinch more thyme for a brighter herb note.
Serve it for a cozy Sunday dinner, bring it to a potluck, or portion it into lunches—the recipe stretches to feed six and improves on day two, when flavors have had a chance to settle. Simple, forgiving, and very satisfying.
Ingredients
How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a little olive oil or nonstick spray.
- Trim and cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and cook until no pink remains (6–8 minutes). Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more, then add the frozen peas and carrots and cook another 1–2 minutes until mostly thawed.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, whole milk, dried thyme, remaining salt and pepper until smooth. Stir in the uncooked rice, cooked chicken, the cooked onion/garlic/vegetable mixture, and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar until evenly combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the top. In a small bowl melt the butter and mix it with the panko breadcrumbs; sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cheese layer.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until the rice is tender, the casserole is bubbling, and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve family-style.
Recipe Card
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Chicken and Rice Casserole bakes up bubbly and golden—layered, hearty, and perfect for potlucks, Sundays, and easy leftovers.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a little olive oil or nonstick spray.
- Trim and cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and cook until no pink remains (6–8 minutes). Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more, then add the frozen peas and carrots and cook another 1–2 minutes until mostly thawed.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, whole milk, dried thyme, remaining salt and pepper until smooth. Stir in the uncooked rice, cooked chicken, the cooked onion/garlic/vegetable mixture, and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar until evenly combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the top. In a small bowl melt the butter and mix it with the panko breadcrumbs; sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cheese layer.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until the rice is tender, the casserole is bubbling, and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve family-style.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 55
- Saturated Fat
- 8.5
- Sodium
- 780
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 12
- Protein
- 48
- Fat
- 20
- Cholesterol
- 120
- Trans Fat
- 0.2
- Calories
- 620
- Sugar
- 3.5