Valentina Ablaev
This chicken and rice casserole is the best oven-baked, creamy casserole! Every bite offers a variety of tender veggies, juicy chicken, and best of all, fluffy, creamy rice. This cheesy chicken and rice casserole will please even the pickiest of eaters and is sure to become a family favorite!
Comfort Food for Days
As soon as fall begins, I’m ready for hearty soups and cheesy casseroles! Anything from a cheesy mac and cheese casserole to a cheesy loaded baked potato casserole, you really can’t go wrong with a comfort meal on a chilly fall day.
Ingredients for Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
The perfect weeknight meal needs just a few simple ingredients:
- Rice – We use long-grain rice in this casserole. You can also use jasmine rice, basmati rice, or short-grain white rice.
- Chicken – Skinless chicken breasts make the perfect protein in this casserole.
- Cheese – We add Parmesan cheese to make a flavorful and cheesy entree.
- Chicken broth – Though many people cook rice in water, we like to cook ours in chicken broth to make for an extra flavorful dish.
- Cream – Heavy whipping cream makes this dish extra rich and creamy, a must for a cheesy chicken casserole.
- Seasoning – We use garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and ground black pepper to enhance the flavors and complement the dish.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Tools for this Recipe
Shop all of Valentina’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and kitchen must-haves!
- We use a 9×13” baking dish for this casserole because it fits 2 cups of rice perfectly!
- Our everyday skillet is the best way to saute the onions.
Creamy Chicken Casserole Variations
- Extra protein: Bulk up this casserole dish with crisp bacon bits for a great flavor profile.
- Veg it up: Bulk up this casserole with extra vegetables, like broccoli, green beans, red bell pepper, and zucchini!
- Add a kick of spice: Bring the heat with a touch of red pepper flakes.
- Make it pasta: Swap the rice out for orzo to make this a creamy pasta!
How to Make Homemade Chicken and Rice
- Cook veggies. Sauté onions in a skillet with oil. Once onions are tender, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
2. Make sauce. In a glass bowl, combine broth, cream, flour, and seasoning.
3. Combine. To a baking dish, add the onions, washed rice, chicken breast, cheese, butter, and mix.
4. Bake. Pour the liquid over the rice, cover the baking dish with foil, and bake at 400°F for 40-50 minutes.
Other Cooking Methods
Though we love to bake the rice, here are a few other ways to prepare this classic casserole:
Dutch oven
Our dutch oven cheesy casserole recipe is the easiest way to make this dish in a pot!
Slow cooker
Make this casserole a slow cooker recipe! Start the dish in the morning and let it cook all day!
1. Sauté the onions in a skillet.
2. To the crockpot, add all of the ingredients along with the onions.
3. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is nice and fluffy.
Expert Tips:
- Rotisserie chicken: Make the cooking process even easier by using leftover rotisserie chicken in this casserole dish. Add shredded chicken to the casserole and cook!
- Cheese it up: Garnish the casserole with freshly shredded parmesan to make for a flavorful and cheesy result.
Store & Reheat Leftover Casserole
- Storage. The easiest way to store leftovers is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm up leftover casserole in a pan with a lid until reheated. If the rice is slightly dry, add a splash of cream and freshly shredded parmesan cheese.
- Freeze. We don’t recommend freezing creamy casserole, as the rice will overcook and become mushy.
More Casserole Recipes
If you enjoyed this chicken and rice recipe, be sure to try our other comfort meal recipes; here are some of our favorites:
Grains and Pasta- Entree
If you tried this cheesy chicken and rice casserole recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cups long-grain white rice rinsed well
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into ½-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons butter cubed
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish.
- Add the oil and onion to a large skillet. Cook over medium/low heat until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Thoroughly rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear.
- Add the sauteed onion, uncooked rice, uncooked chicken, and parmesan cheese to the baking dish.
- In a bowl, combine the broth, cream, flour, and seasonings. Pour over the rice and chicken, stir to combine. Top with cubed butter.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes, until rice is tender. Gently fluff rice.
- Serve and enjoy, friends.
Notes
- Get creative with the flavors by adding extra veggies, red pepper flakes, or even bacon bits.
- Swap out chicken breast with chicken thighs for a juicier result.
- Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in a pan or the microwave.
Nutrition
FAQ’s
Yes, when oven-baking the rice, it cooks completely.
Yes, you can swap chicken breast out for chicken thighs for a juicier result.
Yes, to ensure the rice cooks through, cover the dish with aluminum foil.
