Creamy chicken rice casserole bakes raw rice and cubed chicken breasts together in one 9×13 dish: the rice cooks in a sauce of chicken broth, cream of celery soup, melted butter and garlic powder, then cheddar melts over the top. It takes 15 minutes to put together and serves 6.
How to make it: Whisk the broth, soup and butter, stir in the uncooked rice, chicken and seasoning, and spread it in a greased 9×13 dish. Bake covered at 350°F for 70 minutes, then add the cheddar and bake 10 minutes more, until the center reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- No precooking: the rice and the chicken both go in raw.
- One dish: mix it in a bowl, bake it in the pan.
- Creamy, cheesy and mild: a dinner the whole table eats.
- Easy to change: add vegetables, swap the soup or the cheese.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts: 2 boneless, skinless breasts, cut into cubes so they cook evenly with the rice.
Uncooked white rice: 2 cups of long-grain white rice. Don’t use instant or brown rice here; they need different liquid and times.
Chicken broth: 3 cups, the liquid the rice cooks in.
Cream of celery soup: two 10.5-ounce cans. Cream of chicken or cream of mushroom work too.
Butter and garlic powder: 1/4 cup melted butter and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
Cheddar: 1 cup grated, added for the last 10 minutes.
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Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 2 cups uncooked white rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans cream of celery soup (10.5 ounces each)
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Creamy Chicken Rice Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or a thin layer of butter to prevent sticking.
2. Make the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups chicken broth, 2 cans of cream of celery soup, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Whisk together until smooth.
3. Add the rice and chicken. Add 2 cups of uncooked white rice and 2 cubed chicken breasts to the sauce mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Stir until everything is well coated.
4. Fill the dish. Pour the chicken and rice mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to trap moisture.
5. Bake covered. Place the covered baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 70 minutes. After 70 minutes, remove the foil. The rice should be tender, and the chicken should be cooked through.
6. Add the cheese. Sprinkle 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese evenly over the casserole. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts and the center of the casserole reaches 165°F.
7. Rest and serve. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes to set. Serve warm with a green salad or steamed vegetables.
The Rice-to-Liquid Ratio
Two cups of raw white rice cook in about 3 cups of broth plus the two cans of soup. That is enough liquid to soften the rice without leaving the casserole soupy. If you double the recipe, use two dishes rather than one deep one, so the rice cooks evenly.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Crunchy rice: keep the foil tight for the full 70 minutes; escaping steam leaves the rice hard.
- Uneven chicken: cut the breasts into even cubes so every piece cooks through.
- Rice in clumps: stir well before baking and spread it in an even layer.
- Peeking too early: lifting the foil lets the steam out. Check once, at 70 minutes.
- Skipping the thermometer: the center should read 165°F.
Variations
- Different soup: one can of cream of chicken and one of cream of mushroom in place of celery.
- Add vegetables: stir in frozen peas, broccoli florets or a handful of spinach with the rice.
- Crunchy topping: crushed potato chips or buttery crackers over the cheese for the last 10 minutes.
- Other cheese: Colby Jack, Swiss or mozzarella.
- Leftover chicken: stir in diced cooked chicken; it only needs to heat through with the rice.
Another creamy chicken casserole is Chicken and Dressing Casserole, which serves 6.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Leftovers are safe frozen for 3 to 4 months, but cream sauces can separate after thawing, so the texture may change. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Rice dries out as it sits, so add a splash of broth, cover and reheat in the microwave or oven until it reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
A green salad or steamed green beans, broccoli or carrots balance the creamy rice.
More chicken and rice bakes: broccoli rice cheese and chicken casserole, one pot cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole and teriyaki chicken and rice casserole. Other creamy chicken casseroles: Swiss chicken casserole, million dollar chicken casserole and Ritz cracker chicken casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put uncooked rice in a casserole?
Yes. It cooks in the broth and soup under foil; this recipe uses 2 cups raw white rice with 3 cups of broth and 2 cans of soup.
Why is my rice still crunchy?
Usually the foil wasn’t tight or the dish was uncovered too soon. Cover it well and bake the full 70 minutes before adding the cheese.
Can I use instant or brown rice?
Not in this recipe. They need different amounts of liquid and different bake times.
Can I use cream of chicken soup?
Yes. Cream of chicken or cream of mushroom can replace one or both cans of cream of celery.
What are some common mistakes with chicken rice casserole?
Loose foil, uneven chicken pieces and peeking before the rice is done.
How do I know it’s done?
The rice is tender, the cheese has melted and the center reads 165°F.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Keep the foil tight, give it the full bake and add the cheese at the end. If you try it with broccoli or a cracker topping, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Creamy Chicken Rice Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 2 cups uncooked white rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans cream of celery soup 10.5 ounces each
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- to taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or a thin layer of butter to prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups chicken broth, 2 cans of cream of celery soup, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Whisk together until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of uncooked white rice and 2 cubed chicken breasts to the sauce mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Stir until everything is well coated.
- Pour the chicken and rice mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to trap moisture.
- Place the covered baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 70 minutes. After 70 minutes, remove the foil. The rice should be tender, and the chicken should be cooked through.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese evenly over the casserole. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts and the center of the casserole reaches 165°F.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes to set. Serve warm with a green salad or steamed vegetables.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
