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Chicken Rice Casserole is a family favorite meal. Made of chicken and rice and cooked in a tender, comforting casserole. A favorite one dish dinner recipe!
Looking for more cozy dinner ideas? I think you’ll love my Chicken Noodle Soup, Pot Roast Recipe, and Easy Lasagna.
Growing up, there were certain dishes that we could depend on having in the way of comfort food: chicken and dumplings when it was cold or rainy, chicken soup when we didn’t feel well, and chicken and rice casserole to carry to friends and neighbors when they needed a meal to celebrate the birth of a child or mourn the loss of a loved one and everything in between, it seems.
It is a comfort food classic in my family and most likely in many others.
There are so many variations of this casserole dish, probably every family has their version, and then changes within the family as well. For my family, this flavorful version always hit the spot!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Cozy, comforting meal. This is a wonderful one dish recipe when you need a cozy, comforting dinner idea.
- Easy recipe. It uses simple ingredients that are easily combined and baked in a baking dish for a one dish meal.
- Versatile. You can easily substitute or omit ingredients you don’t care for and include those that you do! I provide plenty of options!
Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
How to Make Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
You will need a few simple ingredients to make this chicken rice casserole. I’ve included substitutions and variations as well.
- chicken – you will need 2 cups of shredded chicken for this recipe. I like to use the shredded chicken recipe I’ve shared previously. You can also use my Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken recipe or pick up a rotisserie chicken in the grocery store.
- rice – you’ll need 2 cups of cooked rice. You can use cooked white rice or brown rice.
- cream of chicken soup – you will need 2 cups of cream of chicken soup. You can also use canned soup if you prefer. You can use all cream of chicken or a combination of cream of chicken and cream of celery.
- onion – (optional) if used, you’ll use ½ cup diced onion.
- celery – (optional) if used, you’ll use ½ cup diced celery.
- mayonnaise – you can also use Greek yogurt.
- seasoning – you’ll need ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. If you enjoy the added flavor of garlic, you can substitute the salt and pepper called for in the recipe with 1 teaspoon of Stone House Seasoning.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep. Preheat the oven to 425º F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or lightly coat it with butter or olive oil. Set aside.
Combine chicken rice casserole ingredients. Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined.
Pour into baking dish. Spread the chicken rice casserole mixture into a prepared baking dish.
Bake. Bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is heated throughout and lightly browned.
Serve. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole – Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese to the casserole mixture before baking.
- Mushroom Chicken Rice Casserole – Add ½ cup chopped mushrooms to the casserole mixture before baking.
- Original Chicken Rice Casserole – see the recipe notes for the original casserole recipe using uncooked rice and sauteed celery and onion.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
To make ahead. Prepare the chicken rice casserole without baking. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To serve, allow the casserole to sit out on the counter as the oven preheats. Adjust the baking time to make sure that the casserole has heated throughout.
To store leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze. Prepare the chicken rice casserole without baking. Cover tightly with plastic wrap followed by foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then follow the baking instructions in the recipe. The baking time may need to be extended by up to 10 minutes to heat the casserole throughout.
Here’s my Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family always does!
Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken about 2 cooked chicken breasts
- 2 cups cooked white rice or cooked brown rice
- 2 cups homemade cream of chicken soup (optional) or 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup and 1 can condensed cream of celery soup
- 1/2 cup diced onions (optional)
- 1/2 cup diced celery (optional)
- 1 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F. Spray 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until casserole is lightly browned.
Notes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
½ medium onion, diced
4 stalks of celery, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 recipe homemade cream of chicken soup
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper Instructions:
– Preheat oven to 425º F. Spray 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
– Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add onion, celery, and garlic and saute until onion is tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add to chicken, cream of chicken soup, chicken stock, rice, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and over with foil.
– Bake covered for 30-35 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until lightly browned.
Nutritional Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Hi, referencing your answer to the person who asked if you could sub brown rice for white, you said it would need to bake a lot longer; but since the recipe starts off with cooked rice, why would the casserole need to bake longer? Wondering what I am missing? Thanks!
Connie, the original recipe used uncooked rice which is also included in this recipe Notes. There should be no difference in the baking time if using cooked brown rice or cooked white rice. However, there would definitely be a time difference if using uncooked rice.
I am a novice cook. I am making the main recipe using cooked rice. Do I prepare the canned condensed soup with water before adding? Or do I just use the 10.5 oz condensed soup right out of the cans?
“2 cups homemade cream of chicken soup optional or 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup and 1 can condensed cream of celery soup”
Jay, you have the option of using my recipe for Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup or you can use one can of condensed cream of chicken soup AND one can of condensed cream of celery soup right out of the can. Hope you enjoy the casserole.
I want to make this ahead of time and freeze. Would I need to cook the rice in this instance? Would I pre cook before I freeze?
Tina, I would make mix this recipe according to the one using cooked rice and not the original recipe in the Notes section. You can simply combine everything, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days in advance of baking or cover tightly in freezer-safe paper for longer storage in the freezer. I recommend allowing it to come to room temperature before baking or adjusting the length of baking time. Hope this helps.
Easy and good!
Thanks, Donna!
This recipe was just what I was looking for, to use leftover roasted chicken and leftover white rice. I made your homemade cream of chicken soup for the recipe and my husband and I loved it. Only thing I did was add some cheddar cheese, delicious. Thank you for a wonderful recipe, I look forward to seeing more of your recipes.
I made this recipe & found it delicious. I used the abbreviated/newer recipe, not the original one. I did find it confusing having the two recipes together. Perhaps you could add the original recipe ingredients & instructions as a link if anyone chooses to make that instead. This ‘new’ version is fairly simple & was easy to follow. I used cooked rice (brown) & followed the instructions provided for the rice. It was very delicious.
I’m glad you liked the chicken and rice casserole recipe, Janice. Many people still like the original recipe and wanted it available. Since the original recipe with ingredients and instructions are all written in the Notes section separate from the newer version, I wouldn’t think that should cause confusion.
New family favorite! Easy and yummy. thanks.
Thanks, Nancy. So glad your family likes this casserole.