This chicken and rice casserole will surely hit your comfort button, especially when you’re having a less-than-amazing day. You can simply ease your worries about how your dinner should be, and instead, just enjoy a book or Ellen’s while on the wait.
A messy, one-pot, classic kind of comfort
And by messy, I mean really, really messy.
This chicken and rice casserole is like a complex but nice and warm combination. Look, it’s one-pot, and things are coalested so well into each other in layers – the tender juicy chicken meat, the chewy long-grain rice, the savory and earthy taste of mushroom and onion soup. It’s a brilliant pleaser that will have your back whenever you’re too wagged out to actually put your mind to anything.
It’s really just that oldschool-crowd-fed-casserole type of goodness.
Right from the beginning, from its pallid looks, you can easily see how this dish is not quite in the same category as other fancier meals. However, the best thing about it is the pleasant nostalgic feeling which is reminiscent of when I was a kiddo, waiting on the pantry on rainy days and trying to figure out what secret my momma was about to serve each night.
What to cook with chicken and rice casserole?
Chicken and rice casserole can be prepared in no time with only a few ingredients: chicken breast meat, white rice, and onion & mushroom soup powders.
Chicken strips are assembled in the baking dish, layered with basmati rice and then cooked together in the oven with mushroom soup and onion soup mix poured on top. If you’re planning on feeding more greens to your toddlers, simply toss in some veggie chunks for extra crunchiness.
Rotisserie chicken might also be a contender for the dish – though you really don’t have to go that far, since everything will surely be cooked through properly when baked. Additionally, an extra Chipotle seasoning could be something to consider.
How long to bake chicken and rice casserole?
This chicken and rice casserole took me roughly 1 hour and 40 minutes to prepare. Though the cooking time can vary in other recipes with different ingredients, you can’t realistically expect to spend less than 1 hour on this dish. The chicken meat simply needs an adequate time to absorb all the liquid and be cooked through to the proper tenderness, and the same goes for the rice.
Trust me, you’ll see that it’s worth the wait once it comes to your table. While the oven’s doing its thing, go start up Netflix and just relax! Don’t forget to turn the air conditioner on; you’ll be sweating just by chewing and getting lost in the casserole soon enough!
Can you freeze leftover chicken and rice casserole?
Yes, you can – even with big batches. Chicken and rice casserole can freeze well for up to 3 months. It’s freezer-friendly and can be reheated in minutes, so you’ll easily have a hearty lunch ready on the following day.
You can also make 2-3 servings for both a friend’s visit the next day and family dinner tonight; otherwise, divide it into smaller portions so you can consume it in one go each time without having to bother transferring it to smaller plates, which means more dishes to wash.
It’s also important to let the casserole cool down to room temperature first, then cover with tin foil before putting to freeze.
Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe
Ingredients
- 4 skinless chicken thighs yields about 21 oz
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 oz onion chopped
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 2 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 4 oz carrot chopped in tiny bits
- 1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp parsley
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Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- In a small bowl, combine salt, ground black pepper, thyme, and minced garlic together. Divide this spice mixture in half and set aside.
- Prepare a casserole glass bakeware dish, brush it with olive oil on the inside.
- Add chopped carrot, rice, and chopped onion to the casserole dish, together with half of the spice mixture.
- Continue to add mushroom soup and chicken broth to the casserole dish. Whisk until everything is well combined.
- Place the chicken thighs on top, brush with unsalted butter, then sprinkle the remaining spice mixture on them.
Cook
- Cover the casserole dish in tin foil, bake for 1 hour at 400℉ in the oven. Remember to select upper and lower heat mode, or else the rice could not be well cooked.
- After 1 hour, remove the tin foil and bake for 10 more minutes without cover, select upper heat mode to give some nice charred marks on chicken thighs.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle parsley on top. Serve while it’s still hot.
Notes
Nutrition Info
I think chicken and rice dishes are some of the most comforting out there. This one sounds super tasty too!
Agree on the comforting! I can even devour it all at once. Can’t wait to hear your own insight once you give it a try 😀
Can you use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs or will it be too dry