Chicken and Rice Casserole
This chicken and rice casserole bakes tender rice, juicy seasoned chicken, and sharp cheddar into one creamy, cheesy dinner the whole family loves.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 535kcal
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Whisk together the soup and milk.1 can cream of chicken soup, 1¼ cups whole milk
- Reserve ½ cup of the soup mixture, set aside.
- Add the long grain white rice to the soup mixture and stir to combine.1 cup long grain white rice
- Pour the soup and rice mixture into the prepared baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Season both sides of the chicken breast with the onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, pepper, smoked paprika, and salt. Remove the rice mixture from the oven, uncover, and lay the chicken breasts on top of the rice.4 chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt
- Pour the reserved soup mixture over the chicken breasts. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and move the chicken from the baking dish to a plate. Cover the chicken with the aluminum foil and set aside.
- Fluff the rice with a fork, sprinkle with cheddar cheese and fluff again, mixing the cheese with the rice.1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Return the rice to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Once done, fluff the rice again and add the baked chicken breasts back on top of the rice. Top with the chopped parsley.1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Serve hot.
Notes
Tips:
- Choose a lighter-weight four-pack of chicken breasts when you can. Really thick breasts take longer, and I have had to add about five minutes to bring them up to 165.
- Let the rice have its full 20 minutes under foil before the chicken goes in. That covered head start is what keeps it from staying crunchy in the middle.
- Pull the chicken the moment it hits 165 and let it rest while the rice finishes, so it stays juicy.
Storage:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in the microwave or a low oven with a splash of milk or broth stirred in to bring back the creaminess.
You can freeze it for up to 3 months, though the rice softens a little after thawing, so thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1175mg | Potassium: 683mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 798IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 2mg
