Chicken and Rice Casserole
This is the dump-and-bake version of chicken and rice casserole: raw rice and raw chicken go into the dish together, the sauce cooks the rice, and cheese goes on for the last 15 minutes. It saves a pot and a step. The trade-off is that it only works if the liquid, the foil seal and the bake time are right, so this post focuses on exactly those.
How Raw Rice Cooks in the Oven
Long-grain white rice needs roughly two parts liquid to one part rice to cook through. Here, 1½ cups of rice sit in 2 cups of broth plus two cans of condensed soup and melted butter. The soups are thick, but they contribute water as they heat, which brings the total close to that 2:1 ratio. The rice absorbs the liquid and the starch it releases thickens the sauce at the same time.
The foil is what makes it work. A tight seal traps steam so the rice on top cooks as evenly as the rice underneath. Without the foil, the surface dries out and the top layer stays hard.
The chicken goes on the bottom in a single layer. Bite-size pieces cook through in the same 60 minutes the rice needs, and sitting under the liquid keeps them from drying out.
Ingredient Notes
- Long-grain white rice: Rinse it until the water runs mostly clear. Rinsing removes surface starch that would otherwise make the casserole gluey. Do not swap in instant rice (it turns to mush) or brown rice (it needs about 25 more minutes and an extra ½ cup of broth).
- Condensed soups: Cream of chicken and cream of mushroom together give a savory, balanced sauce. You can use two cans of cream of chicken if you do not like mushroom. Cream of celery works too.
- Chicken breasts: Cut them into even 1-inch pieces so they finish at the same time. Thighs work and stay juicier; use the same weight.
- Warm broth: Warming it helps the dish come up to temperature faster, so the rice starts cooking sooner and more evenly.
- Sharp cheddar: Sharp has more flavor than mild against the creamy sauce. Grate it yourself so it melts smoothly.
Cues for Getting It Right
After pouring the rice mixture over the chicken, press down any rice grains sitting above the liquid with a spoon. Exposed grains are the ones that stay crunchy.
Crimp the foil tightly around every edge of the dish. If you see steam escaping during baking, the seal is loose.
At 45 minutes, lift a corner of the foil carefully (the steam is very hot) and taste a few grains from the center. They should be nearly tender. If they are still firm and the liquid is mostly gone, add ¼ cup of hot broth, reseal and bake 10 more minutes before adding the cheese.
The 10-minute rest at the end matters. The rice keeps absorbing liquid as it sits, and the sauce thickens so the casserole holds together when scooped.
Common Mistakes
- Crunchy rice. Usually a loose foil seal or rice sitting above the liquid. Press it down and seal tightly.
- Mushy rice. Skipping the rinse or using instant or parboiled rice. Stick to rinsed long-grain white.
- Using a smaller dish. A deeper 8×8 dish holds the rice in a thick layer that cooks unevenly. Use a 9×13.
- Cutting it right away. Without the rest, the sauce runs and the rice in the middle can seem underdone.
Variations
- Chicken, broccoli and rice: Scatter 2 cups of small raw broccoli florets over the chicken before adding the rice mixture.
- Crunchy topping: Mix 1 cup crushed buttery crackers with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle over the cheese for the final 15 minutes.
- Southwest style: Use pepper jack instead of cheddar, add 1 teaspoon cumin and a drained can of diced green chiles.
- From scratch: Replace the two soups with 2½ cups of homemade white sauce made from 4 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup flour and 2½ cups milk.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Rice dries out as it chills, so sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of broth over a portion before microwaving, covered, at 70% power.
The baked casserole freezes for up to 2 months; the rice softens slightly after thawing. This recipe is not ideal for assembling ahead and baking later, because the raw rice soaks up liquid in the fridge and bakes unevenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to cook the rice first?
No. The raw rice cooks in the sauce. If you want to use leftover cooked rice, reduce the broth to ½ cup and bake covered for only 25 to 30 minutes.
Do I need to cook the chicken first?
No. Bite-size raw chicken cooks fully in the hour of baking. Check that the thickest piece reaches 165°F.
Can I use jasmine or basmati rice?
Yes. Both cook in about the same time as regular long-grain rice. Rinse them well first.
Why is my casserole dry?
The foil was not sealed or the oven runs hot. Add a splash of warm broth, cover and let it rest 10 minutes before serving.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of chicken soup, condensed cream of mushroom soup, warm chicken broth, remaining melted butter, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Stir the rinsed rice into the soup mixture until evenly distributed.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the rice mixture evenly over the chicken and press down any grains so all the rice is submerged in liquid.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, crimping the edges, and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle the cheddar over the top, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more, until the rice is tender and the cheese is bubbly.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving so the rice finishes absorbing the sauce.
