Description
A classic comfort food featuring tender chicken, fluffy rice, and melty cheese topped with a golden, crunchy crust. Perfect for weeknight family dinners or potlucks, this casserole is easy to make with pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or cubed; rotisserie chicken works perfectly)
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium recommended)
- 1/2 cup milk (whole or 2% works best)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus extra for topping)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (for topping)
- 2 tbsp butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray or butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine uncooked rice, cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, milk, shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until well mixed.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared casserole dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle extra shredded cheddar cheese over the top.
- In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter until crumbs are coated. Sprinkle this mixture evenly across the top of the casserole.
- Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender, top is golden brown, and casserole is bubbling around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make sure all rice is submerged in liquid before baking to prevent dry, crunchy bits.
- For deeper flavor, sauté onions, garlic, or mushrooms separately before adding to the mixture.
- For a crunchier topping, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end of cooking (watch closely).
- Use rotisserie chicken for maximum flavor and convenience.
- Can be assembled up to a day in advance and refrigerated. Add 10-15 minutes to baking time if cooking from cold.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for up to two months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: chicken casserole, rice casserole, comfort food, family dinner, easy recipe, make-ahead meal, cheesy chicken, weeknight dinner