One-Dish Chicken and Rice Casserole

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/8/22
Tested by
Renae Wilson
Photo of Renae E. Wilson
Tested by Renae Wilson
Renae has certifications in both Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education and works as a private chef and caterer, recipe tester and developer, and food writer. Renae has written and developed recipes for Rachael Ray In Season, the Kitchn, Food52, and more.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 65 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 4 servings

When you need a simple-to-put-together, comforting dish, turn to this one-dish chicken and rice bake. Uncooked rice is mixed with cream of mushroom soup and chicken broth or water, the boneless chicken is layered on top, and the casserole is baked until bubbling. For some added flavor and texture, top this chicken casserole with your favorite shredded cheese just before you take it out of the oven. 

The recipe, inspired by a similar Campbell's Soup dish and can be easily doubled for a large family. It makes a satisfying dinner when a tossed salad and biscuits are added. This casserole is versatile as well; feel free to toss in some vegetables for a complete meal, or sprinkle breadcrumbs on top to add some crunch.

One-Dish Chicken and Rice Casserole
The Spruce

"Great, easy, hearty one and done dish. Cooking raw rice in a casserole can be tricky, but this does a good job cooking the rice through." —Renae Wilson

One-Dish Chicken and Rice Casserole Test Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, or cream of celery or chicken

  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted chicken stock, or water

  • 3/4 cup long-grain white rice

  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika, plus more for garnish

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste

  • Melted unsalted butter, for the pan

  • 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • 1 cup shredded cheese, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, or mozzarella, optional

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 375 F.

    One dish chicken casserole ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. In a bowl, combine the condensed soup, broth or water, rice, paprika, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to blend.

    Soup, rice, broth, paprika, and pepper combined in a bowl

    The Spruce

  3. Lightly butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

    Buttered shallow baking dish

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  4. Transfer the rice mixture to the prepared baking dish.

    Rice mixture in the prepared baking dish
    The Spruce

  5. Place the chicken breast halves on top of the rice mixture.

    Chicken added on top of rice mixture
    The Spruce

  6. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and additional paprika and black pepper.

    Paprika, pepper and salt sprinkled on top of chicken casserole
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  7. Cover the casserole tightly with foil and bake for 45 to 65 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked to 165 F and the rice is tender. 

  8. If desired, sprinkle with the cheese and broil uncovered until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 1 to 2 minutes.

  9. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

    Chicken and rice casserole with cheese
    The Spruce

Glass Bakeware Warning

For a premade casserole that is in a glass baking dish and has been refrigerated, do not place it directly into a hot oven as the glass can shatter. Instead, place any cold glass bakeware into a cold oven to warm up while it preheats. Or allow the bakeware to rest outside of the fridge for 30 minutes to reach room temperature while the oven heats up.

Tips

  • According to the USDA, a serving of chicken is 3 to 4 ounces. Chicken breast halves are usually 5 to 8 ounces and sometimes larger. If the chicken breasts seem too big, cut 2 chicken breast halves horizontally to form four cutlets.
  • Although many chicken casseroles call for cooked chicken, this recipe works with raw chicken because of the sauce. Just be sure to test the meat for doneness before serving; it should be at 165 F.

Recipe Variations

  • If you like crunchy topping on your casseroles, finish with a buttered breadcrumb topping. Toss 1 cup of fine soft breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Bake the chicken and rice as directed and then sprinkle with the cheese and/or the breadcrumbs. Place the casserole under the broiler and broil just until the breadcrumbs are browned. Panko crumbs (tossed with the melted butter) may be used for a crispier topping.
  • Add 1 cup of steamed peas and carrots or mixed vegetables to the rice mixture.
  • Add 1 1/2 cups of lightly steamed broccoli florets to the rice mixture.
  • To the rice mixture, add 1/2 cup of chopped onions and 1/4 cup of chopped bell pepper. 
  • Sauté 6 to 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms and add them to the rice.
  • Instead of condensed cream of mushroom soup, or cream of chicken or cream of celery soup, try condensed cheddar cheese soup.
  • If you'd like to use the slow-cooker, try a slow cooker chicken and rice casserole.

Can you put raw chicken in a casserole?

Many casserole recipes call for cooked chicken as well as other cooked ingredients like rice, vegetables, and pasta. This is because the casserole doesn't cook long enough to cook the ingredients; they are simply being warmed through until bubbly.


Some chicken and rice casserole recipes, like this one, add uncooked rice and chicken and bake the covered dish for about an hour, until all ingredients are completely cooked. It's best to use a thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked to a safe temperature and taste test the rice to make sure it is tender before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
328 Calories
10g Fat
14g Carbs
42g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 328
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 117mg 39%
Sodium 492mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 42g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 85mg 7%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 439mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)