Chicken and Rice Casserole

So I’ve been making this chicken and rice casserole on repeat since last Tuesday and I honestly can’t explain why it took me this long to figure out the right way to do it. You dump everything in a dish, cover it with foil, bake it at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, then pull the foil off for another 10 and somehow the rice cooks through without turning into paste. It’s one of those recipes that sounds too easy to work but it does.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• You don’t cook the rice first, which saves a pot and like 20 minutes of standing around.
• The mushroom soup casserole base gets thick and creamy without any extra cream or flour because the rice soaks up just enough liquid while leaving some sauce behind.
• Covering it with foil for most of the bake traps steam. That’s what cooks the rice evenly instead of drying out the edges while the center stays crunchy.
• The butter melts into the rice and makes each grain taste richer than it should.
• Cheddar on top gets these little crispy spots that are actually the best part if you scrape them off the edge of the dish.
• It reheats better than almost any chicken casserole I’ve tried because the rice doesn’t get mushy the next day.

The Story Behind This Recipe

I needed something I could make on a Tuesday night after work without thinking too hard. I had leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge and one of those cream of mushroom soup cans in the pantry that I bought for something else and never used. I didn’t want to cook rice separately because that meant watching another pot and timing things, so I figured I’d just throw raw rice in and see what happened.

Turns out the rice casserole method works if you get the liquid ratio right, which is basically 2 1/2 cups water plus the soup. The first time I made it I was convinced the rice would stay hard but when I pulled back the foil at 45 minutes it was soft all the way through and the smell was ridiculous. Now it’s in my regular rotation because I can prep it in 10 minutes and ignore it for an hour while I do other stuff.

What You Need

You need 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, the 10.5-ounce size, and don’t drain them because that thick condensed base is what makes the sauce work. I used Campbell’s but store brand is fine if that’s what you’ve got.

Then 1 1/2 cups of long grain white rice that’s totally uncooked. Don’t use instant rice or it’ll turn into mush, and don’t use brown rice because the timing won’t line up with how long everything else takes to bake. Just regular long grain.

You’ll need 3 cups of cooked chicken that’s either shredded or diced. I used rotisserie chicken from the store because I was tired, but leftover grilled chicken or poached chicken works too. Just make sure it’s already cooked through.

For the liquid you need 2 1/2 cups of water. Tap water is what I used. Some people use chicken broth here but honestly the soup already has enough flavor that I didn’t think it was necessary and I didn’t want to open another container.

Then 1/2 cup of chopped onion, which I diced pretty small so it would soften completely during the bake. A teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper go in for seasoning. Two tablespoons of melted butter get stirred in because that adds richness without making the whole thing feel heavy. And 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese goes on top, which melts into those crispy spots I mentioned earlier. The 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley at the end is optional but I like the way it looks against all that beige.

How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole

Grab a large mixing bowl and dump in the 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, the 1 1/2 cups of uncooked rice, the 3 cups of cooked chicken, the 2 1/2 cups of water, the 1/2 cup of chopped onion, the teaspoon of salt, the 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Stir everything with a big spoon until it’s all mixed together. The texture looks really thick and chunky at this stage, kind of like a weird paste, but that’s exactly how it should look before it goes in the oven.

Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray so nothing sticks to the edges later. Pour the whole mixture into the dish and spread it out so it reaches all the corners and sits flat.

Cover the dish tightly with foil. The foil has to seal around the edges or steam escapes and the rice won’t cook evenly. Slide it into your oven that’s already heated to 350 degrees.

Around 30 minutes in you’ll start to hear faint bubbling underneath the foil if you stand near the oven. That’s the rice starting to absorb the liquid and it means everything’s on track. Let it bake covered for a full 45 minutes without peeking because lifting the foil releases the steam and messes with the timing.

When the timer goes off pull the dish out and peel back the foil. Be careful because a cloud of steam hits you right away. The top will look pale and kind of wet at this point, which seems wrong but it’s not.

Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese evenly over the surface. Put the dish back in the oven without the foil for another 10 minutes. This is when the cheese melts and the edges start to bubble and the top gets those little golden spots that taste the best.

When you pull it out the second time the casserole will look bubbly around the edges and the cheese will have melted into uneven pools. Let it sit for a few minutes so it firms up enough to scoop without everything sliding apart. If you’re using the parsley chop it and scatter it on top right before you serve.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t cover the dish tightly enough with foil the first time I made this. I just laid the foil over the top without pressing it down around the edges, and too much steam leaked out during the first 45 minutes. The rice on the edges ended up hard and crunchy while the middle was fine, and I had to add more water and bake it longer to fix it.

Now I make sure the foil seals all the way around before it goes in. That one change made the rice cook through evenly every time after that.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

By Emma

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

55 min

Total:

1h 5min

Servings:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 10.5 oz each, not drained
• 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, uncooked
• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish

Method

1. 1 In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup, uncooked rice, cooked chicken, water, chopped onion, salt, pepper, and melted butter. Stir everything thoroughly until the mixture is evenly blended. The texture will be thick and chunky—this is normal.
2. 2 Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish generously with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the mixture evenly into the dish, spreading to the edges so it cooks uniformly.
3. 3 Cover the dish tightly with foil. Slide it into a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Listen for the faint bubbling to start beneath the foil around 30 minutes; that signals the rice is beginning to absorb the liquid.
4. 4 Let it bake covered for a solid 45 minutes. The steam trapped inside will soften the rice and heat the chicken through without drying out.
5. 5 Remove the foil carefully to release the hot steam with a hiss. The surface will look pale soggy at this point.
6. 6 Return the uncovered casserole to the oven for another 10 minutes. This final stage crisps the top and thickens the sauce while the cheese melts into golden patches. When you see a light bubbling edge and a slight golden crust, it’s done.
7. 7 Once out of the oven, let it rest briefly so the casserole firms up and catches up in flavor. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top if you want some fresh color and bright herbaceous notes.

Nutritional information

Calories

327

Protein

11g

Carbs

56g

Fat

6g

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Tips for the Best Chicken and Rice Casserole

Press your foil down around the rim of the dish before baking so it forms a tight seal. If you just drape it on top the steam leaks out sideways and the rice won’t cook through evenly.

Use a metal spoon to stir everything in the bowl because the mixture is really thick and a silicone spatula just bends instead of mixing properly. The raw rice settles to the bottom fast so make sure you scrape up from the bottom when you pour it into the dish.

The casserole looks done when you see those little butter puddles bubbling around the edges after you take the foil off. That’s when I know the rice has absorbed enough liquid and it’s time to add the cheese.

If you’re doubling this recipe don’t try to cram it all into one 9×13 dish. Split it between two pans or the center stays soupy while the edges dry out.

When you take the foil off at 45 minutes the surface looks wet and kind of ugly but that’s exactly right. I used to panic and put it back in covered but that just makes everything mushy.

Serving Ideas

I put this next to a bag of frozen green beans that I microwaved with butter because I didn’t want to dirty another pan. The beans cool down the richness of the chicken casserole without making the meal feel boring.

A side of jarred applesauce works better than you’d think. The sweetness cuts through the soup base in a way that salad doesn’t.

Sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper on the side add something fresh and acidic that makes you want to eat more of the rice casserole instead of feeling too full halfway through. I just use whatever tomatoes are in the fridge.

Variations

If you swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken soup the flavor gets a little saltier and less earthy. It still works fine but I think mushroom tastes better with the onion.

Adding a cup of frozen peas or frozen mixed vegetables to the bowl before baking turns this into more of a complete meal. Just dump them in frozen and they cook through with everything else, though the casserole ends up a little more watery.

You can use turkey instead of chicken if you have Thanksgiving leftovers. The texture is drier than rotisserie chicken so I add an extra 1/4 cup of water to keep everything moist enough.

I tried brown rice once because I had it on hand and it stayed hard even after an extra 20 minutes of baking. Long grain white rice is really the only thing that works with this timing.

FAQ

Can I use minute rice or instant rice instead of long grain white rice?

Don’t use instant rice because it’ll turn into paste during the full baking time. Instant rice is already partially cooked so it can’t handle 55 minutes in the oven without falling apart.

Do I have to use cream of mushroom soup or can I use a different soup?

You can use cream of chicken or cream of celery soup instead. The texture stays the same but the flavor changes a little depending on which one you pick.

Can I make this with raw chicken instead of cooked chicken?

Raw chicken won’t cook all the way through in 55 minutes when it’s mixed with cold rice and liquid. You need to use chicken that’s already fully cooked or the timing doesn’t work.

What if I don’t have a 9×13 inch casserole dish?

You can use a different size dish but you’ll need to adjust the baking time. A deeper dish takes longer and a shallower one cooks faster so just check the rice after 40 minutes.

How do I know when the rice is actually done?

Pull back the foil at 45 minutes and press a spoon into the center. If the rice feels soft all the way through and there’s still a little liquid pooling around it then it’s ready for the cheese.

Can I prep this ahead and bake it later?

You can mix everything and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 hours before baking. Let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes before it goes in the oven so it’s not ice cold or the rice won’t cook evenly.

Why is my casserole watery after baking?

If there’s too much liquid left after the full baking time it usually means the foil wasn’t sealed tight enough and the rice didn’t absorb as much as it should have. You can put it back in the oven uncovered for another 10 minutes to evaporate some of the excess.

Can I freeze this casserole after baking?

It freezes fine for up to 3 months if you let it cool completely first and wrap it tight in foil and plastic wrap. Reheat it covered at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes straight from frozen.

What kind of cooked chicken works best?

Rotisserie chicken from the store is the easiest because it’s already seasoned and shredded. Leftover grilled chicken or poached chicken breast works too as long as it’s chopped into bite sized pieces.

Do I need to spray the casserole dish even if it’s nonstick?

Yeah spray it anyway because the rice sticks to the edges no matter what kind of dish you use. I learned that the hard way when I had to scrape burnt rice off the corners.

Can I leave out the onion?

You can skip the onion but the mushroom soup casserole tastes a little flat without it. Onion adds a sweet flavor that balances out the salty soup base.

How long does this last in the fridge?

It keeps for about 4 days in an airtight container. The rice actually tastes better the next day because the flavors settle into each other overnight.

What’s the best way to reheat leftovers?

Microwave individual portions for about 2 minutes or reheat the whole dish covered with foil at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Add a splash of water before reheating if it looks dry.

Can I use chicken broth instead of water?

You can but I don’t think it’s necessary because the soup already has a lot of flavor. If you do use broth cut back on the salt or it’ll taste too salty.

Why did my cheese burn on top?

The cheese burns if you leave it in uncovered for longer than 10 minutes or if your oven runs hot. Check it at 8 minutes and pull it out as soon as the cheese melts and starts to bubble.

Can I add more vegetables to this?

Frozen peas, diced carrots or chopped bell pepper work fine if you add them to the mixing bowl before baking. Fresh vegetables release too much water so stick with frozen.

Do I really need to let it rest after baking?

Letting it sit for 5 minutes helps the sauce thicken up so it doesn’t run all over the plate when you scoop it. If you serve it right away it’s too loose.

What if I only have one can of cream of mushroom soup?

You need both cans for the right sauce to rice ratio. With just one can the rice won’t have enough liquid to cook through and you’ll end up with hard crunchy grains in the middle.

Can I use jasmine rice or basmati rice?

Long grain white rice works best because it holds its shape during the long bake. Jasmine and basmati are fine but they get a little softer and stickier than regular long grain.

Why does the recipe call for melted butter instead of softened butter?

Melted butter mixes into the soup and water easier than softened butter. If you use softened butter it clumps up and doesn’t distribute evenly through the whole dish.