Chicken and Rice Casserole proves that basic can be beautiful. Creamy sauce enveloping hearty rice, juicy bites of chicken, and vegetables, this timeless meal is a classic that’s too fantastic to fuss.
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we'll send you Well Plated emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Log In.
You just can’t go wrong with baked chicken and rice.
From picky teens to choosy toddlers and exacting adults, it’s hard not to love a casserole with tender chicken, creamy rice, and lots of cheese. (But don’t worry, it’s also good for you. Veggies, whole grains, and protein. The gang is all here!)
This from-scratch recipe is made with simple ingredients and lightened-up with everyday swaps like milk and Greek yogurt.
Cook your brown rice in advance and you can stir this together in a snap. Frozen veggies make it quick and easy (less chopping!). Want to speed it up even more? Use store-bought rotisserie chicken or precooked shredded chicken. This might just be the perfect weeknight dinner!
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Chicken. I make this casserole with shredded chicken, but diced chicken, shredded store bought rotisserie chicken, boneless skinless chicken thighs, or even cooked ground chicken would work too.
- Cooked Brown Rice. To boost this casserole’s nutrition content, I chose to use long grain brown rice instead of white rice. Its slightly chewy texture and slightly nutty flavor make it extra tasty in this recipe too.
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables. An ultra easy and quick way to bulk the veggie content in this casserole. Most mixes typically contain corn, peas, carrots, and green beans.
- Greek Yogurt. For creaminess and a healthy boost of protein. You can use either 2% or full-fat Greek yogurt.
- Cheeses. A blend of sharp cheddar and mozzarella is the move. Both melt to gooey, cheesy perfection.
- Dijon Mustard. Elevates the cheesiness and adds zip, a little trick to making chicken and rice casserole less boring. You can’t taste it specifically; rather, it helps the dish pop. (This Homemade Hamburger Helper uses it too).
How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole
Sauté. Start with the onion and garlic in a Dutch oven or large, sturdy-bottomed pot.
Add the Flour. Stir until it turns golden
Make the Casserole Sauce. Let simmer until thickened.
Add the Veggies and Cheese. Save some of the cheese for topping.
Add the Chicken and Rice. Give it a big stir.
Top with Cheese. Don’t forget to grease your casserole dish.
Bake. Chicken and rice casserole cooks at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes (no need to cover with aluminum foil). Broil to brown the top.
Let Rest. This helps the casserole set up. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
Change up the veggies—you can use fresh broccoli florets like this Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole. You can also try a different cheese (pepper jack like this Mexican Chicken Casserole is yummy) or a different grain. Instead of brown rice, you can use quinoa like this Broccoli Quinoa Casserole.
Leftover Ideas
Turn a Sunday chicken and rice casserole into leftovers for the entire week! Give leftovers new life by stuffing the filling into bell peppers. Follow the instructions for prepping the peppers in my Stuffed Peppers recipe, bake the peppers without any filling at 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, then stuff each pepper with warmed-up leftovers.
What to Serve with Chicken and Rice Casserole
Here are some ideas to help you round out your meal.
- Cabbage. This green is a nice contrast to the creamy casserole. Try Sautéed Cabbage.
- Broccoli. If you don’t add any to the casserole, add some Roasted Broccoli on the side.
- Salad. This Beet Salad Recipe is a tasty accompaniment!
Chicken and Rice Casserole
email me the recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you Well Plated emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Log In.
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast* (about 3 medium breasts)
- 3 cups cooked brown rice or wild and brown rice blend
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 2 cloves
- 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
- 1 (14-ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup nonfat milk or milk of choice
- 16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 cup 2% Greek yogurt or full-fat do not use fat free as it is prone to curdling
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Chopped fresh parsley or thyme for serving
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 or similar casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- In a Dutch oven or similar large, sturdy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the onion, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed so that the onion softens but does not brown. Stir in the garlic and let cook 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the top. Cook and stir constantly for at least 1 full minute, until the flour is turning brown and no white bits remain.
- Slowly pour in the broth and milk, stirring constantly to prevent any lumps. Pause as needed to break up any lumps. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat and let gently bubble until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Adjust the heat as needed so that the liquid retains a rapid simmer.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vegetables, Greek yogurt, half of the cheddar cheese, mozzarella, Dijon, and thyme until smooth.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and cooked rice.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake the chicken and rice casserole until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot, about 15 minutes. Turn the oven to broil, then continue cooking until the cheese is lightly browned, about 3 additional minutes, watching carefully so that the cheese does not burn. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley or thyme. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve hot.
Video
Notes
-
For more easy ways to cook shredded chicken, see my Instant Pot Chicken, Crock Pot Shredded Chicken, How to Cook Shredded Chicken on the stovetop, and Baked Bone-In Chicken Breast. You can also swap diced Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Baked Chicken Breast, or Grilled Chicken Breast.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm casserole in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Join today and start saving your favorite recipes
Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes and access FREE meal plans.
Sign Me Up
This was pretty good. It was easy to make with things that are always on hand. I used wild rice and extra garlic but otherwise followed the recipe exactly and found it a bit bland. Next time I would add more spices and I am not sure what else but the base was great.
Hi Deana! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Yep. Easy to put together and very bland.
I’m sorry to hear that it wasn’t to your taste, Peter. The recipe has worked well for myself (and others) but I know how frustrating it can be to try a new recipe and not have it work out, so I really wish you would’ve enjoyed it!
This is a great recipe that the whole family will eat. I used cooked frozen brown rice and rotisserie chicken which made this recipe really simple. My kids normally won’t eat brown rice but they gobbled this up! Her description of the recipe is accurate… this isn’t a wild recipe with lots of spices… this is why I made it because kids tend to be more sensitive to spices I figured it would be a dish they would like too, and they did! There was enough left over for me to freeze for another night which is always an added bonus!! I will be adding this to our rotation for sure.
Hi Danelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
My family loved this recipe!
There are a lot of similar recipes out there I have tried out but this was honestly the best and most delicious I have tried. My entire family including my picky kiddos ate it up and requested it for lunch the next day! Thank you Erin!
Hi Kelly! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Looks and sounds absolutely delicious. Trying to decide if this would work with frozen cauliflower rice as we are both diabetics and rarely eat “real rice” any more. Erin, would you have any suggestions?
Hi Cindy! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, but you could probably give it a try with the cauliflower rice. I’m thinking it would need to be unfrozen for this recipe and you may need to use 3 cups. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Excellent dish! Especially if you utilize the leftover chicken and rice, so you don’t have to spend time to cook them. Just took out of the oven!
Hi Raisa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
In life with family, you will need a faithful go-to recipe that you can pull out once a month, quickly put together, and hoist it to the table aside a garden salad. This is one those recipes! I have made it a dozen times at least and everyone enjoys it. It doesn’t have any canned soups or sketchy ingredients. It’s wholesome and good and dependable.
Hi Jill! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I used organic black rice and so easy for me.
Erin..if you could do me a favor send me recipe of rice casserole thats cooked on stove tops. The same..uses chicken and rice and vegetables.
Hi John! I do not have this version for the stove top but I have a few other options that you might like: https://www.wellplated.com/chicken-fried-rice/ or https://www.wellplated.com/mexican-chicken-and-rice/ Hope this helps!
This was very good. I used a brown/wild rice mix as that was left over from a previous meal. I was out of thyme so used tarragon. Thyme would have been much better. Enjoy all.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Deborah! Thank you!
So glad we made this! Tastes just like the veggie casseroles my grandmother made back in the day, only this is healthier and with chicken is a whole meal. I didn’t find it to be bland at all. I did use pre shredded cheese because that was all I had (I know, I know) and it turned out fine. Didn’t melt fully on top but tasted perfect
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Jessica! Thank you!