Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe with Crispy Topping

This Chicken and Rice Casserole is a simple, one-pan comfort dinner with creamy rice and tender, juicy chicken. It uses just a few pantry staples: three cans of creamed soup, chicken stock, diced celery, long-grain white rice, and boneless skinless chicken breasts. The result is a hearty, family-friendly meal that reheats well.

Why You’ll Love This

This updated version of a classic baked chicken and rice casserole was retested to ensure the rice cooks through evenly and the chicken stays moist. Adjustments to oven temperatures and a simple stirring step ensure the rice is creamy—not crunchy—on top or bottom. The recipe is straightforward, made with basic ingredients most home cooks already have on hand, and it’s forgiving if your oven runs slightly hot or cool.

Below you’ll find a clear ingredient list and step-by-step method so you can get reliably creamy rice and perfectly cooked chicken every time.

How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together one can each of cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, and cream of celery soups with one can’s worth (about 1 1/3 cups) of reduced-sodium chicken stock. Stir in the uncooked long-grain white rice, finely diced celery, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper until combined.
3. Pour the rice mixture into the prepared pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Carefully uncover and stir the rice from the bottom to the top so any undercooked pockets are mixed in. Increase the oven temperature to 400º F.
5. Season two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced in half horizontally to create four even pieces) with kosher salt and the remaining black pepper. Place the chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture and top each piece with a small pat of unsalted butter (about 1/2 tablespoon per piece). Cover again and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Uncover, stir the rice again, and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 163º F. Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest, covered, for at least 10 minutes. During this rest the chicken will reach the safe internal temperature of 165º F and the rice will absorb any remaining liquid.

Serve a chicken breast over a bed of rice, or remove the chicken after baking, dice it, and stir the pieces into the rice for a casserole-style serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Tips

• Slice chicken evenly. Halve the breasts horizontally so pieces are uniform. This helps them cook evenly in the allotted time.
• Adjust for different cuts. If you use chicken tenders or boneless thighs, cooking time after adding the chicken may vary—check the internal temperature.
• Use a nonstick or well-seasoned dish. Spray the pan to prevent sticking. Ceramic or nonstick casserole dishes work well.
• Ovens vary. Use the times as a guideline. If the rice or chicken isn’t fully cooked, continue baking until done.
• Rice type matters. This recipe was developed for regular long-grain white rice. Brown rice or instant rice will require different liquid amounts and cooking times.
• Control salt. Choose low-sodium soups and stock if you want to reduce sodium in the finished dish.
• Dice the celery small. Finely diced celery softens during the long bake and blends better into the rice.

Variations

• Mix soups. Use any combination of creamed soups you prefer for slightly different flavors.
• Add veggies. Stir in 1 cup of frozen broccoli, peas, green beans, or mixed vegetables.
• Onion or seasonings. Add diced onion, garlic powder, onion powder, or thyme to taste.
• Cheesy topping. Sprinkle shredded cheddar on top for the last 10 minutes of baking.
• Lower sodium option. Replace chicken stock with water or use low-sodium stock and soups.
• Rotisserie chicken. If using cooked rotisserie chicken, add it to the rice mixture before baking; the bake time for rice remains about 1 1/2 hours.

FAQs

More Delicious Rice Recipes

If you enjoy this casserole, try other rice-based one-pot meals and casseroles for easy weeknight dinners—variations with Spanish, Cajun, or broccoli-and-cheese flavors adapt well to the same basic technique.