This simple Chicken and Rice Casserole only take a few ingredients and it bakes in 15 minutes or less. It’s creamy and cheesy and a recipe that you are going to love. This is a great recipe to make and serve a large group of people or the next potluck you got to!
This Chicken and Rice Casserole is a classic. It’s a recipe that my mom used to make and a favorite of mine growing up. My kids loved it just as much as me and it has quickly become a staple meal in our home.
If you love casseroles as much as we do then make sure to check out a few more of my favorites after you try this one.
Chicken and Rice Casserole Instructions:
For this recipe, I used pre-cooked chicken and cooked my rice before. It takes a lot less time in the oven and overall. When you are ready to go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Now cook your rice according to package directions. In a large mixing bowl mix cooked chicken, cooked rice, cream of chicken soup, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Add this to a casserole dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes. Simple right? Time to serve and enjoy.
For this recipe, I used a 9×13 casserole dish but this recipe can easily fit in a smaller casserole dish.
Cooking Tip:
This recipe is perfect with leftover chicken. I love using my chicken from my all-purpose slow cooker chicken. Make it ahead of time and use it all week long. I use it for easy wraps or salads for lunch. Then I add it to casseroles or soups for dinner.
Watch the Chicken and Rice Cooking Episode:
Freezing Chicken and Rice Casserole:
To freeze this recipe mix all ingredients together (cooked rice and chicken just like in the recipe) in an alumni casserole dish. Cover tightly and place in the freezer for 2-3 months. Allow thawing in the fridge overnight then cook according to directions.
Chicken Casserole Recipes:
- Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
- Chicken and Green Bean Casserole
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Because casseroles are awesome, here are a few more to try out:
Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie Casserole: I love this casserole dish. Just like the old classic you love but no crust to make.
Chicken and Green Bean Casserole: This recipe is so simple made with creamy chicken and green beans then topped with stuffing.
Cheeseburger Casserole: A classic for sure. This simple casserole dish is a favorite with my family and one you will wanna try.
- 3 cup Chicken (cooked and shredded)
- 2 cup Instant rice
- 22.6 oz Cream of chicken soup (one family style can)
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese (shredded)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by cooking rice according to package directions.
In a large mixing bowl mix cooked chicken, cooked rice, cream of chicken soup, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Add this to a casserole dish.
Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Optional: Top with fresh diced parsley for garnish.
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Can this be frozen? Should I bake prior to freezing if so
Yes you can freeze this recipe. I would bake it first. I think the rice would freeze better cooked then it would uncooked.
Made this tonight and it was a hit! Even my 18 month old loved it. I only had 2 cups of chicken but it still worked out. This recipe will now be part of my dinner rotation. Thank you! 🙂
So happy to hear that!!
We always make our own cream of chicken soup when we put it into recipes so that is how we made it, but I am sure that the canned is amazing too. We just don’t usually buy it here.
This will be a great way to use turkey too after Thanksgiving since I buy the biggest bird for a small amount of people – I have a problem with making sure there is plenty of food on a holiday haha!
That is a great idea! I always make to much also. You don’t want people leaving hungry!
Glad you all liked it.
I’m GF and Pacific brand cream of chicken soup is organic and gluten-free. Trying your recipe now!!
Awesome!! I will have to try that for my Dad who is gluten free!!
Hi, well made it with cauliflower rice. I did t care for it. Husband thought it was just ok. I made yours with the rice and that’s the way to go👍
I agree rice is better! My dad is gluten free and he can eat rice but the cream of chicken soup has the gluten in it. They might have gluten-free soups at the store though!
Thank you, will try it on my husband before gluten free Grandson comes to visit😍
Awesome! Let me know how it turns out!!
Do you think you could substitute cauliflower rice for regular rice?
Hi Carolynn,
I have not tried that but I think it would work. I would prepare the cauliflower rice first them make sure to pat dry so you don’t have to much water leftover then mix and bake.
This may be a silly question but here it goes……Do you mix the soup according to Can directions. In other words, do you add the water to can of soup before making casserole???
Hi Susana, no I do not add the water just the soup that is in the can. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi probably a silly question but is cream or chicken and cream of chicken soup the same? 🙈
Hi Nicole,
Yes for this recipe I used cooked chicken and cream of chicken soup. No actual cream was used just the soup!
So easy, and delicious! My very picky family loved this, and came back for seconds! Thank you for sharing
So happy to hear that!!
Hi! Do you have nutrition information for this recipe? Can’t wait to try it!
Just updated it with that information!
Loved this recipe! I also added peas to this and it turned out delicious! This was so simple to put together, which is a life saver on a Sunday night!! Thanks again for sharing!
So happy to hear that Lisa!!
What size cooking dish?
Hi April, for this recipe I used my 9×13 casserole dish. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Seems like a silly question, but is the cheddar cheese you use Sharp or Mild? There usually is a big difference in taste. Thanks in advance!
Hi lori, my family is sharp cheddar fans so we used that. It would make a difference so it just depends on which cheese you prefer.
Is that 2 cups cooked rice or 2 cups non-cooked rice? I am making the chicken and rice before hand and didn’t want to make too much rice!
The 2 cups is uncooked but you do prepare it according to the package directions before adding it to the casserole. Hope you enjoy this recipe Sue!
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
Hi Shannon! I have not tried freezing this one yet but have to ones similar and I think it would freeze well. Since you are using rice and chicken that will already be cooked before you bake all you would need to do it allow this the chicken and rice to cool then mix the rest of the ingredients and place it all in a freezer container. Let it thaw a the night before cooking in the fridge. Hope you enjoy it!!
Just made this for my husband a 3 kids… they loved it! My kids asked me to make it again. So thank you… haha, it’s always hard to find new good dinners, especially a very easy one like this. My 6 year old daughter asked me to add peas to it, so I did! It was so good, and I’ll probably always add them, they gave a great sweetness to the recipe. I didn’t have onion powder, but added minced onion instead, and it was delicious! My husband had 3 big servings! Appreciate you sharing this, glad I found it!
WOO!! Thank you Tania! These types of comments make all the work I do worth it. I love that your family loved the recipe so much and hope it becomes a family favorites. Also my kids LOVE peas and I will have to try this recipe like that next time.
i SOOO love easy dinners. i hate complicated recipes!
Love a good casserole! 🙂 Cheers to you for hitting the grocery store preggers!
xx
Megan
IG: megawat
http://hellonewlywedlife.blogspot.com/