Chicken and rice casserole
This baked chicken and rice casserole is creamy, cheesy, hearty and totally cozy. It’s great for an easy dinner the whole family will love.
Yield: 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup finely chopped sweet onion
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme (or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast (such as from a rotisserie chicken)
- 4 cups cooked brown rice (or sub white rice)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until tender.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add the chicken broth, stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese and stir until melted and incorporated.
- Add the cooked chicken and rice, salt and pepper and stir well to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 casserole dish or 3-quart baking dish. Top with the remaining 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese.
- Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Let rest 5-10 minutes so it finishes setting up before serving.
Notes
Chicken and rice: The chicken and rice need to be cooked for this recipe, so please plan accordingly.
You can use a rotisserie chicken from the store, Instant Pot shredded chicken, or some boiled or baked chicken breasts you chop up. You’ll need 2 full cups.
We use brown rice, but you could substitute an equal amount of white rice if you prefer.
Love mushrooms? Chop or slice some white button mushrooms and add them with the onion to sauté and get tender.
Make-ahead tips:
- You can definitely get the chicken and rice cooked and ready to go ahead of time, cause you’ll need them ready for this recipe.
- You can also make the sauce and assemble the entire casserole ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a day.
- Pull the casserole out of the fridge as you preheat your oven.
- Bake at 350 for 35 minutes (add 5-10 minutes to the regular cook time), until warmed through and bubbly.
- The leftovers of this casserole will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in individual servings in the microwave.
- You can also freeze extras for up to 5-6 months. It helps to store it in individual servings. (I like to put mine in freezer-safe ziptop bags, lay them flat in the freezer, and then once they are frozen, stand them up like books to store them compactly in the freezer.)
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 588mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g
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