Kicked-Up Chicken and Rice Bake
Confession time. I was brought up on the old school chicken and rice casserole. (I don’t call them casseroles anymore because it seems that it’s a dirty word with kids these days) But you know the chicken and rice I’m talking about. The super plain one that had cream of mushroom soup, rice and chicken…like, that’s it.
Jump to:
- Kicked-Up Chicken and Rice Bake
- ❤️ Why You'll Love this Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole
- 🍲 Main Ingredients
- 👩🍳 How to Make Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole
- 🪄 Tips and Tricks
- 🗒 Variations
- 🗒 Substitutions
- 🗒 Best served with
- 👝 How to Store Leftovers
- 🤔 Common Questions
- Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole
❤️ Why You'll Love this Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole
Lately, I've been missing my mom and being a little nostalgic. So I wanted to bring back one of her old comfort food recipes and kick it up with some fresh vegetables a little bit more flavor and a couple of topping ideas. Boom! It's a winner, dare I say Winner Winner Chicken Dinner….. hee hee.
This Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole comes together in only 10 minutes of prep time. This meal packs a lot of flavor in a filling one-dish dinner that you can customize as you wish.So toss this together in the morning or when you get home from work, and sit back and unwind while it’s baking away in the oven. I think you’ll like this reinvented classic.
🍲 Main Ingredients
Chicken - Protein-packed chicken. Chicken breasts or tenders
White rice - Low cost and hearty
Sour Cream- For the creaminess and tang
Onion Soup Mix- Packed with flavor!
Add-ins- Think veggies, cheese, fried onions, crackers...all the opitons.
👩🍳 How to Make Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole
I couldn't be easier. Combine the ingredients and bake!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Tightly seal the baking dish with foil. The steam helps cook the rice.
- If using hearty raw veggies like broccoli, microwave it for a bit to soften to ensure it cooks through with the casserole.
- Toppings: Experiment with different toppings from cheese to crackers to fried onions,
🗒 Variations
The beauty of the Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole is all the variations:
- Vegetable options: Mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, or onions are all good options.
- Meatless: replace the meat with lots more veggies or extra firm tofu.
🗒 Substitutions
Out of one of the ingredients, check out these substitutions.
- Replace chicken breasts with chicken thighs or tenders or firm tofu
- Onion soup mix: Make your own:
- ⅓ cup beef bouillon powder
- 4 teaspoons onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed celery seed
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 5 tablespoons = one package of onion soup mix.
- Sub cream of chicken soup for the cream of mushroom soup.
🗒 Best served with
- A green salad
- Crusty Bread
- Steamed Vegetables
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store the leftover Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole in the refrigerator in an air tight container. Add a bit of water if needed when reheating.
🤔 Common Questions
No need; add the rice uncooked.
Certainly! You can assemble the bake in advance and store it in the refrigerator. When you're ready to cook, take it out and bake.
Yes, incorporating vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or bell peppers can enhance the dish's flavor and nutritional value.
Yes, but keep in mind that brown rice has a longer cooking time and may require additional liquid. It's important to adjust the cooking time accordingly to ensure the rice is fully cooked.
Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ¼ cup long-grain white rice uncooked
- 1 ¾ cups water or chicken broth
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 package onion soup mix
- 1- 10 ounce can cream of mushroom condensed soup NOT diluted
- Optional add-ins:
- 1 12.6 oz bag frozen baby broccoli florets or cuts
- Optional Topping Ideas:
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheddar, parmesan, or Gruyere cheese
- 1 bag Fried onions Optional topping
- 1 cup Ritz crackers: crushed, mixed with 2 tablespoons melted butter Optional topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Add chicken and season with salt & pepper.
- Add the rice, water, sour cream, condensed soup, onion soup mix, and veggie add-ins if using to a bowl and stir well to combine.
- Pour rice mixture into the baking dish over the chicken.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake 1 hour or until rice is tender.
- Remove the foil and gently stir. Top with the grated cheese (or other toppings) Cover and return to oven for 10 minutes or until rice is tender and cheese is melted.
