Simple Chicken and Rice Casserole

chicken and rice casserole
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 70 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This is a no-sweat chicken and rice casserole that simply requires a quick mix and an hour plus in the oven. As simple as that! Nutritious and juicy chicken breasts halves top a tasty bed of rice flavored with condensed cream of mushroom soup and dry onion soup mix. Talk about easy. This recipe checks all the boxes, plus it's filling and delicious. Serve with a green salad for a complete meal, or with some steamed vegetables for a pop of color. This casserole puts to a good alternative use your canned and dry soups. Say goodbye to soup and bread for dinner, and invest a few extra minutes in making this easy casserole that we're sure you'll be having on repeat after you've tried it. Toasted almonds added at the end make for a pretty presentation while adding some crunch to the dish, but if you need to swap the almonds for another crunchy item to avoid tree nuts, we recommend pepitas or sunflower seeds.

This casserole is a great base for experimenting with other poultry such as turkey breast. Or you could simply make the rice on its own in the oven while topping it with other meats prepared on the side like baked fish, grilled steak, or pulled pork. The rice on its own is a beautiful vegetarian option and makes an excellent side dish to any other meals that you usually have. Think of a rotisserie chicken, fried fish, chicken nuggets, skirt steak, or sausage patties. If you'd prefer to use cream of celery or cream of chicken to enhance the chicken flavor, work with what you have as there is no wrong way of doing this casserole. What you need is a creamy soup to bind the rice and water, and a dry soup to season the dish. Other veggies can be added to the recipe such as meaty mushrooms, peas and carrots, or canned corn.

This dish serves four guests, with half of a breast of chicken per person. We prefer skinless and boneless breasts, but boneless chicken thighs are also an excellent choice. If you like the pungency of alliums, serve the rice with chopped green onions on top, or use chives instead. For a sweet and herbal addition, try adding fresh chopped basil, parsley or oregano. Keep in mind that canned creams contain wheat, dairy, and many contain soy so this recipe isn't suitable for people with such allergies.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice

  • 1 (10.7-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 1 packet dry onion soup mix

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the oven to 375 F.

  3. Place the uncooked rice in the baking dish. Combine the condensed soup, water, and onion soup mix; pour over the rice and stir to blend ingredients.

  4. Place the chicken in the rice mixture and sprinkle lightly with pepper.

  5. Cover tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.

  6. Remove the foil and top with the toasted almonds, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
417 Calories
13g Fat
28g Carbs
44g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 417
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 108mg 36%
Sodium 1438mg 63%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 44g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 163mg 13%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 599mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)