Description
Comfort meets culinary delight in this creamy chicken and rice casserole, blending hearty ingredients with rich, velvety textures. Warm flavors and simple preparation make this dish a perfect weeknight meal you’ll savor to the last comforting bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 cups (approx. 340 grams) cooked chicken, shredded or diced
Grains and Base:
- 1 cup (180 grams) long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) breadcrumbs (optional, for topping)
Creamy and Flavor Components:
- 1 can (10.5 ounces or 298 grams) cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups (170 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) butter (for greasing the dish)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly combine the creamy soup mixture with aromatic seasonings in a spacious mixing vessel, creating a rich, flavor-packed base for the casserole.
- Gently fold tender, diced chicken and uncooked rice into the velvety sauce, ensuring each grain and morsel is evenly coated with the luxurious blend.
- Transfer the cohesive mixture into a buttered baking dish, distributing it uniformly to guarantee consistent cooking and maximum flavor distribution.
- Shield the casserole with aluminum foil, allowing the ingredients to steam and meld together in a controlled, moist environment within a preheated 350°F oven.
- After three-quarters of an hour, unveil the dish and give the contents a careful stir to promote even heat circulation and prevent any rice from sticking.
- Generously blanket the surface with sharp cheddar cheese, creating a golden, tempting layer that will transform into a crispy, melted topping.
- Optionally, sprinkle breadcrumbs over the cheese for an additional layer of textural contrast and subtle crunch.
- Return the casserole to the oven for a final 10-15 minutes, watching for the cheese to bubble and the surface to achieve a beautiful, bronzed appearance.
- Allow the dish to rest briefly before serving, letting the flavors settle and intensify for a truly satisfying comfort meal.
Notes
- Choose bone-in chicken breasts or thighs for extra flavor and moisture in the casserole.
- Rinse rice thoroughly before adding to remove excess starch and prevent clumping.
- Substitute cream of chicken soup with homemade white sauce for a healthier alternative.
- For gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and cream of chicken soup alternatives.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg