Chicken and Rice Casserole is a classic family favorite here in the United States. It is total comfort food. In this recipe, we’ve stuck with a completely “from scratch” concept made from real ingredients. In addition, this recipe is made in just ONE pan, making clean-up a breeze for those busy weeknights!
Why Our Recipe
- Made completely from scratch, so you’re not using any canned/boxed ingredients.
- Made directly in the baking dish, so you don’t even have to get a single bowl or pan dirty.
- Prep time is only 10 minutes. The oven takes care of the rest!
A lot of times nowadays, chicken and rice casserole comes from a box or is made from a bunch of canned ingredients. Not here! We are bringing you completely from scratch deliciousness for your family to enjoy. You still get to dump everything in a pan, but this time it’s all whole, real ingredients. There is ABSOLUTELY NO cream of chicken in this dish.
Ingredient Notes
- Long Grain White Rice: we recommend using only regular white rice in this recipe. Instant rice is not a good option and will overcook in this casserole. Brown rice requires a much longer cooking time than white rice and is also not recommended for this recipe.
- White Onion: you can also use a yellow onion interchangeably.
- Salted Butter: unsalted butter can also be used, but you’ll want to add a little more salt to the recipe.
- Flour: flour is necessary for thickening up the sauce used in the casserole.
- Chicken Broth: vegetable broth can also be used.
- Heavy Cream: whole milk can also be used, but the casserole won’t be as creamy.
- Seasonings: salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika add great flavor to this recipe.
- Chicken Thighs: Thighs are used because they are much more forgiving when it comes to drying out and with a long cooking time, that’s what we need. You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you’d like. Chicken breasts will end up dry.
The Best Rice to Use
This recipe calls for long-grain white rice. We recommend using jasmine or basmati rice in this recipe for best results. Both are types of long grain white rice, but they tend to be a little more consistent in quality than something generically labeled as long grain rice.
Lower-cost or store-brand rice often has more broken grains and excess rice flour, which can cause uneven cooking and leave extra liquid in your casserole. Jasmine and basmati rice absorb liquid more predictably and bake up light and fluffy.
Keeping the Chicken on Top of the Rice
To ensure the chicken stays on top of the rice and doesn’t sink into the liquid, placement is key. After pouring the broth and cream mixture over the rice, gently smooth the rice into an even layer with the back of a spoon. Then, carefully place the chicken thighs skin-side up directly on top.
It’s important not to press the chicken down into the liquid—just let it rest on the surface. The chicken will naturally nestle into the rice as it cooks, but starting it above the liquid will help the skin stay exposed for optimal crisping. The combination of thickened rice from the flour and careful placement keeps the chicken nicely on top throughout baking.
Adding a Veggie
Casseroles are pretty convenient as well as forgiving. If you want to add some veggies into this mix, frozen peas and carrots are going to be a great option. Add up to 2 cups and stir them in with the rice before baking. No need to thaw beforehand, but do reduce the amount of broth by about 1/4 cup to compensate for the added liquid.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat portions in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
More delicious chicken thigh recipes
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Don’t know what some those people are bitchin about. Followed the recipe, turned out perfect.
I’ve been doing a rice & chicken bake for a few years. This beat my recipe. Flavor off the charts, cooked perfectly. Ending the bake with a broil adds a nice crisp to chicken. I liked the chicken broth and hot water addition for this recipe. Thanks for sharing Rachel.
This recipe is trash! Let’s take the focus off of your test kitchen and rice choice and analyze the five cups of liquid ingredients!
Thanks for your feedback. It’s always helpful to hear different experiences with a recipe. The liquid ratio can definitely make or break a dish like this. If your casserole came out too wet, it might be worth looking at the type of rice used and whether it was pre-rinsed, as that can affect how much liquid it absorbs. Every oven and ingredient behaves a little differently, so adjustments are sometimes needed. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts!
Excellent but be careful when increasing the serving size. Had to split it between two pans, to fit the chicken, and it was hard to judge how much rice/liquid to put in each. I suggest making two separate recipes, for two pans. Otherwise, it was excellent. Be sure to use designated amount of salt, if not more.
Great suggestion on using two pans and measuring separately for each.