The Best Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole is made completely from scratch in this easy one pan recipe that’s sure to please the whole family!
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. In addition, this recipe is made in just ONE pan.
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.
Rice Options:
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.
Is Best Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole really made in only one pan?
This recipe is made directly in a 9×13 baking dish. There’s no need to dirty any bowls or pots or pans. Simply stir everything together directly in the 9×13 pan, add in your chicken, season, and bake. It’s that simple!
Chicken Options?
Chicken thighs are used in this recipe because they will stay moist during the long baking process. If you prefer, chicken breasts can be used instead, but you’ll want to check the chicken and rice to see if both are done after baking for 1 hour. The additional 30 minutes of cooking may be unnecessary for chicken breasts. Use thick chicken breasts for best results.
Storage and Reheating Instructions:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious chicken thigh recipes:
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
- Easy Garlic Lime Skillet Chicken
- Mom’s Chicken Cacciatore
- Mexican-Spiced Chicken Thighs
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, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Hi.. I did it yesterday evening for dinner.. very delicious incredible all my 3 kids went crazy…as usual all your recipes are a success thanks!!!!
For those who don’t like taste of chicken thigh skin, you can dry skinless boneless thighs, remove all fat, and coat with mayonnaise on all sides before adding spices. It will not taste like mayonnaise when it is finished and the chicken will keep the moisture without the fat and skin. This works with skinless chicken breasts, as well. If the flour is stirred into the melted butter, there won’t be any white specks to work out.
Seriously so good! Loved this recipe!
I’ve made other recipes similar to this one. This one by far has been the best! We loved it! Thank you!
I made this last night and it was good but not quite the revelation as described. One point in its favor is that my picky eater liked it. I did like the fact that there was not a single unpronounceable ingredient in it. It was nice just putting everything in one pan and into the oven. I read the instructions carefully and also the reviews. I mixed the melted butter and flour together first so did not have to struggle to get rid of white clumps of flour. Many reviews suggested 4 cups of broth and that was the perfect amount. I used Herbs de Provence instead of Italian seasoning. When I got the chicken thighs out of the frige I found that I had gotten the wrong ones out of the freezer and had boneless, skinless thighs. It was too late to change course and they actually worked out quite nicely. I used a cookie sheet as the cover instead of aluminum foil and found that much easier. I might try a bit of cheese on this the next time I make it. Thanks for posting!
Wow, this was absolutely Phenomenal. The rice was perfect, the flavor over the top!! My family loved this and we will be making as a regular menu item at The Miller House
I made this for dinner tonight and it was excellent . Thank you Rachel for the recipe. I love watching you cook. You make it so easy. Keep the recipes coming. I pray God keeps you well and strong.
My family loves rice so I increased the rice by 1 cup (3cups rice total); however, I kept the broth at 5 cups. I didn’t have heavy cream so I used 1.5 cups of half & half. I had some frozen peas and broccoli in the freezer so I added that to the pan. This was my first experience baking rice so I was really nervous about the rice to liquid ratio, but it came out completely fluffy and perfect, none of the rice was hard or uncooked. I did sauté the onions in some butter first and made sure to use Better Than Bouillon Chicken. This recipe got devoured by the entire family and filled us all up quickly. I have now added this to the rotation.
what kind of rice did you use
I read the comments about 5 cups chicken broth being too much, so instead used 3 cups chicken broth and 1 cup of white wine. I did also season my basmati rice more aggressively with some Herbs de Provence and a small handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Turned out great. Will add peas or broccoli next time.
Made this for supper two days ago! Wonderful meal then and just as good tonight eating leftovers! Served with green beans on the side. I’ll try adding some broccoli the next time but I must say this recipe is fabulous just as written!
This is now a staple in our house. My son has never cared for rice but the flavor is so good he loved it. Thank you for a great recipe!