Chicken Rice Casserole

Need a no-fuss chicken and rice dish for tonight's dinner? This tasty homemade one-pan wonder is just what you're looking for! I'm a big fan of making this cheesy bake because it's not only comforting but my entire family gobbles it up. You'll only need a single dish and a handful of ingredients for this warm meal that'll soon become your family's regular request.

What Makes This Dish Foolproof

Whenever I cook this straightforward one-pan chicken and rice, everyone wants more. The juicy chicken, well-cooked rice, and velvety cheese blend create the ultimate comfort food experience. What do I love most about this from-scratch creation? Everything bakes together, so there's barely any cleanup. It works great whether I'm just feeding my household or entertaining guests.

An Easy Take On Tradition

This warm chicken and rice dish has topped our family favorites list for ages. I've adjusted the approach to simplify it while keeping all that heartwarming traditional flavor. My quick version gives you that homemade taste without spending your whole evening in the kitchen.

Easy Path To A Tasty Meal

Let me show you how to whip up this mouthwatering one-pan meal straight from my kitchen:

1. Start With Basics: First warm your oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, grab everything you'll need for this simple one-pan dish. I find it helpful to measure and line up all ingredients first.
2. Ready Your Dish: For this homemade creation, coat a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. This stops food from sticking and makes washing up quicker.
3. Blend The Foundation: In a big bowl, stir together your raw rice, both condensed soups, milk, water, and the onion soup mix packet. This combo gives our chicken and rice its amazing taste. Mix until completely combined.
4. Create The Bed: Transfer your rice blend into your greased pan. Make sure it's level – this matters for even cooking. Scatter half your cheese over the rice mix.
5. Position Your Protein: Place your chicken pieces on the rice mixture. Push them down gently so they sit nicely in the dish. Add extra salt and pepper if you want more flavor.
6. Wrap And Heat: This bit's crucial – wrap the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Your quick meal needs this to cook right. Put it in the oven for roughly 1½ to 2 hours.
7. Test If It's Ready: After about 1½ hours, check if the rice feels soft and the chicken's fully cooked. The chicken should reach 165°F inside.
8. Final Addition: When everything's cooked, take off the foil, sprinkle on the leftover cheese, and let it turn gooey and delicious with about 5 more minutes in the oven.
9. Cool And Dish Up: Let your creation cool for around 15 minutes before serving. This helps everything firm up just right.

Your Shopping List

• Rice: One cup uncooked for this quick one-pan meal.
• Cream Soups: One can each of cream of chicken and mushroom create the rich base for this homemade dish.
• Liquids: Half cup each milk and water to cook your rice perfectly.
• Seasoning: One packet onion soup mix for tons of taste.
• Chicken: Two chicken breasts make this dish filling and satisfying.
• Cheese: Two cups shredded cheddar for that can't-resist cheesy finish.

Quick Cooking Guide

1. Create Your Base: For this simple one-dish meal, start by mixing rice, condensed soups, milk, water, and flavor packets in a bowl.
2. Stack The Ingredients: Put your mixture in a baking dish, add half the cheese, then place chicken on top. This from-scratch approach works best with even layers.
3. Cooking Time: Cover and cook your dish at 350°F for about 2 hours until chicken's safe and rice is soft.
4. Add Final Cheese: Sprinkle with left over cheese and let it melt completely.
5. Ready To Eat: Let your finished dish sit before eating - you'll be glad you waited!

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Personalize Your Plate

This simple one-dish chicken and rice is totally adaptable. Try swapping cheese types, throwing in your go-to veggies, or mixing in herbs. I really enjoy adding broccoli to my homemade version for extra nutrients and color. The main components stay unchanged, but you can tweak the extras to match what your family likes.

Get Ahead Strategies

Save time with these smart planning tricks for your one-dish wonder:

• Put together this quick chicken and rice the evening before.
• Cook twice as much of this from-scratch dish, save half for another day.
• Your ready-to-bake meal stays good in the freezer up to 3 months.

Crowd-Pleasing Comfort

This quick chicken and rice is more than just food - it's comfort on a plate! Your homemade creation will quickly climb to the top of your family's favorites list. Whether it's a hectic weeknight or a relaxed weekend dinner, this one-pan dish always hits the spot. It's the kind of meal that brings everyone running to the table, ready to dig in.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why does this take time to cook?

Cooking for a while gives the rice enough time to soak up the liquid and get that creamy texture. Long-grain rice (not the instant kind) needs this to cook through.

→ Can I swap chicken breasts for thighs?

Sure, chicken thighs work wonderfully. They stay moist even with the extra cooking time and are especially good if you’re switching to brown rice.

→ What’s wrong with using minute rice?

Instant rice will get too soft and lose its texture because of the longer cook time and liquid in this recipe. Stick with regular long-grain rice.

→ Can I throw in veggies?

Absolutely! Add some mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, or any other favorite veg before baking. Both frozen and fresh work nicely.

→ How do I make sure my chicken stays moist?

Lay your chicken right in the rice mixture and seal the dish properly with foil while baking. Let it sit for 15–20 minutes after it’s done cooking.