Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Why you’ll love it

I know that after a busy day, all anyone really wants to do is pick up a rotisserie chicken and call it a night. But combine it with Minute Rice, cheddar cheese, frozen veggies, a couple of pantry ingredients, and it’s transformed into the best chicken casserole ever. To get these delicious results while saving time and effort is a huge win for parents out there especially.

This creamy chicken and rice casserole will become a family favorite, and it’s super convenient because it has protein, veggies, and a starch all in one effortless dump-and-bake meal! It’s also a fantastic budget-friendly option that feeds a crowd. The whole thing is basically a combo of all my favorite flavors from chicken pot pie but so much easier and incredibly comforting.

What you’ll need

• Cream of chicken soup – condensed soup is a tried and true shortcut to infuse creaminess and rich flavor in casseroles. No shame in that!
• Chicken broth – for moisture and even more savory flavor
• Instant rice – it’s convenient and ensures the rice is cooked properly. I used white Minute Rice.
• Chicken – I chose rotisserie for ease, but if you have some leftover cooked chicken, that works too
• Frozen mixed vegetables – an easy way to add veggies. No need to thaw first! Mine had diced carrots, peas, corn, and green beans.
• Garlic powder and onion powder – two essentials in my pantry for aromatic flavor
• Italian seasoning – it’s my go-to dried herb blend that comes all in one jar and adds tons of flavor to many recipes of mine
• Scallions – they’re a mild green onion that add a pop of freshness
• Cheddar – grate a block of cheddar for best results. It’ll melt and taste better than the pre-shredded kind. I like to use this grater.

How to make this chicken and rice casserole

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large prep bowl, stir together the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth until combined. Grease a 9×13 baking dish, and then add in the chicken, rice, veggies, seasonings, scallions, and 1 cup of the cheddar.

Pour in the condensed soup mixture, and toss everything until coated. Smooth into a uniform layer. Cover tightly with foil or a lid, and bake for 45 minutes. Take it out of the oven, remove the foil, and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered until hot and melty.

Substitutions and variations

• This recipe has only been tested with instant rice. Subbing uncooked regular rice won’t work with the suggested cooking times and liquid quantity. You could try subbing pre-cooked rice (use 6 cups cooked rice) and decrease cooking time if you can’t get Minute Rice.
• You could try swapping for another variety of condensed soup or mix and match, like using two cream of chicken and one cream of mushroom or celery.
• Our kitchen has not tested this, but in theory you could halve the amount and make it in an 8×8 baking dish. The cooking time may need to be adjusted, so keep an eye on it.