Chicken and Rice Casserole

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chicken-rice-casserole-recipe, easy-chicken-and-rice-casserole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings servings

Calories 460kcal

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch deep baking dish with cooking spray.
To the baking dish add uncooked rice, chicken stock, soups, melted butter, mayonnaise, rice, chicken noodle soup mix, garlic salt, lemon pepper and onion. Whisk together until fully combined. (Alternately you may do this in a mixing bowl and pour the mixture into the baking dish.)
Arrange cubed chicken breasts on top gently pressing into the mixture. Dot the top with 2 tablespoons butter.
Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook for 30 minutes or just until rice is tender and liquid absorbed. (You can also top it with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese at this point)
Garnish top with parsley and serve.

Fresh Herbs: Other herbs you may like to add is dried or fresh thyme, fresh basil or oregano or tarragon.

Soup Substitution: You can use cream of mushroom soup, cream of onion soup, or even cheddar cheese soup in place of cream of celery soup. You could also use two cans of cream of chicken soup.

Steamed Veggies: You could add 2 cups of chopped steamed broccoli florets or one cup frozen petite peas or one cup mixed frozen vegetables to this chicken and rice casserole. The broccoli should be lightly steamed, the peas can be added frozen and the mixed vegetables should be thawed.

Cracker Topping: If you'd like to add a crispy topping, toss 1/2 cup of crushed Ritz crackers with one tablespoon melted butter and add it with the Parmesan cheese.