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Home Recipe Index Casseroles

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

★★★★★ 5 /5
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Rachel Tiemeyer
By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 7/8/22Updated: 11/2/22

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This chicken and rice casserole is healthier than most–filled with veggies, brown rice, and chicken–but still creamy, cheesy, and comforting!

cheesy chicken and rice casserole being scooped out of casserole dish
Contents hide
About This Recipe
Ingredients in Chicken and Rice Casserole
Video: How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole
Step-by-Step Overview of the Recipe
Can You Freeze Chicken and Rice Casserole?
What to Serve with Chicken and Rice Casserole
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Did you make this?

About This Recipe

Looking for a delicious casserole that DOESN’T include canned soup or other junky ingredients? This is it!

I worked hard (many, many tests and tweaks over the years!) to include lots of veggies and real food ingredients yet make sure this casserole lives up to its traditional reputation as comfort food.

This chicken casserole has the perfect balance of creaminess, comfort, crunch, and healthiness, in my humble opinion.

overhead shot of chicken casserole portions dished out on plates with side salad

Ingredients in Chicken and Rice Casserole

Like I mentioned, the old school chicken and rice casserole of yore included canned cream soup filled with additives, preservatives, salt, and sugar that’s pretty terrible for your body. But…this casserole sacrifices none of the flavor you remember while being filled with good-for-you ingredients!

overhead shot of ingredients like chicken, rice, and veggies

Here’s what you’ll need on hand…

  • Veggies: onion, carrots, celery, broccoli, & garlic
  • Seasonings: poultry seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper
  • Cooked chicken
  • Cooked brown rice
  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Panko breadcrumbs – I like to use whole wheat. You can also make your own breadcrumbs.

Video: How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole

Before getting started, check out how this delicious meal comes together…

Step-by-Step Overview of the Recipe

Now, let me give you a visual walk-through of this recipe so you’re armed and ready to create this luscious casserole yourself.

Step 1: Saute & Season the Veggies

Chop all the veggies fairly small and uniformly and then saute until soft. You’ll season them with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and Italian seasoning. Set them aside.

carrots, onions, and broccoli being sautéed in a cast iron pan

Step 2: Mix Together the Wet Ingredients

Here’s comes the comfort factor! In a large mixing bowl, you’ll stir together broth, sour cream (or plain, full-fat Greek yogurt would work), shredded cheddar cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese.

process shot of wet ingredients

Step 3: Stir in the Chicken, Veggies, and Brown Rice

Add in the cooked chicken, sautéed veggies, and cooked brown rice to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

process shot of chicken, veggies, and brown rice in a mixing bowl

Step 4: Combine Everything in Casserole Dish

Add the mixture to a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish.

process shot of casserole

Mix Panko Breadcrumbs with Oil

Stir a little bit of olive oil into the Panko. The oil will ensure that they brown up in the oven. You can use whole wheat Panko or gluten-free dry breadcrumbs if you prefer.

overhead shot of bowl of panko breadcrumbs

Step 6: Top with Panko Breadcrumbs

Top the casserole with an even layer of the breadcrumbs. This will provide a little crunch on top.

process shot of making a chicken casserole

Step 6: Bake

Bake at 375°F for about 25-30 minutes or until it’s golden on the top and the sides are bubbly.

over head shot of a chicken casserole

Step 7: Serve

Serve warm with a simple side salad for a delightful, family-friendly dinner!

close up shot of chicken casserole portions dished out on plates with side salad

Can You Freeze Chicken and Rice Casserole?

Absolutely! Like all of our freezer meal recipes, we offer freezing instructions for the best result. We’ve learned that it’s ideal to freeze casseroles before baking so they turn out tasting fresh.

How to Freeze For Later: Follows Steps 2-5 in the recipe below. Do not bake the casserole. Tightly wrap the dish in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil, pressing out any air. Freeze.

How to Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the casserole completely (24-48 hours in the fridge is best). Set the casserole on the counter and preheat the oven to 375°F. Follow Step 6 in the recipe.

Be sure to double this recipe while you’re at it and freeze one for later. What a great use of your time in the kitchen!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole covered with foil to go in the freezer

What to Serve with Chicken and Rice Casserole

From salads to other sides, here are some tasty serving suggestions.

Cranberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Citrus Dressing

Cranberry Spinach Salad with Creamy Citrus Dressing

Texas Toast

Crockpot Cinnamon Applesauce

bread machine wheat rolls

Bread Machine Wheat Rolls

over head shot of a chicken casserole

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

cheesy chicken and rice casserole being scooped out of casserole dish
★★★★★ 5 from 11 reviews

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

A fantastic, healthy way to use up some leftover broccoli and chicken. Try this casserole and win over your family!

Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 30 minutesTotal: 50 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2–3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2–3 celery ribs, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2 cups finely chopped broccoli (sub: cauliflower)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken* (great use of leftover Rotisserie chicken)
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice (here’s how to make it in the Instant Pot)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (sub: shredded Asiago cheese)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (finely shredded melts best)
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (I prefer whole wheat; or use dry gluten-free breadcrumbs)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
  2. Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmery, sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and broccoli for about 5 minutes, just until very soft. Add in the garlic during the last 30-60 seconds. Season with poultry seasoning, Italian seasoning, and lightly with salt and pepper while veggies cook. Remove from the heat.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream and chicken stock. Then stir in Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese. Lastly, add the cooked chicken, cooked brown rice, and sautéed veggies and stir to combine.
  4. Spoon the rice mixture into the casserole dish and press down to evenly distribute. 
  5. In a separate small bowl, combine bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Evenly distribute on top of the casserole. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
  6. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until casserole is slightly bubbling around the edges. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end, if the top isn’t brown enough. Serve warm.

Freeze For Later: Follows Steps 2-5. Do not bake. Tightly wrap the dish in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil, pressing out any air. Freeze.

Prepare From Frozen: Thaw completely (24-48 hours in the fridge is best). Set the casserole on the counter and preheat the oven to 375°F. Follow Step 6.

Equipment

9×12 Glass Baking Dish with Lid (Freezer Container)

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Measuring Cups

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Chefs Knife

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avocado oil

Avocado Oil

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Mixing Bowl

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Notes/Tips

*How to Pre-Cook the Chicken: Season 2-3 chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper. Bake at 400°F for about 20-30 minutes (until no longer pink inside or register 165°F internally). Let rest on wooden cutting board for 5-10 minutes and then shred or dice the chicken.

Gluten-Free Version: Leave off the breadcrumbs or use almond meal or dry gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Can I Make a Dairy-Free Version? I don’t recommend this, as the sour cream and cheese are a vital part of this recipe’s success.

Vegetarian Version: Leave out the chicken and double the amount of veggies.

Tip: To add in some color, add 2-3 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley to the wet mixture.

Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. 

© Author: Thriving Home
Cuisine: American Method: Baking

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Rachel Tiemeyer

Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

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  1. AvatarTonima Tonmi says

    Posted on 3/5/23 at 11:15 pm

    One of our favorite family recipes has become this one! It makes a healthy comfort food recipe.

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 3/6/23 at 9:21 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  2. AvatarKatie says

    Posted on 2/17/23 at 8:44 am

    My family LOVES this casserole! It’s hearty and filled with veggies. It’s so delicious and great for leftovers or to bring to another family. I’ve made it several times.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 2/17/23 at 2:35 pm

      Sometimes you just need a good casserole! Glad this is a favorite for your family Katie. Thanks for leaving a review!

      Reply
  3. AvatarHannah C. says

    Posted on 12/25/22 at 4:44 pm

    This has become one of our favorite family recipes! It’s nutritious and a great comfort food recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 12/26/22 at 11:43 am

      Love to hear this Hannah!

      Reply
  4. AvatarKate says

    Posted on 9/9/22 at 9:47 am

    We LOVED this! I used soy curls instead of chicken and it worked great. Totally comforting on a cold day.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla FletcherCarla Fletcher says

      Posted on 9/9/22 at 10:12 am

      So glad you were able to adapt it with soy curls. Thank you for leaving the comment so others will know as well!

      Reply
  5. AvatarEmily says

    Posted on 8/10/22 at 4:01 pm

    Delicious! Since the husband doesn’t care for broccoli I swapped it out and used bell pepper instead. Used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, but this recipe is a keeper!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 8/11/22 at 9:31 pm

      Great recommendations for swaps. Thanks for the feedback and review. So glad you all enjoyed it!

      Reply
  6. AvatarDebra B. says

    Posted on 8/8/22 at 1:57 pm

    Total win here. Left out the carrots. Loved the teeny tiny veggies. Made 2 8x8s and froze 2nd one in a gallon bag. That one we didn’t bother with topping. Thanks so much.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Polly ConnerPolly Conner says

      Posted on 8/8/22 at 2:51 pm

      So smart to freeze one! Your future self will thank you. We appreciate you leaving a review.

      Reply
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