Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
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This cheesy chicken and rice casserole is healthier than most–filled with veggies, brown rice, and chicken–but still creamy, cheesy, and comforting!
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. If you like the sound of this one, you may also like our Turkey Stuffing Casserole, Chicken Parmesan Casserole, and Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Casserole.
Ingredients Notes
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!
Keep a few things in mind about the ingredients:
- Veggies – I used onion, carrots, celery, broccoli, & garlic. However, this is a pretty forgiving casserole, so feel free to swap out any of these for what you have on hand. Finely chopped and sautéed cauliflower, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips, green beans, and more would work!
- Cooked chicken – This recipe calls for cooked and diced/shredded chicken (white or dark meat) as an ingredient. Rotisserie Chicken from the store is a smart short-cut. One whole chicken usually yields about 4 cups shredded chicken. Other methods include:
- Use our fast cooking instructions in the recipe notes
- Use chicken from our Roasted Chicken and Vegetables recipe.
- Make Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Make a Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot
- Cooked brown rice – A handy way to prepare this is with our Instant Pot Brown Rice recipe. You can certainly sub in white rice instead, but I really like using Lundberg brand brown rice for extra nutrients. That brand is especially careful about avoiding arsenic in their product, which can be a hazard when eating a lot of brown rice.
- Panko breadcrumbs – I like to use whole wheat Panko because they are crunchy and just a bit healthier. However, you can also make your own homemade bread crumbs or gluten-free bread crumbs.
Note: You’ll find the full ingredient list and printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
What Brand of Brown Rice Should I Buy?
I highly recommend Lundberg Organic Brown Rice, as it’s grown in California and is a brand that actively cares about avoiding dangerous arsenic levels in their rice. (Read more about how rice–especially when it’s grown outside California, Pakistan, and India–is contaminated by arsenic here.)
Variations and Substitutions
Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free bread crumbs, leave off the breadcrumbs, or use almond meal instead.
Dairy-Free Version: I don’t recommend this, as the sour cream and cheese are a vital part of this recipe’s success. However, you can try using a non-dairy cheese like Daiya brand and a non-dairy Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. I’m just not sure how well this will work, since I haven’t tested it.
Vegetarian Version: Leave out the chicken, use vegetable broth, and double the amount of veggies. You could also replace the chicken with cooked black beans or navy beans for more protein.
Cream of Chicken Substitution: You can sub our Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup for the sour cream and chicken broth. Since the cream soup is homemade, you still avoid all the additives and stuff in the canned versions.
Step-by-Step Overview of the Recipe
Before you get started, here’s a visual walk-through of this recipe so you’re armed and ready to create this luscious casserole yourself.
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.
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.
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.
Combine Everything in Casserole Dish
Add the mixture to a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish.
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, homemade breadcrumbs, or gluten-free breadcrumbs if you prefer.
Top with Panko Breadcrumbs
Top the casserole with an even layer of the breadcrumbs. This will provide a little crunch on top.
Bake
Bake at 375°F for about 25-30 minutes or until it’s golden on the top and the sides are bubbly.
Serve
Serve warm with a simple side with homemade salad dressing for a delightful, family-friendly dinner!
What to Serve with Chicken and Rice Casserole
From salads to other sides, here are some tasty serving suggestions.
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!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! While melty shredded cheddar is a standard of this kind of casserole, try experimenting using other cheeses, such as Pepper Jack for a little kick of heat, Gruyere for a more gourmet casserole, or even goat cheese or feta cheese crumbles. This casserole is very forgiving, so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.
This recipe calls for cooked and diced/shredded chicken (white or dark meat) as an ingredient. Rotisserie chicken from the store is a smart shortcut. One whole chicken usually yields about 4 cups shredded chicken. Or, you can 1) use our fast cooking instructions in the recipe notes, 2) cook chicken in the Crock Pot, or 3) cook chicken in the Instant Pot ahead of time.
This casserole is a great one to prepare in advance. After prepping but before baking it, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I used onion, carrots, celery, broccoli, & garlic. But, feel free to swap out any of these for what you have on hand. Finely chopped and sautéed cauliflower, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips, green beans, and more would work!
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 like this one before baking so they turn out tasting fresh. After putting the casserole together but before baking it, tightly wrap the dish in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil, pressing out any air. Freeze for up to 3 months.
In my 15+ years of freezer cooking experience, I’ve found that cooking casseroles that are frozen solid can yield sub-optimal results. Oftentimes, they turn out dry and overcooked on the edges while still cold in the middle. The best option is to thaw this casserole completely in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours (or in a pinch use the defrost setting on the microwave) and then bake according to the recipe directions.
More Chicken Casseroles to Try
If you like this casserole, you’re sure to love some of these other favorite chicken casseroles:
- Chicken and Stuffing Casserole (or Turkey Stuffing Casserole)
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
- Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
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
This cheesy chicken and rice casserole is healthier than most–filled with veggies, brown rice, and chicken–but still creamy, cheesy, and comforting! It’s a fantastic, healthy way to use up some leftover broccoli and chicken.
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
- 1 cup sour cream (sub: plain Greek yogurt)
- 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)
- 2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken* (great use of leftover Rotisserie chicken)
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (here’s how to make brown rice in the Instant Pot)
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (I prefer whole wheat; or use dry gluten-free breadcrumbs)
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Saute Veggies: 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, until softened. 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.
- Make Filling: 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. Spoon the rice mixture into the casserole dish and press down to evenly distribute.
- Add Breadcrumbs: In a separate small bowl, combine bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Evenly distribute on top of the casserole. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Bake and Serve: 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 2-4. Do not bake. Tightly wrap the dish in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil, pressing out any air. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw completely (24-48 hours in the fridge is best). Set casserole on the counter and preheat the oven to 375°F. Follow Step 5.
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: Use gluten free bread crumbs, leave off the breadcrumbs, or use almond meal instead.
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. However, you can try using a non-dairy cheese like Daiya brand and a non-dairy Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. I’m just not sure how well this will work, since I haven’t tested it.
Vegetarian Version: Leave out the chicken, use vegetable broth, and double the amount of veggies. You could also replace the chicken with cooked black beans or navy beans for more protein.
Cream of Chicken Substitution: You can sub our Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup for the sour cream and chicken broth. Since the cream soup is homemade, you still avoid all the additives and stuff in the canned versions.
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.
This is our go-to recipes for chicken casserole. Love it!
Yay! Glad you love this Jen. Thanks for leaving a review!
Very Delicious and very basic ingredients
Thanks for the review. Really glad to hear you liked it!