Chicken Rice Casserole makes for a crowd-pleasing dinner that comes together in under 5 minutes of prep time.
Made with only 4 ingredients, this dish has juicy chicken breasts and tender rice in a deliciously creamy sauce. This is a casserole that meal packs a lot of flavor in a filling one dish dinner and a meal that everyone will love!
Enjoy!
There is nothing like Chicken Rice Casserole for dinner. This dish is deliciously easy, creamy and totally satisfying and you’ll never believe it needs just 4 ingredients!
This is a special dish because the recipe comes from my BFF, Penny and she’s been making this for years. It’s her go-to, must have, favorite easy weeknight meal that I just had to try.
I have to admit, when I first made it I knew it would be tasty but… I had NO idea what I was in for and it’d definitely become a regular in our rotation!
This easy dish comes together in under 5 minutes, it’s one of the quickest dinner preps on my whole site (along with One Pot Pizza Tortellini Bake).
This dish is belly warming and comforting while being simple and easy to make, it’s like serving a nice warm hug from your Mom!
The chicken comes out incredibly tender and juicy, the rice is perfectly cooked in a rich and creamy sauce and the whole thing is loaded with flavor!
This easy Chicken Rice Casserole takes about an hour to bake (depending on your oven, you may need a few extra minutes but for me it’s about an hour), but that is one of the things that make it kind of the perfect dish.
We’ve made this just as written over and over but I’ve also added a little bit of onion to the bottom of the pan or a couple of handfuls of fresh mushrooms.
With very little minimal prep time, you can slide this casserole into the oven and relax, or maybe help with homework without feeling the usual dinner time rush!
5 minutes of work, and then perhaps a glass of wine or read your book for an hour? I feel like that’s a good idea for ALL weeknights!
I use homemade onion soup mix in this recipe, but you can use the kind in the envelope if you haven’t had a chance to mix up a batch yet. The flavor will be amazing either way!
My friend Penny also said she sometimes replaces the onion soup mix with a packet of gravy mix depending on what she has on hand!
If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, this makes for a delicious lunch the following day.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup long grain white rice uncooked
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 ounce dry onion soup mix 1 packet or use homemade
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 can
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish or glass baking pan with cooking spray (the rice doesn't cook well in a metal pan). Add chicken breasts and season with salt & pepper.
- Pour uncooked rice over chicken. Sprinkle with onion soup mix.
- Combine mushrooms soup and 1 ½ cups of water. Pour over chicken.
- Cover and bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until rice is tender.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Super easy and super yummy! It’s become a favorite in my home
I have made this recipe for years. If you are short on time, you can prepare the dish on the stove in a large skillet. I brown the chicken, usually cut up, and then add the remaining ingredients along with two cups of water. Bring to a boil, turn down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Your done! It has the same delicious flavor in less time.
That is a great time saving tip Jennifer! Thanks!
Recipe sounded good, but did not come out good. Wish I would have read the comments before making this. Followed directions exactly, and ended up with uncooked rice. Still in stove almost 2 hours later and rice is like mush now. Going to order a pizza and see if our dog will enjoy it. Waste of time and money.
My rice cooks perfectly in 1 hour and 15 minutes… if you leave your rice in for 2 hours that can certainly cause it to come out mushy.
Hello . I’m a 41 about to be 42 mother n wife of 20 yrs. I started making this recipe when I was 14 yrs old for my brothers and mom n dad.. but I add Asparagus always have and its still “omg goodness” but I have not used onion soup mix .. I think I might just to try it.. Got to try something different every once in a while
This was delicious. I did make it with Minute Rice and it came out great. I sliced the chicken breasts length ways so they were thinner and would cook faster. I added as much rice as you plan to feed the size of your family. I did the largest amount on the rice. Prepared the dish exactly the same as in the recipe except for these changes, covered it, put it in the oven at 350 for 40 minutes and my family loved it.
Thank you for sharing!! Glad your family loved it!
Hi im from the uk. What is onion soup mix and what would an equivalent to it that i can get outside of the usa. I know some ingredients dont translate. Would an onion consume be ok and reduce the water? Or is it more like a dry stock cube? Ours come in chicken or beef or vegetable
It’s more like a stock cube. I have a recipe for homemade onion soup mix here that may help you.
Can you cube the chicken and mix it all together instead of putting in whole breasts?
I haven’t tried it that way but I can’t see any reason it wouldn’t work. Let us know how it turns out for you!
I madethis lass week and everyone loved it. It was easy and quick and so very juicy. I’ve used basmatti rice and tonight am doing the long grain white rice.
I’m so glad everyone loved it!
I think the onion soup mix made the dish too salty. I seasoned the breasts, maybe shouldn’t have
Everyone loved it!! Especially me, so easy to make!
I’m so glad your family loved it!!
I would like to make this recipe, but I noticed some had trouble getting the rice to fully cook. How do you get the rice to cook perfectly? Will anyone share their secret? I have not gotten a reply yet.
jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
I’ve never had a problem getting my rice to cook through. I use a long grain white rice and ensure my dish is fully sealed with tin foil. I hope that helps!
Hi Holly,
I read a lady said she put her rice on the bottom of the baking dish, to ensure the rice cooked well. Is it best to place rice on top of the breasts still? or does it matter if its on the bottom. And as long as I seal it tightly with foil will the rice cook perfectly? I am a college student, and I don’t want to waist money and not have it come out perfectly. if it does not cook fully in 1hr 15 min. how much longer should we keep it in? Could you please answer all these concerns.
jacqueline
I have only made this recipe exactly as written and it works out perfectly for me.
Hi Holly,
I had another question about the 325 temperature. There is conventional and convection ovens. I have a regular gas stove & oven, do I still cook at 325 the recommended temp. or do I try 375 degrees?
If you have a regular gas oven you should still cook this at 325 degrees.
Hi Holly,
I have a 12 oz box of cream of mushroom soup. But it calls for 1 can (10)oz of soup, do I just measure out 10 oz of it using a measuring cup?
A canned condensed mushroom soup has a thicker more jelly like texture so I’m not sure if your soup would have the same consistency. If it is a thick condensed soup base, measuring out 10 oz should be just fine!
If I wanted to use brown rice, how much water would I add for 1 cup of rice? best estimate?
How long should I keep it in the oven since brown rice takes longer.
I can’t say for sure, I’ve only made this recipe as written.
Made this for dinner tonight and it turned out great! I cooked it on 350 only because I was nervous of the reviews. Worked out great with the time you specified. The chicken came out very tender and the rice was just right. The fam jam enjoyed it and I enjoyed the ease of it! Will definitely make again! Thanks for the recipe. Next time I will try cream of chicken soup! (:
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
This was absolutely scrumptious! I was apprehensive because it seemed too easy but even my 5 year old (who eats NOTHING but plain rice) asked for seconds!
I’m so glad your family loved it Michelle!
Hi Holly! This recipe looks great. I’m wondering what garnish you’re using as a finishing touch in the video. Looks delicious. Thanks!
I added a little bit of parsley as garnish, mostly for color. :)
Wonderful! Thank you.
I’ve been making this for years now, I got the recipe from my Grandmother. The only difference is I’ve been adding 3 cups of water, which increases the cooking time to 2 hours and leaves a more liquidy rice mixture. Otherwise, it’s identical. I may have to reduce the amount of water & cooking time
Sometimes those old recipes are just be best ones!
Oh I see it now! ( the water amount)
How much water?
Do you cover the dish for baking?
Yes, make sure it is covered.
Like others have commented, after 1.5 hours the chicken was still raw and the rice was hard. I followed directions exactly. :(
That is disappointing for sure. I have made this several times and it always works out, so I cannot say for sure why.
Can I use a packet of uncle Bens wild rice and seasoning instead?
I have only made this recipe as written, however if you do make this change please let me know how it turns out.
Even my super picky 1.5 year old liked this! And it’s so quick and easy. Definitely making this again soon!
So glad your family loved it Bobbi!