This cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe has it all! Tender rotisserie chicken, rice, and broccoli are combined with a creamy, cheesy sauce and finished with a buttery cracker topping. It’s family-friendly for a weeknight dinner, but perfect for a potluck, too.
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Pin RecipeOne of my favorite meal planning hacks is rotisserie chicken. Buy one, and you can have easy dinners for days!
For example, you can start by serving the chicken with a side of broccoli casserole. Then, reserve a few cups for this easy Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe, and use the leftovers to make homemade chicken noodle soup, Easy Chicken Tetrazzini, or white chicken enchiladas!
Chicken and Rice Recipe
Chicken and Rice Casserole is one of those classic weeknight meals that seem to have endless variations. Different versions use different types of soups and vegetables; some have a crispy cracker topping, while others are sprinkled with paprika.
I might be biased, but I think this is the best Chicken and Rice recipe out there. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s super creamy, deliciously cheesy, and gets a boost in the nutrition department thanks to the addition of broccoli. (Even with the broccoli, I promise your kids will devour it!) What more could you look for in a recipe?
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Ingredients
For the Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter so you can have control over the seasonings.
- Rotisserie chicken – Or use leftover Instant Pot Whole Chicken.
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Chicken broth – You can use chicken stock, too. Just note that you may need to add some additional salt because stock is unseasoned.
- Olive oil
- White long-grain rice
- Frozen broccoli florets
- Condensed cream of chicken soup
- Milk – I like using either whole or reduced-fat milk when cooking.
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
For the casserole topping:
- Ritz crackers – Or a similar buttery cracker, like Town House.
- Melted butter
Quick Tip
Avoid using instant rice for this recipe. You’ll end up with a mushy, unappetizing texture!
Variations
- Soup – Cream of chicken soup can be replaced with cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup.
- Broccoli – Not a fan of broccoli? Frozen peas, cauliflower, or even a vegetable medley can be used in this recipe.
- Add more veggies – Want even more nutrients? Amp up the veggie factor by folding in fresh baby spinach in Step 7 of the recipe.
- Crackers – You can leave out the crackers and butter, and use French-fried onions instead.
- Turkey – If you’ve got leftovers after Thanksgiving, feel free to swap the chicken for cooked turkey instead.
How to Make Chicken and Rice
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350ºF, and grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Cook the rice: Add the butter, chicken broth, olive oil, and rice to a large pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer; cook for 7 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat. (You can also make Instant Pot Rice.)
- Combine the casserole ingredients: Stir the broccoli into the rice in the pot. Then, put the cover back on the pot, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Next, stir in the rotisserie chicken, soup, milk, sour cream, and a cup of shredded cheese.
- Bake: Pour the chicken and rice mixture into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Cover, and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Add the topping: Melt the butter, and crumble the crackers. Fold the cracker crumbs into the melted butter, coating them completely. Then, sprinkle them over the top of the casserole.
- Finish cooking: Return the casserole to the oven uncovered, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the crumbs are golden brown. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Quick Tip
If you have leftovers, I recommend heating them in the oven at 350ºF rather than microwaving them. This keeps the topping crispy!
FAQs
Sure! You’ve got a protein and a carb. Add a vegetable, and you have a pretty balanced meal. Of course, plain chicken and rice are a little bit bland, which is why the combo is usually gussied up with a sauce, like in the recipe below.
In this recipe, we use rotisserie chicken, so this isn’t a concern. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut whenever you’re making a chicken casserole! However, as long as you cook raw chicken all the way through, it is safe to cook with rice and other ingredients.
No, the rice needs to be partially cooked for this casserole, as described in the recipe. It will continue to soften while baking in the oven.
More Comfort Food Casserole Recipes
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Equipment
- Large pot
- 9×13 casserole dish
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups white long grain rice uncooked
- 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen broccoli florets thawed
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese separated
Casserole Topping
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup Ritz crackers crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, Salt/Pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat until melted. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Note: This step is not needed if using a cooked rotisserie chicken.2 Tablespoons butter
- Add the chicken broth, olive oil, and rice to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.2 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 1/4 cups white long grain rice
- Cover tightly and cook for 7 minutes.
- Add the broccoli to the rice and turn off the heat. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes, do not stir.1 (16 ounce) bag frozen broccoli florets
- Add the cooked chicken, soup, milk, sour cream, and half of the cheddar cheese. Stir only to combine.1 (10.5 ounce) can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, ½ cup milk, ½ cup sour cream, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Add to a lightly greased 9 x 13 casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
- Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
- Melt the butter and crumble up the crackers. Combine to form the topping for the casserole.1 cup Ritz crackers, 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Top the casserole with the crumbled cracker topping and bake uncovered for 10 additional minutes.
- Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes prior to serving.
Kasey, I am going to try this recipe, it looks so good and easy. but what I love about your recipes is when you are describing each step you also note the ingredients for each step instead of always having to look back for the ingredient amount.
Thank you
We’re so glad you find it helpful and hope you enjoy the recipe, Joan!