Family Suppers Casseroles & Bakes
Chicken Rice Casserole for 8
A true weeknight chicken and rice casserole with enough broth, vegetables, and seasoning to bake up creamy instead of chalky and reheat well the next day.
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If this is your kind of supper, breakfast, or bake, keepFamily Pan Baked Spaghetti, One-Pot Tomato Beef Macaroni, and Potluck Chicken Broccoli Rice Pan nearby for the next pan.
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This casserole is built for the middle of a real week, when people are hungry and you need one pan to do its job without babysitting. Browning the chicken and softening the vegetables first keeps the finished dish from tasting flat and pale.
It also gives you a second path on purpose. If dinner leaves a few squares behind, they can become a fast soup or a reheated lunch instead of a pan of rice that dries out in the back of the refrigerator.
Recipe Rescue
Need the fix fast?
Get the safe cooling, storage, reheating, and carryover logic for leftovers built around chicken, rice, and broccoli.
Recipe details
Timing & yield
- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Cook / bake
- 55 minutes
- Total
- 80 minutes
- Yield
- 8 servings
Ingredients
Chicken and vegetables
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Rice base
- 2 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 10 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Method
- Step 1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Step 2. Season the chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
- Step 3. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the chicken until it has color on the outside even if it is not fully cooked through yet.
- Step 4. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and celery, and cook until the vegetables soften and the skillet smells sweet instead of raw.
- Step 5. Stir in the garlic, thyme, paprika, and the remaining salt and pepper, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Step 6. In a large bowl, combine the uncooked rice, chicken stock, milk, sour cream, broccoli, and 1 cup of the cheddar until the sour cream is fully loosened into the liquid.
- Step 7. Fold in the chicken and skillet vegetables, then pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly so the rice cooks at the same pace from edge to center.
- Step 8. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover, sprinkle on the remaining cheddar, and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until the rice is tender and the center reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 9. Rest the casserole for 10 minutes before serving so the liquid settles back into the rice instead of running loose on the plate.
Equipment
- large skillet
- 9x13 baking dish
- instant-read thermometer
Storage & safety
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 4 days. Reheat covered with a splash of stock or milk so the rice and chicken stay tender instead of drying around the edges.
Safe minimum internal temperature: 165°F
Rest time: 10 minutes
Cut the casserole into portions or transfer it to shallow containers so the center cools faster.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F before serving.
Chicken should be checked with a thermometer in the center of the casserole, not judged by color alone.
Troubleshooting
- The rice is still firm in the middle
- Add 1/2 cup hot stock, cover tightly again, and return the dish to the oven until the center softens.
- The casserole feels heavy
- The liquid likely reduced too far or the foil was loose. Spoon a little warm stock over each serving when reheating to bring the creaminess back.
Recipe rescue notes
- The sauce looks split around the edges
-
Likely cause: The casserole baked uncovered too long after the rice was already tender.
Fix: Stir a spoonful of warm milk into each serving or fold a little hot stock into the hot center before serving.
Next time: Keep the dish covered until the rice is fully tender, then uncover only long enough to melt and brown the cheese.
Substitutions
- Frozen chopped broccoli
- Use thawed peas or finely chopped green beans. — Keep the vegetables small so the casserole still slices and reheats evenly.
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