This a delicious recipe for a chicken and rice casserole that doesn’t use any canned soup! Nothing’s more satisfying than a homemade casserole.
If you are looking for a really yummy chicken and rice casserole look no further! This comfort food is perfect for any night of the week.
Related: Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe brings back the nostalgia of this classic casserole, made from scratch!
Easy to shop for and easy to prepare, this casserole served with a side salad is the perfect meal. Your family will enjoy the creaminess.
Chicken and Rice Casserole Ingredients
- butter
- medium onion
- garlic cloves
- seasoning salt
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
- all-purpose flour
- chicken stock
- whole milk
- long-grain rice (uncooked)
- cooked chicken, (I use chicken from 1 Rotisserie Chicken)
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- Ritz style crackers
- Parmesan cheese, shredded
Steps for making The Creamy Chicken Casserole
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook onions until translucent.
- Add garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper. Add flour and mix well.
- Cook until starting to color. Stir milk and stock into the flour mixture. Turn heat to medium-high and continue to whisk as the mixture comes to a simmer.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add rice and lower heat to medium-low. Cook until the rice absorbs most of the liquid and is tender, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add chicken to the rice and sauce mixture.
- Pour mixture into a 9 x 13-inch casserole, or two 8×8 inch casseroles.
- Combine breadcrumbs and cheese and sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Place in a hot oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the topping is browned and the casserole is bubbling.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
A delicious recipe for a chicken and rice casserole that doesn't use any canned soup!
Equipment
- Large pot
- Wooden or bamboo spoon
- Whisk
- 9" x 13" casserole dish
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- 3 ½ cups whole milk don’t hesitate to add a bit more once it is cooked if you want it creamier. I will typically add at least 1/2 cup more especially if I know I am freezing it
- 1 ½ cups long-grain rice uncooked
- 3 cups cooked chicken cubed (I use chicken from 1 Rotisserie Chicken)
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 sleeve Ritz style crackers finely crushed
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook onions until translucent.
- Add garlic, seasoned salt, pepper.
- Add flour and mix well. Cook until starting to color.
- Stir milk and stock into flour mixture. Turn heat to medium-high and continue to whisk as the mixture comes to a simmer.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add rice and lower heat to medium-low.
- Cook until the rice absorbs most of the liquid and is tender, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add chicken to the rice and sauce mixture and mix well.
- Pour mixture into a 9 x 13-inch casserole, or two 8×8 inch casseroles.
- Combine cracker crumbs and cheeses and sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole.
- Place in a hot oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until topping is browned and casserole is bubbling.
Nutrition
Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 1094mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 472IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 267mg | Iron: 1mg
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Did your family enjoy the chicken rice casserole?
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This is one of my favorite recipes! Have you ever tried doing it in the instant pot?
Hi Sara, Sorry we missed including that step in the recipe card, you add the stock and the milk after the flour mixture begins to turn color. The recipe card is now updated to reflex when to add the milk. It does sound like a lot of fluid, but the full recipe calls for 1-1/2 cups of rice and it is a creamy casserole so the extra fluid is needed. When all the ingredients are combined this full recipe makes a 9″ x 13″ casserole or two 8″ x 8″ casseroles. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
At what point do you add the milk and stock isn’t that a lot of liquid – 7! cups?
Hi Mary, you can use breadcrumbs too. I would estimate about a cup. I would probably toss them in a tablespoon of melted butter before topping.
I was wondering in the instructions you say to add bread crumbs to the top, but no where in the list of ingredients does he mention bread crumbs but ritz crackers, so which should I use and if its bread crumbs, how much?? Thank you
Mary
I had to sub some ingredients. Half & half for the milk and French Fried Onions for the Ritz crackers and sprinkled the cheeses on top before adding the onions. Was DELICIOUS.
It’s a great recipe. Love the no canned soup solution 🙂
I made this once for my family and they loved it! I am so thankful that I was able to find your site again today and now I have this saved so I’ll have it forever! Thank you
Thank you for your recipe! Your site is lovely.
My two boys are allergic to mammal milk protein so we sub almond milk in everything from soups to mashed potatoes. Also if you look in the cooking stock aisle of your grocery store, most of the time there are almond based soup starters.
Sorry, I found it embedded in the recipe? Ha!
Where is the chicken?? How much?
Would like to add a veggie to this. Has anyone tried?
Anyone know the calorie count on this?????
Love thie recipe. No more canned soup for me! First time, I made with no changes. Second time, I didn’t have cheddar, so I used mozzarella. Also had to use bread crumbs. Stiill turned out nice, but I definitely prefer the buttery taste of the crackers on top. This is a recipe that is easy to customize without ruining it; however, it’s prefect as written! Thank you!