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Chicken and Rice Casserole

A from-scratch chicken and rice casserole where raw long-grain rice bakes right in a creamy, seasoned broth under seared chicken thighs, so the rice comes out tender and the chicken stays juicy.

Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr 10 min
Rest
10 min
Makes
Serves 6
Jump to the recipe
A baked rice casserole in a glass dish with a serving spoon and a roast chicken beside it
Photo: Maksim Goncharenok / Pexels

Baking raw rice in a casserole is a matter of ratio and a tight seal. Rice needs a fixed amount of liquid to cook through, and in the oven that liquid also has to make a sauce. Too little and the rice stays crunchy at the edges; too much and the casserole turns into rice soup. Cover the dish loosely and steam escapes, the top layer of rice dries out, and the center stays hard.

The ratio here is about two and three quarter cups of liquid to one cup of long-grain white rice, slightly more than you would use on the stove, because the cream sauce is thicker than water and some moisture is lost to the oven. Long-grain white rice is the right choice. It cooks in about the time it takes chicken thighs to cook, and the grains stay separate. Instant rice turns to mush; brown rice needs much more liquid and nearly twice the time.

Toast the rice briefly in the pan with the onion before the liquid goes in. A couple of minutes in butter coats each grain, which keeps them from clumping, and gives the casserole a faintly nutty flavor.

The creamy sauce is made from scratch rather than with canned soup: butter, flour, chicken broth and milk, simmered until it thickens slightly, and seasoned with garlic, thyme and a little Dijon. It takes five minutes and tastes far cleaner than condensed soup, without the gluey texture. The sauce should be fairly thin when it goes into the dish. The rice will absorb a lot of it.

Use bone-in or boneless chicken thighs, seared skin side down before they go on top of the rice. The sear adds color and flavor, and the thighs release their juices into the rice as they bake. Thighs are the better choice over breasts here: an hour in the oven dries breasts out, while thighs stay tender.

Seal the dish tightly with foil, crimped all the way around the edge. That trapped steam is what cooks the rice evenly. Do not lift the foil to check for at least fifty minutes. At the end, uncover, scatter cheddar over the top and bake a few minutes more to melt it.

Broccoli is a classic addition. Stir small florets into the rice at the start if you like them very soft, or tuck them in for the last fifteen minutes to keep their color.

Rest the casserole for ten minutes before serving so the last of the liquid is absorbed.

For a creamier, no-rice version, million dollar chicken casserole uses a buttery cracker topping. Amish harvest casserole is another hearty dish for a crowd, Honey Dijon chicken uses the same mustard and thighs without the rice, and tuna casserole is the from-scratch noodle bake for a Friday.

Chicken and rice simmering in a deep skillet
Photo: Dosio Dosev / Pexels

Chicken and rice in one dish

A from-scratch chicken and rice casserole where raw long-grain rice bakes right in a creamy, seasoned broth under seared chicken thighs, so the rice comes out tender and the chicken stays juicy.

Seared thighs over rice in a cream sauce

For the chicken

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2½ lb (1.1 kg), or 2 lb (900 g) boneless thighs
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the rice and sauce

  • 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup (190 g) long-grain white rice, uncooked
  • 3 tbsp (25 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (475 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 2 cups (180 g) small broccoli florets (optional)
  • 1 cup (100 g) sharp cheddar, grated
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Sear, toast the rice, seal tight, bake

  1. 1 Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the chicken dry and season with the salt, pepper and paprika.
  2. 2 Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the thighs skin side down until golden, 5–6 minutes. Transfer to a plate; they will finish cooking in the oven. Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat.
  3. 3 Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and onion and cook until soft, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and rice and stir for 2 minutes until the rice looks slightly translucent at the edges.
  4. 4 Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the broth while stirring, then the milk. Add the Dijon, thyme and salt and bring to a simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, 2–3 minutes.
  5. 5 If your pan is not oven-safe or is too small to hold the thighs in one layer, pour the rice mixture into a buttered 9×13 in (23×33 cm) baking dish. Stir in the broccoli, if using. Set the chicken on top, skin side up.
  6. 6 Cover tightly with foil, crimping it all around the edge. Bake 50 minutes without opening.
  7. 7 Uncover and check that the rice is tender; if not, cover and bake 10 minutes more. Scatter the cheddar around the chicken and bake uncovered 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken reaches at least 175°F (80°C).
  8. 8 Rest 10 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Cooked chicken, brown rice and canned soup

  • Cooked chicken: skip the searing and stir 3 cups (420 g) shredded cooked chicken into the rice mixture. Bake covered for 50 minutes as above.
  • Brown rice: use long-grain brown rice, increase the broth to 3 cups (710 ml), and bake covered for 75–80 minutes.
  • Canned soup version: replace the flour, broth and milk with one 10.5 oz (300 g) can of cream of chicken soup plus 2 cups (475 ml) broth.
  • Make ahead: the cooked casserole keeps 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat covered at 350°F (180°C) with a splash of broth for 20 minutes.
  • Freezing: freeze the cooked casserole for up to 3 months. Rice softens slightly after freezing.

Crunchy rice, mushy rice and other rices

Steam escaped or there was not enough liquid. Seal the foil tightly all around and do not uncover it for the first 50 minutes.

Too much liquid, or quick-cooking or instant rice was used. Use regular long-grain white rice and measure the liquid.

Yes, but lay them on top for the last 30 minutes only, after the rice has had a head start, and re-seal the foil tightly. Thighs are more forgiving.

Yes. Both cook in about the same time as long-grain white rice. Rinse basmati first so it does not turn sticky.