Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole
There are times when it’s cold outside and a simple casserole works for dinner. My husband loves rice …and when there’s chicken to be cooked and all the ingredients in the pantry?
This chicken and rice casserole ticks all the boxes.
Comfort food.
Rice.
Chicken.
Lots of flavor from the pesto and cooking sherry.
Checks all the boxes.
And what makes this one even better? It’s an easy one to make and serve. It’s on the table in an hour.
Seriously.
Where to begin with this recipe?
If you have rotisserie chicken on hand, you have already skipped a step. If not, just cook enough chicken for 2 cups and either dice or shred, your preference. I had chicken breasts that I added to the microwave with chicken broth to cook.
One cup of cooked rice is easy with my pampered chef rice cooker. 1 C of rice with 2 C of water in the cooker for 12 minutes and that second step just got ticked off.
A simple dice of onion and celery sauteed until tender in butter is the next step.
Can I give you a tip?
This lodge piece is my favorite to begin this recipe in…and then add it to the oven…and serve directly from when it’s ready.
I love the simplicity.
Here’s the recipe!
Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Equipment
- 1 Stove
- 1 cast iron baking dish or baking dish AND skillet
- 1 oven
- 1 set Measuring cups/spoons
- 1 rice cooker, optional
- 1 microwave, optional
Ingredients
- 1 C jasmine rice, cooked or your favorite cooked rice
- 3 C diced or shredded, cooked chicken
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 C onion, diced
- 2 T butter
- 1/2 C sour cream
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1/3 C cooking sherry, optional
- 1 T basil pesto OR fresh basil
- 1/2 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Cook rice and set aside.
- Dice or shred cooked or rotisserie chicken.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Measure all ingredients.
- Add butter to a skillet or cast iron baking dish and saute diced onion and celery until softened.
- Turn off burner and add in sour cream, pesto, and cooking sherry, if using.
- Mix in rice and cooked chicken.
- If not baking in cooking dish, add mixture to buttered baking dish.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 35 minutes in preheated 350° oven or until casserole is lightly browned and bubbly.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe is perfect for picky eater kids. Just add a salad, side or bread to finish out your menu.
I’ll add either green beans or lima beans from the pantry for my husband. You can select your favorite sides to accompany this recipe for your family.
Here are a few of my favorite additions:
Just a tip:
If you want to freeze these? Simply spoon the mixture before baking into 10 oz. ramekins or casserole dishes and wrap, label and freeze up to 3 months. Just remember to thaw overnight in the refrigerator the day before you make them for the best results.
Do you love serving individual servings to make sure that you have enough for guest? Just bake those 10 oz. casserole dishes/ramekins for about 25-30 minutes until heated throughout.
Hope you love this one, friends!
My rice loving husband is over the moon,
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5 Comments
Cindy Walker
Ooh! Yum! I’ll add this to our menu! Thank you. I’m always looking for another chicken recipe.
Leslie J Watkins
Hope you love this one. It was so quick and delicious. PLUS, I had everything in the freezer and pantry, which was a WIN! I think next time, I’ll add some chopped broccoli to the mixture. Enjoy!
Emily courtney
I’ve made this twice now! So easy and yummy! Thanks!
Angela M. Peters
Love how simple and comforting this recipe is! Using rotisserie chicken is such a great time-saver. Can’t wait to hear your tip.
Leslie J Watkins
I’m so glad you loved this one. I love rotisserie chicken so much. Adding the carcass and skin to a pot covered with water makes the BEST chicken broth. A great base for soups and anytime chicken broth is needed. I just strain and use or freeze.