Easy Chicken and Rice with Cream of Chicken Soup
This hearty, cheesy chicken and rice casserole is a comfort food classic that keeps everyone coming back for seconds.
You’ll love this easy, creamy chicken and rice casserole with cream of chicken soup. It’s a simple but satisfying weeknight dinner that tastes great and disappears fast!
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Growing up, chicken and rice casserole was one of those dishes I always sought out at our church potluck dinners.
There was something just so comforting about the cheesy dish filled with tender chicken and creamy white rice that was super flavorful and filling.
Now that I’m an adult with a family of my own, I’ve realized just how easy it is to whip up a casserole dish full of the hearty chicken and rice for my own crew.
Not only that, but this chicken and rice dish is a great recipe for taking to new moms or families grieving a loss.
It’s basically comfort food in a baking dish, and that’s just what we all need sometimes, you know?
Making Cream of Chicken and Rice Casserole
I’ve shared several recipes for different varieties of chicken and rice before, because it’s just so easy to switch it up from time to time.
My creamy Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe is a family favorite, and it’s been one of the most popular recipes on this site for years now.
But I wanted to share an equally delicious version that could be baked up in the oven, without sacrificing ease.
This chicken and rice bakes in a creamy sauce that’s made up of cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and milk.
I almost always use homemade cream of chicken soup, but you can use a can of condensed soup if you prefer.
I also use cooked rice and cooked chicken in this recipe, which helps to save time.
You can cook white rice in the Instant Pot in just a few minutes, or you can make a batch of Instant Pot brown rice to use.
You could probably even use the pre-cooked rice that comes in pouches (though I haven’t tried it).
And of course, I love using rotisserie chicken to keep things simple. You can cube it or shred it–whatever you prefer!
More Delicious Comfort Food Chicken Recipes for Dinner:
- Chicken and Hash Brown Casserole
- Bisquick Chicken Casserole
- Easy Chicken Cobbler
- Southern Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken and Gravy
- Easy Chicken Pot Pie with Bisquick Crust
- Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
How to Make Easy Chicken and Rice with Cream of Chicken Soup
It’s super easy to make this hearty casserole.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Cooked chicken
- Cooked rice (white or brown)
- Cream of chicken soup
- Sour cream
- Milk
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s)
- Black pepper
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional: Parsley for garnish
How to Make it:
(Full printable recipe card is available below)
Combine casserole ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken pieces, cooked rice, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, onion, bell pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, black pepper, and parmesan cheese.
Mix well until combined.
Transfer to baking dish. Spread the rice mixture evenly into a greased 13×9″ baking dish.
Sprinkle the top of the casserole with shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake. Bake the casserole at 350F for about 30 minutes, or until it’s heated through and the cheese has melted and is slightly golden.
Serve. If desired, you can sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley on top for a hint of color.
Serve warm and enjoy–this is one of those meals the whole family is sure to enjoy!
How to Store Leftover Chicken and Rice:
To store your Chicken and Rice Casserole, first let it cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container or cover the baking dish and refrigerate.
It’s best consumed within 3 days. For reheating, you can use either the microwave or oven.
If freezing, wrap the casserole well and it can be kept in the freezer for up to 2-3 months; just be sure to thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
Notes and Adaptations:
- You can use homemade cream of chicken soup, or you can use canned condensed soup. You could also substitute cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup if you prefer.
- Feel free to add some frozen vegetables to the casserole before baking, if you’d like! Peas and carrots would be great additions, and would turn this casserole into a complete meal.
- You can use cooked quinoa instead of white or brown rice, if preferred. You could even use wild rice. I haven’t tried using instant rice (sometimes called “minute rice”), so I can’t say for sure how it would work.
- If you don’t have sour cream on hand, plain Greek yogurt can be used.
- If you want a recipe that uses uncooked rice, try my no-peek chicken and rice casserole recipe instead.
- I used cheddar cheese, but you can use Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, or even mozzarella if desired. I do prefer to shred it myself if possible, as it melts better.
- Not a fan of bell peppers? You can leave them out!
- If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken handy, you can cook some boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs), then chop or shred them.
Recommended Equipment:
Chicken and Rice with Cream of Chicken Soup
This creamy chicken and rice casserole is a delicious and hearty meal that's great for the whole family.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
- 3 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
- 1 1/2 cups homemade cream of chicken soup OR 1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (such as Lawry's)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13" baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked chicken, cooked rice, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, onion, bell pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, black pepper, and parmesan cheese. Mix well until combined.
- Spread mixture evenly into prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the chicken and rice mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until mixture is heated through and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- Remove from oven, then sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use homemade cream of chicken soup, or you can use canned condensed soup. You could also substitute cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup if you prefer.
- Feel free to add some frozen vegetables to the casserole before baking, if you'd like! Peas and carrots would be great additions, and would turn this casserole into a complete meal.
- You can use cooked quinoa instead of white or brown rice, if preferred. You could even use wild rice. I haven't tried using instant rice (sometimes called "minute rice"), so I can't say for sure how it would work.
- If you don't have sour cream on hand, plain Greek yogurt can be used.
- If you want a recipe that uses uncooked rice, try my no-peek chicken and rice casserole recipe instead.
- I used cheddar cheese, but you can use Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, or even mozzarella if desired. I do prefer to shred it myself if possible, as it melts better.
- Not a fan of bell peppers? You can leave them out!
- If you don't have a rotisserie chicken handy, you can cook some boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs), then chop or shred them.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 383Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 632mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 20g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
What to Serve with Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
There are a few easy options for side dishes you can serve with this dinner:
- Green Salad: A light and crisp salad with a vinaigrette dressing can add freshness and a touch of acidity to balance the creamy casserole.
- Green Beans: I love cooking fresh green beans for a colorful and delicious side.
- Bread: For a comforting addition, serve with warm, buttery dinner rolls or french bread.
- Apple Sauce: A side of homemade applesauce can bring a sweet and slightly tangy flavor, which pairs nicely with the savory casserole. My family loves this side!
- Cucumber Salad: A simple cucumber salad with a light dressing can offer a refreshing side. It pairs exceptionally well with this particular casserole.
- Fruit Salad: An easy fruit salad drizzled with honey lime dressing provides the perfect light and sweet companion for a hearty casserole.
Be sure to save this recipe to your dinner ideas board on Pinterest!
Totally love this with our little twist. It is a great start to your specific tastes.
We used a bit more brown rice, a large can of Cream of Chicken, several chicken thighs, some bacon and added Thrive peas, Corn, fresh from our garden onion, garlic and asparagus. sauteing for some time with Parmesan. Slow adds flavor. After the main dish was together we started the rice and oven. once all was ready we mixed it all together and topped with cheese as directed. Quite a lovely dinner with left overs for a couple of days. Wonderful.
Thank you so much for sharing your tweaks! It sounds like a delicious way to add some variety. 🙂