Southern Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

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This casserole is so good, your family will be asking for seconds! This Southern classic casserole is a family favorite. A cheesy chicken and rice casserole that is packed with flavor, easy to make, and loved by everyone! Simply add chicken, rice, and cheese, with a few other ingredients, to a baking dish and bake! In just around an hour, you'll have a hot and cheesy casserole that the whole family will love.

image looking down on oval baking dish of cheesy casserole by gray napkin

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Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
Handy Kitchen Tools
How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Frequently Asked Questions
More Delicious Casserole Recipes
📖 Recipe

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

When you are craving some good ol' down-home comfort food, this Southern-style cheesy chicken and rice is the perfect dish to satisfy your cravings. It will remind you of home cooking at its best.

You'll love the cheesy goodness of this casserole, not to mention the tender chicken and rice. It's a meal that will leave you feeling satisfied and happy. And if you like the combination of chicken and rice, you might want to check out our easy chicken fried rice recipe too! Another family favorite for your menu.

chicken and rice casserole on black plate sitting on distressed wood

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ cups water
1 cup basmati rice (200 g)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup

round black plate holdign chicken and rice on wood table by striped napkin

Handy Kitchen Tools

oval baking dish of chicken and rice with herbs on top

How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

If preparing the rice fresh, bring a saucepan with 1 ½ cups of water to a boil over medium heat. Then add in the uncooked rice, and bring it back to a boil. If seasoning, you can add salt and butter at this point. Then cover it and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.

Now, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

If using whole chicken breasts instead of thin-sliced, carefully slice them in half lengthwise to create 3 thin chicken breast filets.

Place the chicken onto the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet and then season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.

bowl of paprika held above chicken on baking sheet

Bake the chicken breasts for 10 to 15 minutes. Check with a meat thermometer to verify the chicken is cooked through to 165°F internally. Remove from the oven and set it aside to cool.

Now, reduce the heat in the oven to 350°F/175°FC. Spray a baking dish (10" oval or 9"x13") with non-stick cooking spray or grease lightly with butter.

Once the chicken is cool to touch (5ish minutes), cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Pour the cooked chicken into a large mixing bowl along with the diced chicken.

To this bowl, add in the heavy cream, cream of chicken soup, and 1 cup each of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Stir this together to combine well.

blue spoon in glass bowl with chicken and rice

Pour this mixture into the baking dish you prepared earlier and spread it evenly.

oval red dish with chicken and rice being poured into dish

Then sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

cheese being added to top of red oval baking dish

Bake the chicken and rice for 15-minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling on top.

Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

fork of chicken and rice casserole on round black plate

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Cook The Rice Before Adding to Casserole?

Every recipe has a different method, but I find that cooking rice first works best for me. I cook the rice, then combine it with the cooked chicken and the sauce mixture. This gives it a better texture and end result, in my opinion.

This is a great use for leftover white rice and leftover chicken from another meal. Just combine as directed and bake to heat through and melt the cheese.

Can You Cook Raw Chicken and Rice Together?

Yes, you can cook raw chicken and rice together. In my version of this casserole, both are cooked separately then combined and baked with the sauce just to heat through.

If cooking together from scratch, you will need additional liquid and time when you put it in to bake. Cooking chicken and rice together is great because the flavors get into the rice. I love rice cooked in a rice cooker or cooked separately on the stove, but rice cooked inside of a casserole has its own special place in my heart.

How Long Do I Cook Chicken and Rice Casserole?

It takes about 30 minutes to prepare the individual ingredients and then another 15 minutes in the oven. So, between the prep time and cooking time, it takes around 1 hour total to make this casserole.

If baking the rice and chicken together raw, you will need to add additional baking time, so it may take closer to 1 hour and 15 minutes after you consider prep time.

Should Rice Be Covered While Cooking?

When you are baking the chicken and rice casserole, you do not have to cover the casserole. The cheese on top will create a barrier that prevents the rice from drying out.

However, if you are cooking the rice on the stovetop, you will need to cover it while it cooks. This prevents the water from evaporating and keeps the rice moist. If you do not cover the rice when you are cooking it in a pot on the stove, the water evaporates, instead of being absorbed into the rice and the rice doesn't cook properly.

What Vegetables Can I Add To This Casserole?

I love to add broccoli, peas, or corn to this casserole. You can really add any vegetable that you like or have on hand. Just chop them up into bite-sized pieces and stir them into the casserole before you bake it.

If you want to add a vegetable but are short on time, you can always use frozen vegetables. I love using frozen broccoli florets because they are already the perfect size and they cook quickly. Just add them to the casserole and bake according to the recipe instructions.

If you like Dutch oven recipes, then make sure you check out my Complete Dutch Oven Cookbook on Amazon. It's filled with easy-to-make meals from breakfasts to soups and stews and even a few desserts!

More Delicious Casserole Recipes

Casseroles are a family favorite meal choice. They spread food a bit further, are affordable, and are delicious. Whether you want a side dish or a full meal, below are some great choices to add to your menu. Make sure to bookmark these, print out the recipes, or pin them to Pinterest to make soon.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 8

Southern Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

This delicious Southern-style cheesy chicken and rice casserole is the perfect comfort food meal that everyone loves seeing at the dinner table!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup basmati rice (200 g)
1 ½ cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups heavy cream
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add 1 cup of rice to the pan and bring back to a boil. Once it is boiling again, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let cook for 15 minutes. Check to see if the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed. Continue cooking in 2-minute increments if needed.
While the rice is cooking, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the chicken breasts in half to create 4 thin breasts filets.
Place these on the prepared baking sheet and season both sides with salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through and the internal temperature has reached 165°F on the chicken. Remove from the oven.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/175°FC and lightly spray your baking dish with non-stick spray.
Place the chicken on a clean cutting board and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Add the cooked rice to a large bowl, along with the diced chicken.
Then add in the heavy cream, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and the cream of chicken soup. Stir this well.
Spread this over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling.