Old Fashioned Chicken And Rice Casserole

This entire meal is made in a single pan. No pre-cooking is required and the prep is minimal. Throw in uncooked rice and chicken and it all cooks together perfectly, every single dang time. This old fashioned chicken and rice casserole is an old family favorite, and literally the perfect dinner to make any night of the week.

Original post: November 2016 | Updated: October 2019 and August 2025

Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Casserole Recipe

• This Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole is pure comfort food.. savory, cozy, and made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
• It’s a one-pan wonder from my mom’s recipe vault, transformed into the easiest, most nostalgic dinner I make to this day.
• Chicken, rice, and veggies bake together to perfection every single time, no pre-cooking required and just minutes of prep.
• Every time I pull this casserole from the oven, I’m hit with that warm, comforting feeling of childhood dinners and home.
• It smells incredible, looks golden and bubbly and tastes like a hug on a plate.
• Easily one of my top 5 favorite meals ever ever, and I promise it’ll earn a spot in your regular dinner rotation too.

Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe Ingredients

This classic comfort-food casserole is made with affordable ingredients you most likely have on hand.

Chicken broth – You can also use chicken stock or replace with low-sodium broth or water for a lower sodium dish.

Cream of chicken soup – Or cream of mushroom soup.

Long grain and wild rice – Throw into the pan uncooked.

Fresh sliced mushrooms

Celery – Thinly sliced.

Chicken thighs – Use skin-on, bone-in for the most flavor. Can be replaced with boneless chicken breasts. 

Dry onion soup mix

How to Make Old-Fashioned Chicken And Rice Casserole

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Step 2

Bring the cream of chicken soup and the broth to a boil in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Set aside off-heat when both have heated and are well combined.

Step 3

Pour rice in an even layer in the prepared pan. Top with the vegetables and chicken pieces. 

Pour the broth mixture over the top and sprinkle onion soup mix over everything.

Step 4

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil and continue to cook for an additional 45 minutes.

Why Does It Take This Casserole So Long To Bake

This casserole requires a longer cooking time because all of the ingredients being added are uncooked (making it much easier than preparing everything separately!).

Cooking both raw rice and raw chicken in an oven takes time, but everything comes out tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked.

Covering the casserole dish with foil for the first hour of baking seals in the steam, cooking everything more evenly. Once the foil is removed, the dish finishes cooking and gets a nice crispiness to the chicken.

Chicken and Rice Recipe Notes, Tips & Tricks

• It’s very important to cover the casserole for the first cooking period to attain properly cooked chicken and rice.
• Replace the mushrooms and celery with fresh green beans and sliced carrots for a different flavor profile!
• The chicken thighs can be replaced with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
• Because of the high salt content in this recipe, salt and pepper are not needed. If you want to add them, wait until the dish is cooked and add as needed.
• Cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup will also work for this recipe.
• ​Feel free to experiment with spices. Onion powder and garlic powder are great places to start.
• Add some shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the top of the casserole during the last few minutes of cooking for a cheesy chicken casserole.

What to Serve with Chicken and Rice Bake

This classic casserole is basically your main dish, side dish and vegetables combined. But if you’re looking to bulk up the meal a bit more, or just want some more side options, these are a few of my favorites.

• Classic Chopped Salad
• Lemon Roasted Vegetables
• Easy Oven-Roasted Broccoli
• Homemade Brown Sugar Applesauce
• Homemade Soft Dinner Rolls

How to Store Leftover Chicken and Rice Casserole

Allow the cooked casserole to cool completely before storage. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to Reheat Leftovers

Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.

In the Oven – Heat your oven to 300°. Place the casserole in a sprayed baking dish or pie plate and heat for 10-15 minutes or until heated to your liking.

In the Microwave – place the serving in a microwave safe dish and heat on high for 2 minutes. Give it a stir, and heat again for 1 minute.

How To Freeze Casseroles

If you want to freeze a casserole for later use, you have a couple options:

Freeze unbaked – Assemble the layers as directed in an aluminum baking pan and wrap tightly in foil. Place into resealable freezer bags and freeze for 3-4 months.

When you are ready to cook the casserole, thaw it completely (preferably in the fridge overnight) and bake as directed in the recipe card.

Freeze baked – Assemble the casserole and bake as directed in an aluminum baking pan. Let the casserole cool completely and wrap the whole thing tightly in foil, or place into resealable freezer bags and freeze for 3-4 months.

When you are ready to enjoy the casserole, let it thaw completely (preferably in the fridge overnight). Reheat in a 250 degree F oven uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

Can I Use a Different Type of Rice for This Recipe

Here are a few guidelines for substituting other types of rice with a long grain and wild rice mixture. If you can find wild rice, I recommend using it. It adds a delicious flavor and texture to this dish that is hard to beat:

• 1 cup of brown rice can be substituted (regular long grain, NOT pre-cooked). Add 1/2 cup extra liquid to the broth-soup mixture.
• I do not recommend using white rice for this recipe since cooking times vary so much. You’ll either end up with mushy rice or under-cooked chicken.
• Stay away from using any type of Minute Rice or instant rice for this recipe. They’ll overcook and come out as mush.

More Chicken Dinner Recipes

• One-Pan Roasted Chicken and Veggies
• Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken Parmesan
• Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

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