Chicken and Rice Casserole

By Melissa Knific

Updated Feb. 13, 2025

Chicken and Rice Casserole
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1½ hours
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 ¼ hours
Rating
4(234)
Comments
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A 20th-century American dish that has withstood the test of time, chicken and rice casserole continues to win the hearts of home cooks looking to get an easy meal on the table without breaking the bank. This version has minimal prep: Uncooked chicken, rice, mushrooms and celery are tossed together in the dish, then a creamy sauce is poured on top. (If you have precooked, leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken on hand, simply chop the meat into bite-size pieces and swap it in.) Crumbled crackers add a welcome salty crunch on top. While the dish bakes, toss together a simple salad with a citrusy vinaigrette to cut through all the richness.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 3tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, plus more for greasing
  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1¼ cups uncooked white basmati or jasmine rice
  • 4ounces button or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 3large celery stalks, finely diced
  • ⅓ cup minced chives or scallions, plus more for serving
  • 2½ cups homemade cream of chicken soup or 2 (10-ounce) cans of condensed cream of chicken soup
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2ounces cream cheese, diced
  • 1teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1½ cups boiling water (see Tip)
  • 1sleeve buttery crackers, preferably Ritz (about 32 crackers)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

447 calories; 21 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 778 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add chicken, rice, mushrooms, celery and chives to the dish; stir until well combined and chicken is coated with the rice.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cream cheese, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour in boiling water, whisking, until smooth. Taste and add more salt, if desired.

  3. Step 3

    Immediately pour soup mixture over the ingredients in the baking dish, then stir to make sure everything is coated. Use hands to crush the crackers evenly over the top of the casserole. Dot the top with the butter. Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

  4. Step 4

    Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake until the rice is tender and the crackers are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

  5. Step 5

    Sprinkle with more chives and scoop onto plates. (The dish thickens significantly as it rests, and even more when it’s refrigerated; expect any leftovers to be less creamy than on day one.)

Tip
  • Boiling water is essential to this recipe as it accelerates the time the mixture comes to a boil, thus shortening the time it takes for the rice to tenderize. Have the water ready at the start so you can quickly get your casserole in the oven.

Ratings

4 out of 5
234 user ratings
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Comments

Lauren

Just made this according to the recipe - maybe some extra mushrooms, used light sour cream and heart health cream of chicken soup. Didn’t water down at all. Got rave reviews from my husband. Served with a side of green beans. Perfect comfort dish for a cold and rainy evening.

Tracey

Thanks to all the advice I got here this turned out perfectly. I used regular long grain white rice and for the first round didn't put the cracker topping on. After 40 minutes, I took it out of the oven, stirred it well to make sure the rice was in the liquid, and added the crushed cracker topping. I then cooked for 30 more minutes before removing from the oven. The rice was perfectly cook and the dish absolutely delicious!

Eric

I gave this 5 stars in spite of my poor execution of the recipe. I pressed the chicken/rice/veg mixture into a flat, solid layer. When covered with the cream sauce there was no way for it to infiltrate the bottom layer, so some of the rice didn't become tender. I recommend putting the bottom layer in gently so there is space for the sauce to soak in. Gently press down on the peaks and then cover with the sauce and crumbs. In spite of my poor execution my family agreed it was delicious.

Linda

I really enjoyed this. I didn't add mushrooms as I don't care for them, but next time maybe some peas and chopped carrots - it reminded me of the little pot pies Mom used to make. Well, they were frozen and she heated them up, but nostalgia.

Teri

Way too soupy. Maybe two cans of soup is too many.

Clarissa

Can I put this together the night before and then bake the next day?

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