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Easy Chicken Casserole lives up to its name; easy to make, easy to eat and easy to clean up! Perfect dinner for busy weeknights when nothing but “easy” will do.
Featured with this Recipe
An Easy Chicken Dinner
I call this recipe “Easy Chicken Casserole” for two reasons. It is easy to make and it is easy to clean up after dinner. It could have just as easily been called “Delicious Chicken and Rice Casserole” or “Creamy Chicken Casserole” or “Comfort Chicken Casserole” because it is all of those things as well. I have used this recipe for the past twenty-five years as a simple weeknight meal. My family loves it and it works great during the school year when we are juggling homework, sports, church activities, and chores. I do try to limit the amount of meals in a month that I use “cream of” soups, but all things in moderation. The delicious taste and ease of the meal keeps it on the menu.
Ingredients in Easy Chicken Casserole
- boneless skinless chicken breasts – cut into bite size pieces
- instant white rice – I use Minute Rice
- condensed cream of chicken soup
- condensed cream of mushroom soup
- condensed cream of celery soup
- condensed French onion soup
- water – use empty soup can to measure
- butter – melted
- salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
This delicious chicken casserole recipe tastes amazing as it is, the simple flavor is pure comfort food. But if you want to mix things up you can always give this recipe some variations. Here are some ideas:
- sprinkle on some cheddar cheese over the top after baking for a cheesy chicken casserole
- crush some ritz crackers or corn flakes over the top for a crunchy top crust
- add some spices like red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, or oregano
- swap out the rice for some wild rice, cauliflower rice, or pasta
- swap out the chicken for cut up rotisserie chicken
- add a little sour cream or cream cheese for some added creaminess
- add some veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, or cauliflower
Substitutes for Canned Soups
This recipe could not be simpler, mainly because it consists of chicken, rice and four different kinds of canned soup with make up the sauce. If you’re not keen on using that much condensed canned stuff in a recipe, we have created two delicious homemade versions of Cream of Chicken and Cream of Mushroom Soups. They’re super easy to make, and taste much richer and fresher and have way less sodium than those canned brands. For the other canned soups called for, you can opt for low sodium options, which still taste delicious.
Easy Clean-Up
As great as it tastes, the best part of this chicken casserole is the clean up. The foil lining in the casserole dish keeps the moisture in so the rice cooks can be removed after serving and the baking dish needs little to no cleaning, scrubbing, or soaking – happy day for whoever is doing dishes!
Frequently Asked Questions
A starch, a sauce, and a protein or vegetable (or both) baked in a casserole dish. Often times a cheese is also added.
Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
We usually do a side salad and dinner roll.
Read Next: Spaghetti Casserole
What to Serve with Easy Chicken Casserole
I always serve this casserole with a side vegetable and a large green salad to keep the overall meal on the healthier side. Try a few of these delicious side dish recipes that pair perfectly with this casserole:
- Waldorf Salad
- Best Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Oven Roasted Green Beans
- Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon
- How to Cook Frozen Corn
- How to Cook Frozen Peas
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
How to Make Easy Chicken Casserole
Easy Chicken Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
- 3 1/2 cups instant white rice I use Minute Rice
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can condensed cream of celery soup
- 1 can condensed French onion soup
- 1 can water use empty soup can to measure
- 1/4 cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with aluminum foil and spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together all the soups and the water. Pour half of soup mixture in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Add rice evenly over the soup mixture.
- Evenly place the chicken pieces on top of the rice.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the chicken.
- Pour remaining soup mixture over chicken and rice. Be sure the rice is completely covered.
- Cover entire dish with aluminum foil, sealing it well around the edges of the pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Remove aluminum foil cover from the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir the casserole before serving. Be careful not to tear the foil on the bottom of the pan.
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- If you’re not keen on using that much condensed canned stuff in a recipe, we have created two delicious homemade versions of Cream of Chicken and Cream of Mushroom Soups. They’re super easy to make, and taste much richer and fresher and have way less sodium than those canned brands.
- For the other canned soups called for, you can opt for low sodium options, which still taste delicious.
- As great as it tastes, the best part of this chicken casserole is the clean up. The foil lining that keeps the moisture in so the rice cooks can be removed after serving and the baking dish needs little to no cleaning, scrubbing, or soaking.
I love this recipe.
This is the perfect weeknight meal! So easy and always a family favorite!
This casserole is straight up comfort food! Yummy and cozy!
This came out so good! We followed the directions exactly and it was perfect! The whole family loved it!
Love all the different flavors in this! The rice makes it filling & hearty. We added some veggies too!
This is exactly what I needed at this busy time of year! Great flavors and so darn easy!!
An all in one dinner! Love that the rice is combined with the chicken. Great combo! Would love this paired with some vegetables.
Mmm this is one of my favorite fall recipes. Just warm, delicious, comforting dish that fills you up for a day.
I love casseroles and chicken and rice is my favorite! Great recipe
This seriously couldn’t have been any easier to make. Delicious, too!
Delicious and great flavor. Super easy!!
What size of cans of soup did you guys use? I don’t want to use too much or too little.
It’s the 10.5 ounce soup can (the smaller size soup can, not the family size). Thanks for asking!
Typically the cans are 10.5 ounces. Hope this helps!
oh my goodness! Just make it as written! Yum!
Can this be made with pre cooked chicken?
Yes 🙂 The chicken might be a little dry though depending on what kind of pre cooked chicken you are using.
If I wanted to add a layer of veggies to it, would it be before or after the chicken?
You could do it with the chicken.. or before. If you do it after the veggies will get too dried out I think
I’m cooking this as we speak… I’m on like the last 15 minutes… And I checked it and it still looks pretty soupy. Is that just because I haven’t stirred it? ????
Yes, stir it once it’s done cooking and it should be fine. Thanks for asking!
I have made this dish many times. I love it. However, the only difference in mine is that it called for 8oz of sour cream.
How much sour cream? Add to the soup mixture?
Can you substitute the cream of mushroom with cream if chicken instead (so 2 cream of chicken instead of 1?)
Yes, you can just do a direct substitute chicken for mushroom 🙂
Ok, so I can use regular rice instead of instant, just reduce the amount to 2 cups?
Going to make it tonight.
Yes! I hope you enjoy it.
How about just using a disposable aluminum pan?
That would work great if you have one on hand. Be sure to support the bottom when taking it out of the oven – or use a cookie sheet underneath. Thanks for asking!
Have you tried freezing this casserole? If yes, did you freeze it prior to or post baking? Thanks!
Yes- you want to freeze it before baking. Then you can thaw it out and bake it when you are ready.
Is the rice already cooked, or straight out of the box?
The rice is un-cooked. It cooks as it bakes.
What’s the sodium content? It seems like it may be a bit high. If that’s the case, are their ways to reduce it?
You can use low sodium versions of all of the canned soups to reduce the sodium content. Thanks for asking!
Can this be made in the crockpot? Please reply. Thank you!
Anything can be made in a crockpot
I am assuming that this is “raw” chicken that you are putting in this dish? Sounds very good, but want to make sure about chicken.
Yes! The chicken is raw. Thanks for asking!
I was just asking myself the same question…. Glad to see I wasn’t the only one thinking that…. LOL
Can you use long grain rice instead?
Yes, but reduce the amount of rice in the casserole to 2 cups instead of 3 1/2. Thank you for asking!
Is there a way to make this in the crockpot?
This is a good question Cindy! I’d love to know the answer too.
What is the sodium content in this casserole? It seems as though it would be very high per serving, seeing that the recipe calls for 4 cans of condensed soup.
Use sodium free if ur concerned and will be just as yummy.
Thanks Angela for asking! My hands swell when I have too much sodium!!!