This Old Fashioned Baked Chicken and Rice casserole recipe is flavorful, filling, and delicious! Juicy chicken baked in a creamy and fluffy rice casserole makes for the perfect cozy and complete meal.
What’s in This Old Fashioned Baked Chicken and Rice Recipe?
This baked chicken and rice casserole dish is the epitome of what pure comfort food is all about. It tastes delicious and will warm your belly and spirits right up!
- Chicken: We used bone-in, skinless chicken thighs. You can use an equal amount of bone-in, skinless chicken breasts with no adjustments. For boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, bake the rice (without the chicken) for 30 minutes, then add the chicken and finish baking. Otherwise, the chicken will be overcooked.
- Spices: Ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper add so much flavor to the chicken!
- Soup: Cream of chicken soup makes this dish rich, moist, and creamy. You can use other “cream of” soups, like cream of celery or cream of mushroom!
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth helps keep the rice moist while it cooks. You could also use vegetable broth if you prefer.
- Rice: We like to use long-grain white rice, as it won’t go mushy if slightly overdone. You can also use long-grain brown rice if you prefer, but you may need to bake it for longer. We do not recommend using short-grain or minute rice.
Variations on Baked Chicken and Rice
Feel free to switch up the spices to suit your tastes. Swap the paprika for smoked paprika for a bit of smokey flavor, or try swapping out the thyme for rosemary or sage!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store old fashioned baked chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes, until warmed through. You may need to add additional broth to keep the rice from drying out.
How to Freeze
Freeze old fashioned baked chicken and rice in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
- We recommend using bone-in thighs as they will finish cooking at the same time that the rice does, allowing it to stay nice and juicy. Just be sure to remove the skin. Otherwise, your rice will be too greasy.
- Any regular white rice works fine for this recipe, although long grain will come out the fluffiest. Short and medium-grain rice will work just as well but come out much stickier.
Old Fashioned Baked Chicken and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup 1 can
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup raw long-grain white rice
- Fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Equipment
- 9×13-inch Casserole Dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.1 teaspoon ground paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle evenly with seasonings.6 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the soup, broth, and rice together.10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup raw long-grain white rice
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, then nestle the chicken into the rice.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked to 165°F.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes before fluffing the rice and serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.Fresh parsley
Notes
- Be sure to remove the skin from the thighs to avoid greasy rice.
- Be sure to place the chicken pieces an even distance apart to ensure they cook evenly.
- The casserole will cook more quickly if you boil your chicken broth before adding it.
- For extra-crispy chicken, broil the casserole for a few minutes at the end of baking.
How to Make Old Fashioned Baked Chicken and Rice Step by Step
Prep the Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Make the Spice Mix: Combine 1 teaspoon of ground paprika, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper in a small bowl.
Season the Chicken: Pat 6 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs dry and sprinkle evenly with seasonings. In a mixing bowl, whisk 10.5 ounces (1 can) of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth, and 1 cup of raw long-grain white rice together.
Bake the Casserole: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, then nestle the chicken into the rice. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked to 165°F. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes before fluffing the rice and serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
We recommend covering the chicken and rice with foil while it bakes to seal in the moisture. Otherwise, the rice will dry out.
It’s important to add all of the liquid called for in the recipe. It will all be absorbed during cooking to keep the rice moist.
Rice turns gummy when it is overcooked or absorbs too much liquid. That’s why it’s important to use exactly the amount of liquid called for in the recipe and take care not to overbake it.
The rice will turn out mushy for the same reasons that it could turn out gummy. This also can happen if you use minute rice by accident!
More Chicken Casserole Recipes We Love
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
- Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
This is a really good recipe! I added 1/4 cup chopped onion…1 cup mushrooms and 2 cloves minced garlic which I sautéed in olive oil before adding to the soup and rice mixture…I used basmati rice…which came out fluffy…not mushy. I used skinless boneless thighs and added them after 30 minutes…came out perfect! This recipe is a keeper!