Chicken and Yellow Rice Casserole Recipe
Making this chicken and yellow rice casserole recipe is easy, and absolutely tasty for a quick weeknight recipe. This recipe is loaded with delicious flavor combinations and just might be your new family favorite.
This is a great recipe if you’re looking for a healthy meal or a one-dish meal that doesn’t require a lot of hands-on attention. All you need are a few basic ingredients in order to make this delicious casserole recipe.
Chicken and Yellow Rice Casserole
Yellow rice casserole is made using yellow rice, then topped with chicken, and finished off with your favorite seasonings. This is an easy chicken dinner recipe all in one pan. If you’re looking for easy, tasty, and somewhat healthy comfort food, then this delicious recipe is one you should try.
Chicken and yellow rice casserole also known as Arroz Con Pollo, is an easy dish that you can make in a hurry, but still enjoy a healthy well-balanced meal.
You can make a super easy version of this, by using a package of yellow rice, or we will walk you through the step-by-step instructions on how you can also make yellow rice on your own. No matter what type of yellow rice you choose to use, all you have to do is assemble the ingredients in a casserole dish and then bake them to perfection.
We will also give you instructions on how you can make this dish on your stovetop if needed. Sometimes you might not have access to an oven, or simply don’t want to heat the entire oven up. No matter how you choose to make it, this one-dish meal is absolutely fabulous and just might be your new go-to recipe.
Let’s look at some of those simple ingredients needed to make the chicken and rice casserole recipe.
Rice Casserole Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need For This Casserole
Chicken. You can choose your favorite type of chicken to use when making this chicken and yellow rice casserole recipe. One of our favorite types of chicken to use is chicken thighs, make sure they’re frozen and with the skin on. Although it is our personal opinion that this is the best chicken to use, you can also use thawed chicken breasts, or leftover chicken such as rotisserie chicken, or whatever other type of leftover chicken you might have on hand.
Olive Oil. It’s a good idea to use olive oil or melted butter to brush on the skin of the chicken thighs. If you’re not using chicken thighs, you may also want to drizzle a bit of olive oil on the outside of your chicken, so that the seasonings stick to the chicken, and so that it cooks nicely.
Garlic Powder. Garlic powder is a good basic seasoning to use when making chicken and yellow rice. Garlic powder gives a hint of garlic flavor to the chicken.
Garlic Salt. Using a basic garlic salt seasoning mixture is another great seasoning option. You can find a basic garlic salt mixture at your local grocery store. Adding a little bit of this seasoning to your chicken will give it a lovely flavor as well.
Yellow Rice. You can use a bag of yellow rice mix, that you pick up from your local grocery store. Or you can make your own following this yellow rice recipe.
Yellow Rice Recipe
Jasmine Rice. The best rice to use when making yellow rice is jasmine rice. However, if you do not have that type of rice, you can also use uncooked white rice or long-grain white rice.
Chicken Broth. Rather than using water to make the yellow rice, we recommend using chicken broth or chicken stock. This will give the rice a much better overall flavor.
Butter. A little bit of melted butter added to the yellow rice mixture will give it the best flavor and help prevent the rice from sticking together as it cooks. If you do not have butter, you can also use olive oil.
Minced Garlic. We like to add a little bit of minced garlic into the yellow rice recipe, to give it a better overall flavor. If you do not have minced garlic, you can use a clove of garlic and mince it yourself, or use garlic powder.
Turmeric. Turmeric is what helps to season the rice and make it into the iconic white rice. You can find turmeric powder in the seasoning aisle of your local grocery store.
Adobo Seasoning. Adobo seasoning is the other key ingredient that will help to flavor the rice and make it into delicious yellow rice. Adobo seasoning can also be found in the seasoning aisle of your local grocery store in a powdered form.
How to Make Chicken and Yellow Rice Casserole Recipe
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To make this delicious chicken and yellow rice casserole recipe, you’ll want to start with uncooked rice and begin by making the rice mixture.
Take a medium-sized mixing bowl, and combine the uncooked rice, chicken broth, melted butter, minced garlic, turmeric, and adobo seasoning. Mix these together until combined to make your yellow rice mix.
Then take a baking dish or casserole dish and spray it with cooking spray, or brush it with oil. Add the yellow rice mixed into the bottom of your baking dish.
Next, take your raw chicken, brush it with olive oil or melted butter, and sprinkle your desired seasonings on top of the chicken. Place the chicken, skin side up if using chicken with skin, on top of the rice.
Place the baking dish, with your raw yellow rice mixture, and chicken into the preheated oven.
Please note that the cooking time may vary slightly depending on your chicken, rice, and your specific oven, and some ovens cook faster than others.
On average, it will take approximately 35 to 45 minutes for your chicken and yellow rice casserole to fully bake in the oven.
When your casserole looks like it is almost done, you want to take a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature of the chicken pieces. The skin of the chicken should be a lovely golden brown color, and the internal temperature of the chicken must reach 165°F for the chicken to be safe to eat.
If the rice is cooked, but the chicken is not done yet you can cover the casserole with aluminum foil and continue baking until the chicken is fully cooked.
Once baked, remove the casserole from the oven, then add some fresh parsley, or minced green onions on top of the casserole before serving. Use a fork to fluff rice a little bit before serving.
Then serve your delicious chicken and yellow rice casserole right away and enjoy!
Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
Using Aluminum Foil. Covering the baking dish with aluminum foil is a great way to keep the moisture inside of your dish, especially if the rice is done but the chicken is not completely cooked.
This will help you finish cooking the chicken without drying out the rice. You can also add a quarter cup of water or additional broth to the rice mixture so that you are sure it stays nice and moist.
Packaged Yellow Rice. Rather than making your own yellow rice from scratch, yellow rice can also be purchased in a package at your local grocery store.
Feel free to use packaged yellow rice, rather than making your own if you’re looking for an even faster way to make this casserole recipe. You can choose to follow the package instructions on your yellow rice or substitute the water on the package instructions for chicken broth, for an even tastier rice recipe.
One Pan Baked Chicken and Yellow Rice Variation Ideas
Chicken and Yellow Rice Stovetop Variation
Another way to prepare this dish with the same ingredients outlined above is to make it on the stove top. You will begin by cooking the chicken, then add the rice to finish the dish. Let’s look at how it’s done.
Place your skillet over medium heat, add oil, or melted butter, then add the raw chicken, skin side down. Cook for approximately 10 minutes over medium heat, until the chicken begins to turn a golden brown color. Flip the chicken back over, and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Remove the chicken from the pan and add your yellow rice mixture. On top of the yellow rice, add the chicken. Cover with a lid and cook the rice over medium-high heat until the rice is tender.
Uncover the rice, and fluff with a fork before serving. Then serve and enjoy.
Creamy Variation
If you would like to enjoy a creamy chicken version of this recipe, you can add your choice of a can of cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, or even cream of celery soup to the yellow rice mixture before cooking it.
Adding one of these soups will give you a delightful creamy texture.
Chicken and Yellow Rice Recipe with Broccoli and Cheese
Adding some broccoli and your favorite cheese to this chicken and yellow rice casserole recipe is another delicious way to enjoy the easy dinner. You can use fresh or frozen broccoli florets, along with your favorite shredded cheese added to this casserole bake for a well rounded tasty meal.
How to Store Chicken and Yellow Rice Casserole
At Room Temperature. Once it’s cooked, the chicken and yellow rice casserole should be kept at room temperature for no more than two hours before it goes bad. After that, it must be stored in the fridge.
In the Fridge. To store your chicken and yellow rice casserole in the fridge, it’s best first to let it cool to room temperature.
Then you can cover the casserole dish in plastic wrap or transfer the casserole to an airtight container. Place the leftover casserole into the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Make it a Complete Meal
The chicken and yellow rice casserole can be an entire meal in one pan. You might enjoy adding a simple side dish, to make it a complete meal. Some good options, are to pair the casserole with green beans, or black beans to easily turn the casserole into a balanced meal.
Chicken and Yellow Rice Casserole
Making this delicious chicken and yellow rice casserole is an easy one-pot meal you can make in a few minutes. This recipe is a perfect one to keep in mind for a weeknight dinner when you don’t want to spend a whole lot of time cooking.
All you have to do is mix the ingredients together then bake it in the oven to perfection.
Thank you so much for stopping by to check out our chicken and yellow rice casserole recipe! I hope that you like this recipe and I hope you’ll give the new recipe a try. Enjoy!
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Chicken and Yellow Rice Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- casserole dish
Ingredients
- 3-4 pieces uncooked chicken
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 package yellow rice or homemade yellow rice
Yellow Rice Recipe
- 1 cup rice uncooked
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To make this delicious chicken and yellow rice casserole recipe, you’ll want to start with uncooked rice and begin by making the rice mixture. Take a medium-sized mixing bowl, and combine the uncooked rice, chicken broth, melted butter, minced garlic, turmeric, and adobo seasoning. Mix these together until combined to make your yellow rice mix.
- Then take a baking dish or casserole dish and spray it with cooking spray, or brush it with oil. Add the yellow rice mixed into the bottom of your baking dish.
- Next, take your raw chicken, brush it with olive oil or melted butter, and sprinkle your desired seasonings on top of the chicken. Please the chicken, skin side up if using chicken with skin, on top of the rice.
- Place the baking dish, with your raw yellow rice mixture, and chicken into the preheated oven.
- Please note that the cooking time may vary slightly depending on your chicken, rice, and your specific oven, and some ovens cook faster than others. On average, it will take approximately 35 to 45 minutes for your chicken and yellow rice casserole to fully bake in the oven.
- When your casserole looks like it is almost done, you want to take a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature of the chicken pieces. The skin of the chicken should be a lovely golden brown color, and the internal temperature of the chicken must reach 165°F for the chicken to be safe to eat.
- If the rice is cooked, but the chicken is not done yet you can cover the casserole with aluminum foil and continue baking until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Once baked, remove the casserole from the oven, then add some fresh parsley, or minced green onions on top of the casserole before serving. Use a fork to fluff rice a little bit before serving. Then serve your delicious chicken and yellow rice casserole right away and enjoy!
