Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole
Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole is a delicious meal that requires little fuss to prepare it. It is as simple as mixing ingredients together and pouring them into a casserole dish to bake. This casserole is loaded with fabulous flavors and great for your budget too!
What I love about Chicken and Rice Casserole:
There are many different things to love about this delicious recipe for Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole. This casserole is very easy to prepare and tastes delicious. It also is a low-cost meal that the whole family will enjoy. This casserole can also be prepared a variety of ways, depending what you have going on. This casserole is a winner all the way around!
What You Need To Make Mamaw’s Chicken & Rice Casserole
The items that you will need in order to make this tasty casserole are as follows:
Chicken breasts
Water
Rice
Cream of chicken soup
Cream of mushroom soup
Cream of celery soup (optional)
Salt and pepper
Butter
How to make Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole
There are several different methods that you can use to make this delicious casserole. These different ways include cooking your chicken and rice individually on your stovetop and then combining everything for a casserole.
Another way is to use parboiled rice and cook your entire dish in a crockpot or slow cooker. Still another way is to use regular white rice and cook the dish in an instant pot.
And finally, the simplest and most straightforward method is to use instant rice and simply dump it and bake. We are going to focus primarily on the easy method, however, we will cover each method later, if you wish to prepare your casserole a different way.
How to Make Quick Chicken and Rice Casserole
To begin making the casserole using instant rice, simply cube your chicken, and place it into a mixing bowl. Next add your rice, and cream soups.
No matter what kind of soups you use, you will want to include three cans. For example, I prefer using two cream of chicken and one cream of mushroom.
However, you may replace one cream of chicken with cream of celery if you want. Once you have your chicken, rice, and soups in a mixing bowl, add water and salt, and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
Next grease your casserole dish, and pour your mixture in. Spread it out so that it is evenly distributed.
Finally, cut your butter into cubes, and distribute them on top of the casserole before you bake it. Preheat your oven to 400°F and bake your casserole for 60-75 minutes. Be sure that your rice is cooked through, and your chicken is fully cooked at an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to sit for 10 minutes before serving hot.
Instructions Checklist
In summary, your baking process should look like this:
Mix: Rice, chicken, cream soups, water
Casserole: Pour into a casserole dish
Top: Cut butter into cubes and place on top
Bake: Bake at 400°F for about 1 hour
Serve: Allow the casserole to cool slightly and then serve to enjoy the deliciousness
Tip
To cook your rice in the oven, you must use instant rice. If you are using normal white rice, you can boil it ahead of time on the stovetop, then simply omit, or add half of the additional water when you mix the rice with everything else.
Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
Details
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60-75 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Preparation
If you are using instant rice, you may skip this step. However, if you are using regular white rice, you will want to cook your rice before you begin, by boiling it on your stovetop, according to your package’s instructions.
Ingredients
3 chicken breasts, thawed and cut into cubes
2 cups instant white rice
2 cups water
1 can cream of chicken soup (10.75 oz)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.75 oz)
1 can cream of celery soup (10.75 oz) omit and use additional can cream of chicken if desired
1 stick butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Begin by gathering all of your ingredients, and checking to be sure you have instant rice (if not see alternative instructions). Then grease your casserole dish with cooking spray. Now it is time to begin cooking.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat Oven
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Step 2: Mix
In a mixing bowl, combine your rice, cubed chicken, water, and cream soups. Stir until everything is coated.
Step 3: Prepare Casserole
Next pour your mixture into a prepared casserole dish. Top with cubes of butter evenly distributed across the top.
Step 4: Bake
Bake at 400°F for 60-75 minutes or until rice is cooked, and chicken is cooked all the way through. The chicken’s internal temperature must be at 160°F or higher for it to be fully cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few moments before serving. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
It is important for your chicken to be cut into small cubes for the pieces to fully cook through. If you are concerned about them getting done, you can always pre-cook them before adding the meat to your casserole.
Nutrition Facts
It is estimated that one serving of Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole contains 327 calories. It is also estimated that it contains 18.7g fat, 62mg cholesterol, 27.4g carbohydrates and 11.9g protein.
Recipe Variations:
There are many different variations that you can do to switch things up with this recipe quite easily. Some of our favorite ways to mix it up are below.
Cheese: Adding a cheese topping instead of butter, is one of my favorite ways to mix this recipe up. Doing this gives the top a nice crunchy crust-like topping. It also can add a bit of flavor and coloring to the dish.
Rice: The most common type of rice to use is instant white rice, however, other kinds of rice can easily be used, and add an extra depth of flavor if desired. A few other common rice types to use are long-grain white rice or brown rice. Other kinds of rice that you can try using are the packets of flavored rice, such as broccoli and cheese rice, or chicken flavored rice.
Herbs: If you enjoy the added flavor, some great herb ideas to add are basil, thyme, chives, green onion, garlic, or parsley.
Broccoli Chicken and Rice: Broccoli is one of my favorites to add to this casserole. By adding fresh or frozen broccoli to this casserole it makes for a delicious way to enjoy your vegetables.
Veggies: A few other vegetable ideas that taste great when added to this casserole are broccoli, peas, carrots, celery, onions, or even squash.
Cream of Soup: Adding cream soups help to make this casserole delicious and creamy. However, you do not have to add three different kinds. If you prefer to add three cans of one kind, or only add two kinds, this will also work, and still taste wonderful.
Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe Variations
Besides ingredient variations, there are also variations in how this casserole can be prepared. These different ways including cooking your items ahead of time on the stovetop, cooking everything in a crockpot or slow cooker, and using an instant pot to cook your casserole. Let us first look at preparing items on the stovetop.
Stovetop
This method of preparing the chicken and rice casserole works well if you are in a hurry, or if you are not using instant rice. To prepare your casserole this way, boil your rice in a pan with water, according to the package instructions.
You may also cook your chicken in a skillet until it is cooked all the way through. Then once your chicken and rice are both cooked through, pour them into a mixing bowl, and add in your cream soups.
Mix them together until everything is combined. Then pour your mixture into a prepared casserole pan. Top with your butter or cheese and bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, just until the top is golden. Remove and serve.
Crockpot | Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
To make your chicken and rice casserole using a crockpot, simply add your rice, water, and cream soups to your slow cooker, and mix them together.
Next place your chicken on top, and season with salt and pepper. Top with butter, green onions, or cheese if desired.
Cover your crockpot with a lid and cook on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or on low for 5 to 6 hours. Be sure that your chicken is cooked all the way through and your rice is tender, to determine if your dish is done or not. Once chicken reaches 165°F in the center, and rice is soft, you are ready to serve and enjoy your crockpot casserole.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice:
Instant Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ¾ cup chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 ½ cup white rice
To make this casserole using an instant pot, follow these instructions to prepare it. Turn your instant pot onto the sauté setting and drizzle with olive oil. Once covered in olive oil, add your chicken and any vegetables you desire. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until chicken is slightly brown, stirring occasionally.
Add chicken, 1 ½ cups rice, and 1 ¾ cup chicken broth. Be sure that your rice is entirely covered by the broth. Add more broth if it is not covered.
Then pour 1 can of cream of chicken soup on top of the previous mixture, but do not mix it in. Cover and seal your instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. After the cooking time is up, let the pressure release from your instant pot naturally. In other words, don’t remove the valve on the lid.
Once the pressure from your instant pot has been released, remove the lid, and stir in cheese if desired. Serve while it is still warm and enjoy.
For Larger Families
If you are serving a larger group, or family, below is a suggestion of how you can increase the recipe.
Increase the chicken to 6 pieces of chicken breast meat
Add one extra can of cream of chicken soup
Include 1 ½ cup of rice
Then season as you wish
Gluten Free
If you are looking for a gluten-free recipe, there is a way that you can make this dish without gluten. Most cream soups include gluten in their ingredients, if you can find a gluten-free substitute at your grocery store, this would be the easiest solution. However, if you can’t find it, below is a recipe to make your own cream of chicken soup that is gluten-free.
Gluten-Free Cream Of Chicken Soup Recipe
3 Tbsp butter, or olive oil
3 Tbsp GF flour, or rice flour
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup milk or milk substitute
¼ tsp parsley
¼ cup chicken, cooked and shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt your butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in the chicken and warm it up. Sprinkle flour on top and whisk until it just begins to brown.
Pour in your broth and milk while stirring. Allow for your mixture to simmer over medium-low heat until it thickens up. Use immediately or store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to three days.
Note: You may substitute the chicken for celery or mushrooms for those soups if desired.
Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:
If you would like to make this casserole in advance it may be kept in the fridge for three to four days if securely sealed. It may also be frozen for up to three months in an airtight container if you desire. To thaw it out, allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour or two before placing it in the oven while you preheat it. Then bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until it is warmed through.
Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole
Mamaws Chicken and Rice Casserole is a simple and delicious meal that tastes wonderful. It is easy to prepare, and can be easily adapted to have vegetables added if desired. Try making this no fuss, low cost, yummy meal today, and let us know what you think about it!
What is your favorite way to make this Chicken and Rice Casserole?
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Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts thawed and cut into cubes
- 2 cups instant white rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (10.75 oz)
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.75 oz)
- 1 can cream of celery soup (10.75 oz)
- 1 stick butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine your rice, cubed chicken, water, and cream soups. Stir until everything is coated.
- Next pour your mixture into a prepared casserole dish. Top with cubes of butter evenly distributed across the top.
- Bake at 400°F for 60-75 minutes or until rice is cooked, and chicken is cooked all the way through. The chicken’s internal temperature must be at 160°F or higher for it to be fully cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few moments before serving. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
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