Cheesy Chicken Bacon and Rice Casserole

This Cheesy Chicken Bacon and Rice Casserole is so delicious and easy to prepare. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, but it would also make a great breakfast or lunch!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Cheesy Chicken Bacon and Rice Casserole

This dinner makes me so happy. It’s pure comfort food in a skillet, so you might want to make it asap for your family. You are likely to have most of the ingredients in your pantry which is always nice! I honestly use my cast iron skillet on a weekly basis. They run about $20 bucks!

This is a nice and thick rice dish that is hearty and rich. I like to top mine with a few dashes of hot sauce, oh baby it’s good! Hope you enjoy friends 🙂


Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Easy Chicken Casserole Recipe

Let’s render the bacon. I chose the applewood smoked bacon, highly recommend it!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Nice and crispy 🙂

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

You guys are going to be pros at making roux, I’ve been using my cheese sauce so much lately.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper then slowly whisk in the chicken broth.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Once the chicken broth is nice and thick, add your cheese. Mix until smooth.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Add a few dashes of hot sauce. Any of your favorite brand works.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Give a nice stir.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Once your bacon fat is drained from skillet, add 2 tablespoons back to pan and add your cooked rice.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Add 2 cups cooked shredded chicken.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Time to add the cheese sauce baby!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Give a nice mix.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Add a little more cheese on top.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Like so.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Now…add that cooked, crumbled bacon to the top and place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

Ahhhh, there we go 🙂 Enjoy!

Tips for Making this Cheesy Chicken Casserole

*Rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe and saves cooking time.

*Pre-cook your bacon or use microwave bacon for extra time saving.

*Add your favorite chopped vegetables to the rice, any of your favorites taste great! I’d give them a quick saute before adding.

Cheesy Chicken Bacon and Rice Casserole

This Cheesy Chicken Bacon and Rice CasseroleĀ is so delicious and easy to prepare. It's perfect for busy weeknights, but it would also make a great breakfast or lunch!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 861kcal
Author: Jenny
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Equipment

  • Stove
  • Oven

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound Applewood Smoked Bacon
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1-2 tablespoons Hot Sauce
  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 4 cups steamed white rice
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Render bacon, drain and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings.
  • Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted whisk in flour, and pepper until smooth and bubbly. Slowly whisk in chicken broth. Increase heat to high whisking broth until thickened. Reduce heat to low and stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Stir in hot sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and set aside.
  • Place reserved 2 tablespoons bacon drippings back to cast iron skillet. Stir in cooked rice. Add chicken and cheese sauce, mixing to combine. Top with 1 cup cheddar cheese then top with crumbled cooked bacon. Place under oven's broiler for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 861kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1516mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1079IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 536mg | Iron: 2mg
Keywords: best casserole recipe, best casserole recipe ever, best chicken casserole recipe, cheesy chicken casserole, easy casserole recipe, easy chicken casserole, easy chicken casserole recipe

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Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon

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95 Responses
  1. Nancy @ CouponClippingCook

    This looks soooo good I can’t even talk right now. Wow, super easy too. Love that cute little cast iron skillet for this recipe too. great post.

  2. Julie @ Table for Two

    This looks so great Jenny! Who doesn’t love an uber bacony topping with cheesy rice and chicken?! I would have more than 2 bowls, for sure!

  3. Nikki

    This looks fantastic! I’m going to make it for dinner tonight šŸ™‚

    Just an FYI – when I printed it via clicking your print button, that version is missing the 2 cups of chicken in the ingredient list.

    1. Jeri Wendzel

      Just noticed that mine did that, too! I was wondering where the chicken was in the dish.

  4. raquel@eRecipe.com

    I love the cheese and the crispy bacon on top. With some hot sauce…. getting a growl from my stomach. Delicious! =)

  5. Jeri Wendzel

    Looks yummy! Thanks for telling me what’s for supper this weekend! BTW, when you print the recipe, the ads DO print. Just FYI. I am also going to try this with brown rice…boost the health factor a bit……’cuz I might add a slice or 2 or 3 more of bacon. šŸ™‚

  6. Kathleen Richardson

    Hmmm, you do like your cheese, don’t you! And now you’ve added bacon. Gotta taste good.

    Keep writing…

  7. Ellen @ The Baking Bluenoser

    Are you kidding me? This looks insanely delicious, like all my favorite foods in one crazy and simple dish! Thanks so much Jenny!

  8. Connie

    Bacon, cheese, chicken and rice? Yes, please. This looks super-filling and comforting. Thanks for the idea.

  9. Michele

    I have the same exact skillet as you do and just got it for my birthday a few months ago!!! I can’t wait to try this recipe Jenny! Thanks for sharing it. Your pictures are such a tease šŸ˜‰

  10. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.

    I am going to have to make this for my kids! Hope you’re dong well! Miss you

  11. Jamielyn@iheartnaptime

    Yum! This looks great! Putting this on my list. P.S. I love your design and cannot wait for your cookbook!

  12. Stephanie

    I’ve never done this with bacon before, only ground beef. I may have to switch the ground beef out for bacon after this post!

  13. Sarah

    This looks amazing! Your chicken looks seasoned, can I ask how you prepared your chicken for this dish? Thanks!

  14. Jennifer

    Looks fantastic! It’s difficult to go wrong with cheese, bacon, chicken, and rice. All wins for me.

  15. Rachelle

    YUM this sounds good! I love that cheesy rice. I wonder if it’d be good with those diced breakfast potatoes w/peppers instead of rice? =)

  16. Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)

    I am DROOLING. This looks DIVINE. Looks like it would also kill me with the amount of fat in it (me and fat aren’t friends these days, not by choice either, by way of my fat-digesting organ no longer being a part of me) but perhaps I could make it for my family and take some small nibbles. That’d be okay, right?

  17. Jennifer

    Definitely going to have to make this one! Looks like I need to go purchase a cast iron skillet! šŸ™‚

  18. bridget {bake at 350}

    Whoa. I want this, like right this very second. I know I will be dreaming about it ALL day!

  19. Natalie @ Cooking for My Kids

    I have not even had breakfast yet, and now all I want is a big plate of this. It looks delicious!

  20. Bev @ Bev Cooks

    You’re killing me with these cheesy savory I WANT 13 BOWLS OF THAT dinners, girl.

    But really, about those 13 bowls.

  21. Caroline @ chocolate & carrots

    Mmm, it’s like chicken bog meets bacon breakfast!!! šŸ˜€ Looks fantastic!

  22. michelle @ The Village Cook

    Oooh, I love a dinner that only dirties up one pan! AND… I ALWAYS have leftover rice & chicken. šŸ™‚ Thank you!

  23. Georgiana

    Holy tamoly, this looks AMAZING! I want to dive right into that frying pan! (As long as it’s cooled down a little. I mean, I’m not crazy…) Also, do you remember where you bought that bowl? I love it!

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