This chicken and rice casserole is packed with rice, cheese, chicken and lots of vegetables. It is comfort food at it’s best and the kids LOVE it. We make this dinner on repeat with some roasted vegetables and our favorite cookies for dessert!
If you love chicken dinner recipes like we do, try our Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas too.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
This chicken and rice casserole has been a family favorite recipe for years! I am having a blast sharing some of my favorite Picky Palate recipes this summer. This one is from September 2010 and is a reader favorite. It is one of my most pinned Picky Palate recipes and works great as a freezer meal! Note, you can used steamed white rice in place of the wild rice. Works just fine!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comfort Food. This is comfort food in a casserole!
- Hearty and Filling. Hearty meal for the whole family.
- Great Leftovers. Makes great leftovers and freezes great for another meal later.
Try my Cheesy Beef Enchilada Casserole too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
What’s Needed For Chicken and Rice Casserole
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the casserole. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full instructions.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil– The olive oil is used to saute the vegetables.
- Onion– White onion works great. Make sure it’s finely chopped.
- Celery– Wash, dry and finely chop the celery.
- Carrots– Peel and dice carrots the same size as celery and onion so they cook the same time.
- Garlic– Mince the garlic before adding to pan.
- Cooked chicken– Rotisserie chicken works great.
- Cooked White Rice– Use any of your favorite rice for the recipe. I usually use Basmati or Jasmine.
- Cooked Wild Rice Blend– If you can’t fine wild rice, substitute for more white rice or you could use a brown rice.
- Kosher Salt- Kosher salt is a coarse salt.
- Black Pepper– For best tasting results use freshly cracked black pepper.
- Garlic Salt– Lawry’s is my favorite brand of garlic salt.
- Salted Butter– I use salted butter for most of my recipes, unsalted is just fine as well.
- All-Purpose Flour– Flour is used to make the homemade cheese sauce.
- Chicken Broth– Look for reduced sodium chicken broth.
- Shredded Cheese– Mild cheddar cheese works great.
How To Make Chicken Rice Casserole
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Saute Vegetables. Heat oil into a medium dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add Broth and Seasonings. Stir in chicken, both rices, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Reduce heat to low.
Prepare Cheese Sauce. Melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper then slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously.
Add Cheese and Transfer To Rice. Whisk until thick and nearly boiling then stir in 2 cups cheese until melted. Pour cheese sauce into cooked rice mixture then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Add Cheese. Top evenly with additional 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese.
Bake. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through.
One of our favorite casserole recipes to make. Cheesy delicious comfort food!
Recipe Tips For Success
- Rotisserie Chicken. Use shredded rotisserie chicken for quick recipe prep.
- Pre-Chop Veggies. Pre-chop the vegetables needed for the recipe in advance.
- Freeze Another Recipe. Double the recipe and freeze one to use for another dinner.
- Great Dinner To Bring To Neighbors and Friends. Double the recipe and give a dinner to a neighbor in need.
How To Serve Chicken and Rice
We love serving this recipe any day of the week. It’s great for Sunday dinner, weekend entertaining and makes the best leftovers. Serve this chicken and rice with some roasted vegetables and a side salad.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, prepare the recipe up until the step where you add the cheese. Don’t bake it yet. Cool completely and cover the dish tightly with tin foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before baking. You’ll add the shredded cheese before baking as well.
How To Store Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Re-heat in microwave as needed. Place rice in a heat proof bowl or plate, lightly covered in the microwave for 60-75 seconds or until hot.
You Might Also Like
- Pesto Ranch Crock Pot Chicken Thighs
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Cheesy Chicken Air Fryer Taquitos
Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking dish
- Oven
- cutting board
- chef knife
- large mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoon
- Large Skillet/Fry Pan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 3 stalks celery finely chopped
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 2 cups steamed white rice
- 16 ounces cooked wild rice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Cheese Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese to top over rice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Heat oil into a medium dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken, both rices, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Reduce heat to low.
- To prepare cheese sauce melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper then slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously. Whisk until thick and nearly boiling then stir in 2 cups cheese until melted. Pour cheese sauce into cooked rice mixture then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with additional 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through.
Nutrition
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Welcome to my online kitchen! Picky Palate is where you’ll find family friendly recipes along with the best Disney eats, tips and copycat recipes! 
This recipe looks delicious! I headed to TJ”s today and bought the wild rice, but forgot to get white rice… do you think it would be okay to add extra wild rice instead of the white rice? Also, do you prepare the wild rice as directed on the package, or just add straight from the package since you will be eventually cooking it?
I love your blog and all the wonderful recipes. Keep ’em coming.
I made this tonight and it was incredible. Perfect for fall weather here in North Dakota! Everyone loved it and I have a ton left over!
This looks fantastic, Jenny! What a fabulous, Fall dish. I love that Trader Joe’s sells cooked wild rice- I will have to look for it! I also love the tip about cooking chicken breasts in the crockpot with some chicken broth. I have never done that before but will definately try it! Thanks!
I have some leftover chicken from a roast chicken, and I’m betting this would be a great way to use it up!
SO glad I stumbled over this recipe! I have leftover chicken and have been trying to find something new to do with it. Jackpot! I can just taste it now… mmmmm!
girl this look amazing im planning n making this, but my dad is allergic to onion is there a substitute i can use or is the onion just for a little taste
This looks like such a comforting (and quick!) meal for autumn. There is nothing better than a one-pot meal that kids will gobble up.
I adore Trader Joe’s, that recipe looks delicious! I may need to make a trip there this weekend and whip that up 🙂 Gotta love Fall comfort food!
Looks delish, I can kinda picture it stuffed into an acorn squash too.
This looks like a delicious casserole! I love the combo of cheese and rice…you can never go wrong with this flavor combo!
Jenny, this casserole looks amazing. It is the perfect one pot meal. Love that there are veggies in it too. The cheese sauce makes it a simple sell for the kids 🙂 xo
This looks so yummy Jenny! I can’t wait to try it. I think my little ones would love it.
Love the photo’s!
Yummmmmmmmmm
Yummo! Will be making this tomorrow night…sadly our nearest TJ’s is 50 minutes away, and no time to run there tomorrow, so will be cooking the brown rice from scratch…:)
We had this for dinner tonight. It was delicious! Everyone loved it including my two year old. It was fun to make too! This one is a keeper! Thanks!
So glad your family enjoyed the dinner Julie!! Thanks for posting 🙂
What a great dinner- everyone here would love this. I like to keep some of the pre-cooked rice on hand for those days when I’m short on time. Thanks!
My mom used to make something like this for us when we were kids and I always LOVED it!!!!! Totally going to make this for her next time she in in town 🙂
Looks GREAT! I have a question…would this be a good dish to freeze?
I think it would freeze just fine Janelle, hope you enjoy!
Do you think it would be best to cook it and then freeze it? Or freeze it as is once assembled?
Freeze it before you bake it, right after it’s assembled.
YUM!! Can’t wait 2 try it! I put it all 2gether this morn and will pop it in the oven 2nite. How many degrees? LOVE casseroles!
YUM!! Can’t wait 2 try it! I put it all 2gether this morn and will pop it in the oven 2nite. How many degrees? LOVE casseroles!
Thanks for catching that, it’s 350 degrees F. Just edited 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
This looks delicious!
Looks delicious and chock full of veggies! Yum!
This looks so incredibly delicious. Can’t wait to make this for one of my dinners one day.
This is the perfect fall recipe! It’s on my menu for the week! Thanks!
This looks DELISH, already have dinner planned for tonight, but this will be on tomorrow’s menu 😀
Yum! My kids might even eat this! 🙂
the best part is i have every ingredient! can’t wait to try this this week!
This looks like true comfort food! Yum!
Sounds yummy!! Love the typo for the carrots : )
I couldn’t find what you were talking about….then stared laughing out loud! Thanks for catching that!! 🙂
Will be done in 25. Can’t wait to try! Now, where is the carrot typo?? I can’t see it! 🙂
Here is probably a simple question that I should know the answer too…what is the best way you have found to pre cook chicken for dishes like this. I tend to dry the chicken out so I would love to hear how you do it.
THANKS!
Hi Karen,
This is a great question.
I LOVE cooking my chicken in my pressure cooker, but not everyone uses one. You can bake your chicken in a baking dish with chicken broth at the bottom covered with foil. I have found this to be a great way to keep the chicken from drying out.
Use your crock pot too. Add some chicken broth and cook it on low for 6 hours, it will be fabulous 🙂
Hope this helps.
Jenny
I used stir-fry chicken breast (cut up pieces) and sauteed it.
Not sure if someone suggested this, but I always use a rotissier chicken. You should have enough for this recipe and then left over for sandwiches, another dinner recipe or chicken salad!
Perdue Chicken short cuts.. 🙂
Perfect fall casserole!
OMG this looks DELICIOUS! I think I will make it for Bible study tomorrow night! YUM!
I am bookmarking this right now! Love how colorful and comforting it looks. We are big rice fans so I’m sure it will be a hit.
Anything with cheese and rice can never be a bad thing. My son would eat this up in about 2 seconds!! Love it!!
That looks so good! I am definitely going to add it to dinner one night this week – pretty simple too!
Oh good heavens girl, that looks incredible!! 🙂 I know what I’ll be making this week! 🙂