Home » Dinner Recipes » Chicken and Rice Casserole (+Video)

Chicken and Rice Casserole (+Video)

This Chicken and Rice Casserole is a blast from the past. Rotisserie chicken in a creamy, rice filling topped with bread crumbs! A family favorite meal!

AN EASY, COMFORTING CASSEROLE

One of my favorite meals as a kid was a chicken casserole my Mom made. It was pretty basic: chicken, cream soup and bread crumbs. This recipe for Chicken and Rice Casserole that I am sharing today is a take on that recipe but I also added some cooked rice. I wanted to stay true to the original recipe by keeping it super simple. And I made it even easier by using store-bought rotisserie chicken. This is pure comfort food to me and one the whole family loves (and it’s so easy to throw together!)

a large spoon scooping up some of the chicken and rice casserole out of the baking dish.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I add in vegetables?

Of course – this is your casserole so you do what you want. I think some small chopped broccoli would be delicious. I think peas and carrots or even mushrooms would also work nicely as well.

What are some substitutes for the chicken?

This is a great recipe for leftover turkey or even some diced cooked ham!

Can I make this the night before then bake it the next day?

Yes. You will however need to add on a few extra minutes of cooking time since it’s starting from cold.

What should I serve this casserole with?

We serve this casserole with some steamed vegetables or a side salad.

I don’t have an 11×7-inch pan, what can I use?

If you use anything smaller, it would be too full. You could break it up into two smaller pans or use a 9×13-inch pan (it will just be a thinner casserole). Keep an eye on the cooking time. For a larger pan it will take less time to cook.

We don’t like rice, is there a substitute?

Just leave it out. My Mom’s original recipe didn’t include the rice so it won’t hurt the recipe to not include the rice. There isn’t a ton of it in the recipe anyhow.

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This casserole can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Just be sure to cover it well to protect against freezer burn.

a serving of chicken and rice casserole on a round white plate.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • rotisserie chicken – if you have leftover chicken, you can use that or you can air fry chicken bread or roast up some chicken as well.
  • cooked long-grain white rice – you’ll need one cup of cooked rice for this recipe so that is 1/2 cup uncooked. This is a great recipe when you have that leftover rice from Chinese take out.
  • cream of celery soup – use whatever flavor you enjoy here: cream of chicken or cream of mushroom also work.
  • mayonnaise – this probably sounds weird to add to a casserole but it just works here and makes this so creamy.
  • chicken stock (or broth) – if you are watching your sodium, be sure to use low or no sodium chicken stock.
  • finely diced onion – if you don’t like onions just leave them out. Also, the onions don’t get super soft while baking so if you like really soft onion, just sauté them in some butter before adding. I think adding some sautéed diced celery would be delicious too.
  • bread crumbs – panko bread crumbs or even crushed crackers would also work.
  • salted butter – for those of you watching your sodium, you can use unsalted butter.
chopped chicken, cream of celery soup, mayonnaise, chicken stock, bread crumbs, rice, butter and onion.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE:

Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spray an 11×7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together chicken, cooked rice, soup, mayonnaise, chicken stock and finely diced onion. Optional: season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Spread mixture into prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs with melted butter.

collage of three photos: cooked rice, mayonnaise, cream of celery, diced onion and chicken in a bowl; chicken mixture in a baking dish, melted butter and bread crumbs in a bowl.

Sprinkle evenly over chicken mixture. Bake in preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

collage of two photos: bread crumbs sprinkled on casserole; fully baked chicken and rice casserole with freshly chopped parsley on top.

Then serve up and dig in!

servings removed from the chicken casserole so you can see the inside.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Originally posted: July 2017
Updated and republished: September 2023

Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe.

Chicken and Rice Casserole (+Video)

This Chicken and Rice Casserole is a blast from the past. Rotisserie chicken in a creamy, rice filling topped with bread crumbs! A family favorite meal!
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (chopped) store-bought rotisserie chicken (purchase family-sized chicken)
  • 1 cup (cooked) long-grain white rice
  • 10.5 ounce can cream of celery soup
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup chicken stock (or broth)
  • ½ cup finely diced onion (see notes below)
  • salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste
  • 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
  • 3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray an 11×7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, stir together chicken, cooked rice, soup, mayonnaise, chicken stock and finely diced onion. Optional: season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
    chicken and rice casserole ingredients in a bowl.
  • Spread mixture into prepared baking dish.
    chicken and rice mixture spread into a baking dish.
  • In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs with melted butter.
    melted butter and bread crumbs in a small bowl.
  • Sprinkle evenly over chicken mixture.
    bread crumbs spread evenly over casserole.
  • Bake in preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley.
    fully baked chicken and rice casserole.
  • Then serve!
    a large spoon scooping up some of the chicken and rice casserole out of the baking dish.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
  • If you prefer your onions super soft, I would suggest sautéing them in a little butter first.  
  • If you don’t like cream of celery, you can substitute with cream of chicken or cream of mushroom. 
  • Be careful when adding additional salt. The cream of celery, chicken stock and butter all contain salt as well. 
  • Crushed crackers or panko bread crumbs can be substituted for the plain bread crumbs. 
  • I sprinkled the top with some freshly chopped parsley. That is completely optional. I just wanted to give it some color. 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 31g | Sodium: 470mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @thecountrycook and mention us #thecountrycook!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




7 Comments

    1. As long as it’s cooked first. Keep in mind that the rice is cooking even more in the casserole so there is a chance it will get mushy. I haven’t tested it with cooked instant rice so I can’t say for certain.

  1. This has been a family favorite for generations! My recipe includes 2tsp lemon juice added to the chicken mixture and we top it with both crushed potato chips and slivered almonds. Thanks for letting me know that this beloved dish is a favorite of MANY!

  2. 5 stars
    Yummy and easy to switch it up with whatever veggies are available. Sometimes I use pasta instead of rice. Always delicious.

  3. I make a chicken casserole very similar to this one. I sprinkle a can of french fried onions throughout the casserole before I bake it, and it is my family’s very favorite!!