This Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice is the ULTIMATE comfort food recipe. Wholesome brown rice, cooked chicken, and lots of cheese all swimming in a decadent, yet healthier sauce. This chicken and rice casserole is one recipe that everyone loves.
I start this recipe with shredded leftover homemade rotisserie chicken and homemade chicken stock, but feel free to speed this meal up with store bought stock and rotisserie chicken.
Do you have a favorite family recipe?
My family’s all time favorite is Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole. This chicken and rice casserole is easy, tastes extremely indulgent, and appeals to just about every palate–including children!!
Creamy Cheesy Chicken and Rice
I have to be honest, when I hear Chicken and Rice Casserole, I don’t get overly excited. This recipe is nothing exotic or spicy or fancy.
BUT every single time I make it my family grins ear to ear, and I have NEVER served this chicken and rice bake to ANYONE that didn’t love it.
That is why I am ALWAYS making a double batch and stashing one in the freezer–it cooks up perfectly from the freezer.
And trust me when I tell you Cheesy Chicken and Rice is the meal you should make for anyone who is craving comfort. It always delivers!
How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Prepare Casserole dish by lightly buttering.
- Melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour, chopped thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute to cook off raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in dry white wine (if using) and chicken stock, whisking continuously.
- Whisk until thick and nearly boiling then stir in cheese until melted.
- Stir in cooked rice and chicken.
- Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Top with additional cheddar cheese, if desired.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through.
Gluten Free Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Instead of making a rue with flour and butter, combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of the chicken broth together.
- Melt butter in saucepan.
- Add the remaining chicken stock to the melted butter and bring to a simmer.
- Whisk in the cornstarch mixture into the chicken stock.
- Then bring to a boil and simmer until thickened.
- Follow remaining steps as stated.
Tips for Homemade Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Make this casserole faster by stocking your freezer with homemade chicken stock, cooked chicken and even cooked rice. But feel free to use what you have: store-bought chicken stock, leftover rotisserie chicken, or chicken boiled and shredded.
- If you don’t have fresh thyme–do not worry!! It adds an extra layer of flavor that I enjoy, but is completely not necessary. 1 tsp of dried thyme works as well.
- White wine adds a rich depth of flavor to this chicken and rice casserole, but is not necessary, just replace with an additional 1/4 cup of chicken stock.
- If you would like to make Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Broccoli, simply add in 2 cups of chopped steamed broccoli to the casserole before baking.
- The recipe’s nutrition was calculated with the full amount of cheese (3 1/2 cups). I leave the cheese off the top often and it is still delicious. You can even reduce the butter by half and have the wonderful flavor real butter adds to a dish still. If you are dieting and need to watch your fat, save a few calories here and there by following those tips, but this is REAL food.
More Chicken and Rice Recipes
- Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken and Rice
- Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Skillet
- Cheesy Buffalo Chicken and Rice
- Easy 30 Minute Orange Chicken with Rice
Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 4 Tbs butter
- 2 Tbs fresh minced garlic
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 4 cups steamed brown rice 4 cups AFTER cooking This is 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup all purpose unbleached flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup white wine or additional chicken stock
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Top with 1 1/2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese optional
- 1 Tbs fresh chopped thyme optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2 quart or 9x13 baking sheet.
- Melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour, chopped thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute to cook off raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in wine and chicken broth whisking continuously. Whisk until thick and nearly boiling.
- Stir in cheese until melted then stir in cooked rice and chicken.
- Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with additional cheddar cheese, if desired, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through.
Kristen Chidsey
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I first found this recipe 4+ years ago when I was dairy-free. I left out the cheese, and it was still the most amazing, flavorful rice casserole! I still make it to this day (with cheese) because it’s so much better than any of the “cream of” recipes!
Oh Kaitlin! I am so glad you found this recipe when you needed it and that you still enjoy today! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
I would love for this to be a freeze ahead meal! Do you have any suggestions for freezing/thawing/reheating ?
Hi Josey! This makes a great freeze ahead meal. I would prep as directed up until baking. Place in freezer and oven safe container (like disposable foil tin) and Cover well with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat Creamy Cheesy Chicken and Rice: From freezer, bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes covered, and then uncovered for 15 additional minutes. I have found some ovens need more time, but this is a pretty good average. If you thaw in fridge over night, I would bake for 30 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered.
I love the ingredients and the fact that I can make this without “cream of…” soup. I was disappointed because the garlic taste was a bit overpowering. I love garlic and it was almost too much for me. I checked and re-checked to be sure that I was correct in adding 2 Tablespoons, which turned out to be 4 pressed garlic cloves. I stopped at that point even though I could have added more to complete the 2 tablespoons. I plan to try again and reduce the amount of garlic and maybe substitute some mild cheddar, since my kids really prefer more bland food 🤷🏻♀️. Thank you for a great base recipe!
I think you will REALLY love this if you cut back the garlic (we love garlic in this house, but I can see if you don’t it would be overpowering!)
Loved it! I cook a lot and my family said this is the best chicken and rice dish I’ve ever made. Super easy too!
That makes me so happy Corrie! Thank you for sharing that.
Wow!!!!! Full of flavor! I first questioned the workload, but it ended up being super easy and the reward was worth it! A simple childhood recipe made in to something even BETTER! Eating last night’s leftovers as I type this… will absolutely make again- a huge hit, and very budget friendly!
It isn’t my quickest recipe…that is for sure.😉 Glad you found the effort and time worth the end result
Very tasty. I used a store bought rotisserie chicken, and it added some extra flavor. Looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow or later on tonight. (:
I am so glad you enjoyed Katie! I use my homemade rotisserie chicken often for that added flavor as well.
Hi I just found your blog and this recipe and I am so excited to give it a try. I do have one question – I’ve never frozen a meal before but I love the idea of making a double batch and freezing one. Do you bake it first and then freeze or just assemble and freeze?
many thanks!
Hi Tammy! So glad you found me and this recipe. For this chicken and rice casserole, you can freeze before baking since everything is precooked. Enjoy!!
I’m making this tonight! Looks so good and I love the homemade sauce!
I hope you enjoy!
Just wondering if i could use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Absolutely! Cooked chicken thighs can be substituted with no issues.
Hi! I was wondering if instead of cooking it in the oven could it be put into a slow cooker instead? Have an office lunch and wanted to bring this and figured it would be easier to bring in a slow cooker than try and find a way to warm it up. Thanks for any tips!
Hi Ashleigh! This recipe should work in slow cooker. Be sure to prepare as directed up to making and pour into greased slow cooker. The casserole dish may be a bit more loose than if baked, but still tasty! Cook on low for 4-5 hours and enjoy!
Thanks! Will be trying it this weekend.
Let us know how the slow cooker version turns out!
Love this recipe! Do you ever save the remaining liquid and use it? Such a great flavor with the pineapple juice.
Hey Casey! Did you mean to ask if I save the pineapple juice from my Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe? I do use that liquid to make BBQ sauce or in a stir fry–so good!
Made this for dinner tonight! Sooo delicious! The homemade cream of chicken sauce is definitely going into my book for future recipes. So much better than canned! I do think I’ll try white rice and a crunchy crust on top next time though. Thanks for this recipe!
I love that you enjoyed this recipe so much Ashley! (And a crunchy topping is a great idea!!)
This was surprisingly wonderful! I was worried it would be too “kid food” for everyone to enjoy, but we all did. I opted use white rice and to include the 2 cups of gently steamed broccoli and reduced the butter as suggested. I used a mix of cheeses based on what I had and it was very forgiving. I do think the chicken, rice, and broccoli need to be tossed together in a large mixing bowl THEN add the cheese sauce, but that’s a minor issue.
Oh Mary I am SO glad you enjoyed this recipe. And like I say in the recipe, nothing about this recipe on paper excites me, but one bite and I LOVE it myself. And great tip to toss the chicken with rice together before adding the sauce. Have a fabulous night!
My daughters favorite meal is chicken and rice. My mother in law makes it for her and she loves it and I really wanted to learn how to make a good dish for her. I’m an amateur when it comes to cooking and I was a little intimidated by this recipe, but I am so glad I decided to make it! I didn’t have thyme on hand but I used basil and it came out great anyway! I am definitely saving this recipe. It’s AMAZING.
Oh Sierra, I am so happy you gave this recipe a go for your daughter! I hope that you will be make it time and time again!
My family (mostly) loved this recipe. I made the gluten free version, but missed the “add to the rest of the soup stock” step (like an idiot) and had to fish out the awful gummy mess I created in the bottom of the pan *eyeroll* But in the end, it really didn’t need the thickener. I also added frozen peas and corn, and used Colby and Mozzarella cheese (the ones I had on hand). The other modification I made was in the soup – when I took my soup out of the fridge it was growing mold so I couldn’t use it, but I wanted to try this recipe so I made it with water. The end result was perfect consistency, but a little bland. My son loved it, as bland as it was. My daughter and I needed a bit of salt to round out the dish. I can’t wait to make it again with non-moldy soup, I’m betting it will be amazing.
Oh Jennie–it sounds like you had quite the time making this recipe! I have been there before. And you are right–the stock will make this SO much more flavorful. I hope you try it soon 🙂
Hi, and thank you for the recipe. I modified it a bit:
I parboiled the rice, chopped fresh onions, celery, parsley, rosemary, and thyme and cooked them in 6 tablespoons of butter along with the garlic before making my roux. Then I used a combination of bone broth (for nutrition), chicken broth, and milk (for creaminess). I topped it with the cheese instead of stirring it in.
It was delicious! Very flavorful!
Thank you for sharing your changes Lisa. I LOVE adding fresh herbs and veggies, but the kids not so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe
Can I make this in the morning and stick in the refrigerator until I cook in the oven before dinner?
Absolutely Ashley! I do that a lot myself. In fact, I will often freeze at that point to have on hand for busy days
I had some vegetable pilaf left over from last night, and some cooked spicy chicken cooked this afternoon. I fried the sliced and diced chicken in garlic butter – no, nobody in our family here knows anything about dieting and they are sticking to a traditional real butter and cream diet, instead of starving themselves of proper nourishing nutrition – and, as I do not like thyme, I just added a pinch of seasoning salt to the flour and butter mixture and of course cayenne pepper. After that, I began assembling the layers on the baking tray.
Lowermost layer, rice. Followed by chicken layer. Then a layer of onions and lots of cheese, then rice, then leftover chicken and some bits of chopped ham and bacon which I had fried beforehand in garlic butter, so that I had plenty of bacon lard/garlic butter. Mix, to be used for a little bit of sprinkling here at the last moment and for other future culinary purposes. – I cannot resist ham and bacon, using garlic butter to fry them. Sorry, I do not use canola, because after all, we Army guys used to use the same canola manufactured in a factory and sold as industrial grade oil in the 90s, to lubricate the Frozen vehicle parts In Alaska or in other wintry regions. Until, of course somebody decided, hey, let us sell canola to guys all over the world as an edible oil. Call it vegetable oil, and these people are going to eat anything, as a cooking spray.
So, butter, or clarified butter is the cooking medium or olive oil or coconut oil, or real sesame oil, unrefined.
Well, the last layer of course is of cheese, after I have spread the soup sauce on the different layers. Last sprinkling, white pepper, some Himalayan salt, and just a touch of cayenne – I love cayenne flakes.
This was supposed to last me up to tomorrow afternoon, but I do not think any vestige of it is going to go into the fridge. Having made rice, chicken with white sauce before, and cheese, I know how delicious it is, when taken out of the oven, especially a cold winter’s night!
Bon appetit!
Well thank you for your version of the recipe
All 6 kids loved it! Virtual high five! 😂 Thanks for a great recipe.
All 6 kids?! You my friend deserve a high five!! I am so glad everyone loved it! We do as well 🙂
This was a fail for all 3 of us. The garlic (2TBSP) was way too over powering. I had hopes of being able to eat brown rice- not with this dish unfortunately. The sauce lacked something – maybe it was the over powering garlic. But I didn’t care for the thyme in it. The entire casserole was dumped. So sad too
Oh I hate to hear that, everyone else loves this recipe, so I hate that your family didn’t enjoy it. So sorry.
Love this recipe!!
I have made this as posted several times but I went outside the box a bit last night, I had cooked a whole duck several weeks ago, there was alot of it left, so I throw it all in the freezer till I figured out what I was going to do with it. Yesterday I decided to make this recipe with it. Threw the duck and water in a stock pot and cooked it down, then deboned all the meat. Saving the stock/broth putting it in the fridge so I could scrap off the layer of faT so I could use it instead of the chicken stock/broth. I also used fresh shredded mozzarella cheese, thought that would go better with the duck, but did use 3 blend Mexican blend for the top. Can I say it turned out amazing!!
Thank you SO SO much for sharing Mary! That sounds incredible. I don’t cook much with duck, but my grandmother always made a duck for Christmas. I will have to try this sometime to remind me of her.
I accidentally slightly overcooked the brown rice so I didn’t bake it since I was worried it would be straight mush. I instead added more rice, chicken, cheese and added broccoli to make it thicker and absorb the liquids. The taste was great and I will make again. Thanks
Yay!! And what a great idea to not bake it in this case. So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve made this twice and it is AMAZING!!! My boyfriend begs me to cook it regularly now. Thank you for this recipe! ❤
You are so welcome Kasie! Thank you for letting me know how much you loved it
Oh yum! I love the combination!
YAY! Enjoy!
Hi there! I feel dumb asking this but I’m confused about the rice and how much to cook.
Hi Jennifer! Please don’t EVER feel dumb asking any question. So for the rice, you will want to start with 1 cup dry rice an prepare that as package states. Typically 2 cups of water to 1 cup rice. That will give you 4 cups cooked rice. Hope that helps and you LOVE this!