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Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice in yellow casserole dish
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4.6 from 164 votes

Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice

An easy chicken and rice casserole perfect for your family. 
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 485kcal
Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 Tbs butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme optional
  • ½ tablespoon fresh minced garlic
  • ¼ cup all purpose unbleached flour
  • ¼ cup white wine or additional chicken stock
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
  • 4 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 3 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided

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.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and then stir in 2 cups of cheese until melted. Turn off heat and stir in cooked rice and chicken. 
  • Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through. 

Video

Notes

  • 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. You can substitute ½ to 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves works as well. Do not use ground thyme. The flavor is overwhelming. 
  • White wine adds a rich depth of flavor to this chicken and rice casserole, but is not necessary, just replace it with an additional ¼ cup of chicken stock.
  • This recipe has a lot of added garlic, feel free to cut the amount in half, if you are sensitive to high amounts of garlic. 
  • Store leftover chicken and rice casserole in a covered container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 8g | Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 911mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 4.1mg | Calcium: 382mg | Iron: 2.3mg