Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs rest on top of long-grain rice mixed with butter, flour, chicken broth, and heavy cream. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika season the chicken before the dish bakes covered at 350°F for one hour, then uncovered for 30 minutes. The dish serves 6 and takes about 1 hour 40 minutes.

Two tablespoons of flour go directly into the dry rice with the butter and onion, stirred until no white specks remain. That coating prevents the broth and cream from staying watery at the bottom as the rice cooks. Without the flour, the liquid and rice separate rather than absorbing together into a cohesive casserole.

The casserole bakes covered for one hour, then uncovered for 30 more, and each stage does a different job. Covered, the foil traps steam that cooks the rice through and prevents the chicken from drying out. Uncovered, the heat crisps the skin while the rice finishes absorbing the last of the liquid.

Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe

Recipe by Emily MitchellCourse: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

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minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Calories

592

kcal

Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs baked over long-grain rice in chicken broth, heavy cream, and Italian seasoning. Serves 6

Ingredients

• Casserole

• 2 cups long-grain white rice (basmati or jasmine preferred)

• 1 medium white onion, diced

• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted (divided)

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 5 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• Chicken

• 5 to 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon paprika

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Melt the butter.
• In the prepared baking dish, combine the rice, diced onion, 3 tablespoons of the melted butter, and the flour. Stir until the flour is fully incorporated and no white specks remain, then spread the mixture evenly.
• Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine.
  
• Place the chicken thighs skin-side up over the rice mixture. Brush with the remaining 3 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle evenly with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F and the skin is golden. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes for extra-crispy skin if desired.

FAQs

Can chicken broth be swapped for a different liquid?

Water works as a direct swap for chicken broth but produces a noticeably lighter-flavored rice. Vegetable broth is the best neutral substitute, used at the same 5-cup quantity. Turkey broth or a bouillon-paste broth at the same concentration are stronger alternatives that keep the savory depth the chicken broth provides.

Can the heavy cream be replaced with something lighter?

Whole milk replaces heavy cream at the same quantity but produces a thinner, less rich casserole. Half-and-half is the better swap for most purposes, keeping the dish creamy while cutting the fat. Avoid low-fat or skim milk, since both produce a thin layer at the bottom that the flour can’t fully thicken.

Can brown rice replace long-grain white rice?

Brown rice needs 20 to 30 more minutes in the oven and significantly more liquid than white rice, so the recipe needs adjusting. Add 1 to 2 more cups of broth, increase the covered bake to 90 minutes, and uncover for the final 20 minutes. Check the rice for tenderness at the 90-minute mark before removing the foil.

What baked chicken casserole fits when pasta is the preference over rice?

Pasta and rice cover the same comfort food occasion, and a noodle casserole fills the slot when the pantry has pasta. A chicken broccoli noodle casserole on this site bakes chicken and broccoli with egg noodles in a creamy one-pan dish. Together the two give a weekly baked chicken casserole plan one rice option and one noodle option.

What chicken casserole takes the same comfort food format in a Tex-Mex direction?

A casserole can stay in the comfort food lane while shifting flavors entirely, and Tex-Mex is where the biggest contrast lives. A white chicken enchilada casserole on this site layers chicken with green chile sauce, sour cream, and tortillas in a boldly different baked format. Together the two give a casserole rotation one classic American bake and one Tex-Mex one.