This One-Pan Chicken Rice Casserole is a baked chicken-and-rice dinner with a creamy savory sauce, tender rice, and crispy-skinned chicken thighs on top.
I like this version because it tastes like classic comfort food, but it still feels put-together. The rice cooks up soft and creamy under the chicken, and the seasonings keep it from tasting flat or overly “soupy.”
For me, it’s especially good for a weeknight dinner when I want something filling that doesn’t need extra side dishes. I usually serve it with lemon wedges and a little parsley, and call it done.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Weeknight Friendly: It’s one pan, straightforward, and you don’t have to babysit it once it’s in the oven.
Comfort Food Feel: The creamy rice and savory sauce hit that cozy casserole spot in a very reliable way.
Chicken on Top: Baking the thighs skin-side up keeps the meat juicy while the skin gets nicely browned.
Rice That Actually Cooks: The liquid ratio works well for long-grain white rice, so you don’t end up with crunchy bits (and there’s an easy fix if you do).
Easy to Tweak: Swap the soup, add mushrooms or cheese, or toss in peas and carrots to make it more of a full meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Casserole Base
- Long grain white rice: I stick with long-grain white rice here because it cooks up evenly and doesn’t get gummy. Rinse it if you want, but I don’t find it necessary in this casserole.
- Cream of mushroom soup: This is what gives you that classic creamy casserole texture. Cream of chicken or cream of celery work the same way if that’s what you have.
- Chicken broth: Use a broth you like the taste of, because the rice absorbs it. Low-sodium is nice if you’re sensitive to salty casseroles.
- Water: This helps keep the rice from getting too heavy or overly rich. It also gives you enough liquid for the bake.
- Onion: A small diced onion melts into the rice and makes the whole dish taste more savory. If you only have a bigger onion, just use part of it.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is best here. The jar kind works too, but it can taste a little sharper.
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter makes the rice taste more “casserole-like” and helps the sauce feel richer. If you only have salted butter, just go a bit lighter on added salt.
- Olive oil: I use this along with the butter for a little extra richness. Any neutral oil works if that’s what you’ve got.
- Kosher salt: Seasoning the base well matters, since the rice is doing a lot of absorbing. I’d start with the recipe amount, then adjust next time based on your broth and soup.
- Black pepper: Adds a little bite and keeps the sauce from tasting too mild. Freshly ground is great, but regular is fine.
- Paprika: This adds warm flavor and a little color. Sweet paprika is my go-to here.
- Dried thyme: Thyme is really good with creamy chicken-and-rice bakes. It reads “classic” without being overpowering.
- Dried parsley: This gives a light herby background. If you don’t have it, it’s fine to skip.
Chicken
- Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on thighs stay juicy and give you the best browning on top. If you use boneless/skinless thighs, just keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook.
- Kosher salt: A simple salt seasoning is all you need since the rice mixture already has plenty going on.
- Black pepper: Basic, but it matters. Pepper on the chicken skin helps the top taste seasoned, not bland.
Optional Add ins and Finish
- Frozen peas and carrots: I like these for a little color and to make it feel more like a complete casserole. Keep them frozen when you stir them in.
- Fresh parsley: This is just a quick finish to make it look and taste a little fresher. I add it right before serving.
- Lemon wedges: A squeeze of lemon cuts through the creamy rice and tastes really nice with the chicken thighs.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Mix the rice base: Add the rice, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, water, onion, garlic, melted butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and dried parsley to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Stir until the soup is fully mixed in and everything looks evenly combined.
- Add the vegetables: Stir in the frozen peas and carrots if you’re using them.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken: Place the chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture, skin side up.
- Bake covered: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for about 35 minutes, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and bake about 20 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is browned and crisp. The chicken should reach 165°F in the thickest part.
- Rest and serve: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice and spoon a little pan sauce over the chicken. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges if you want.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Pat the chicken dry. This is the easiest way to help the skin brown instead of steaming. Paper towels are fine.
Cover it tightly with foil. If the foil is loose, steam escapes and the rice can cook unevenly. I press it down around the edges of the dish.
Check the rice before you uncover. If it still looks very wet after the covered bake time, give it a few more minutes covered. Ovens and baking dishes vary a lot.
If the rice is still firm, don’t panic. Add about 1/4 cup hot broth, cover again, and bake about 10 minutes more. That usually fixes it without drying out the chicken.
Brown rice needs a different plan. It takes longer and needs more liquid, so expect to add 25 to 35 minutes to the bake time and bump up the broth/water a bit.
Cheese is a good add-on. If you want a richer casserole, I like stirring in shredded cheddar near the end or sprinkling it on during the uncovered bake.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Lemon wedges: Serve with lemon on the side and let everyone squeeze their own. It wakes the whole dish up, especially the creamy rice.
- Green salad: A simple salad with crisp lettuce, cucumber, and a quick vinaigrette is nice here. I keep it light.
- Roasted broccoli: Broccoli roasts well in the oven at the same temperature, so it’s easy to do alongside. A little salt and pepper is all it needs.
- Garlic bread: Warm bread is always good with the pan sauce. I like something crusty to scoop up the rice.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm the whole dish in the oven until heated through.
You can also make this recipe ahead. Assemble everything in the baking dish, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it overnight, then bake the next day.
When baking from cold, you may need to add a few extra minutes to the covered bake time. I also like to let the dish sit on the counter while the oven preheats so it’s not ice-cold going in.
If you want them to last longer, freeze individual portions or freeze the whole baked dish in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs?
Yes. They cook faster and won’t brown the same way, so start checking earlier during the uncovered bake time and pull them once they hit 165°F.
Can I swap the cream of mushroom soup?
Definitely. Cream of chicken and cream of celery both work well and keep the same creamy casserole texture.
What if my rice is still crunchy?
Add about 1/4 cup hot broth, cover the dish again, and bake for about 10 minutes more. It usually just needs a little more liquid and steam time.
Can I add mushrooms or cheese?
Yes. Sliced mushrooms can go right into the rice mixture, and shredded cheddar is good stirred in near the end or sprinkled on top for the uncovered bake.
How do I know the chicken is done?
I go by a thermometer. Check the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) and make sure it reads 165°F.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
One-Pan Chicken Rice Casserole
INGREDIENTS
Casserole Base
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice uncooked
- 1 can 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley.
Chicken
- 6 chicken thighs bone in skin on about 2 1/2 lb
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Optional Add ins and Finish
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- fresh parsley for garnish
- lemon wedges for serving.
INSTRUCTIONS
Assemble
- preheat oven to 375 F
- add rice soup chicken broth water onion garlic melted butter olive oil and seasonings to a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and stir until well combined
- stir in frozen peas and carrots if using
- pat chicken dry and season both sides then place chicken on top of the rice mixture skin side up.
Bake and Finish
- cover dish tightly with foil and bake until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed about 35 minutes
- remove foil and continue baking until chicken is cooked through and skin is browned and crisp about 20 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 F in the thickest part
- rest 5 minutes then fluff rice and spoon pan sauce over chicken
- garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
