Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
No Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole
Creamy rice under a layer of seasoned chicken makes a very welcome casserole. The savory onion topping gives it a familiar, comforting aroma. Opening the foil to find everything together is part of the appeal, especially when you're ready for a generous helping.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 8 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
- Dish type
- Casseroles · Rice dishes
A few quick notes
1. Seal it up well
The foil needs to be tight because the rice cooks in the liquid trapped inside the dish. Crimp it around the edges and resist lifting it while it bakes.
2. Use the rice dry
The long grain rice goes into the bowl uncooked. It absorbs the soups and broth in the oven, so don't cook it first or the texture won't match the casserole.
3. Season before the soup mix
Add the salt and pepper to the chicken once it's sitting on the rice mixture, then sprinkle the onion soup mix over the top. That order keeps the seasoning right where the recipe wants it.
Get to know the ingredients
Boneless chicken breasts
Set the chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture rather than stirring them in. The casserole is done when the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
Long grain rice
Stick with long grain rice here, added straight to the soup mixture. It has the full covered bake to soften and take up the broth.
Onion soup mix
The onion soup mix is sprinkled over the chicken after the salt and pepper. It seasons the top of the casserole as it bakes under the foil.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 4 steps completeMake room for No Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
At the end of the bake, check that the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. The recipe's main rule is still the important one: keep the foil on until that bake time is up.
A little more help as you go
The pan size matters
Use the 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish called for in the recipe. It gives the rice mixture room to spread out and the chicken space to sit on top.
Leftovers
Cool leftovers before storing them in an airtight container. They keep in the fridge for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
A few questions you might have
Can I peek while it's baking?
Try not to. The foil traps the moisture the rice needs, which is why the dish is covered tightly and baked without checking until the end.
Do I mix the chicken into the rice?
No. Pour the rice mixture into the baking dish, then place the chicken breasts on top before seasoning and adding the onion soup mix.
How do I reheat leftovers if the rice seems dry?
Microwave leftovers until warm. If the rice seems dry, add a splash of chicken broth before reheating.
Should the baking dish be covered loosely or tightly?
Cover it tightly with aluminum foil. A snug cover helps the liquid stay in the dish while the rice cooks.
What tells me it's done?
The chicken should be cooked through and no longer pink after the covered bake. That's the doneness cue given for this casserole.
Any more cooking tips?
Storing Leftovers Fridge: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat: Microwave until warm. Add a splash of chicken broth if the rice seems dry. Freezer: Freeze cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: therecipecritic.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
