Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Creamy Chicken Rice Casserole
The buttery cracker topping is worth getting into every spoonful of this chicken and rice casserole. Underneath is a soft, creamy filling with the familiar flavor you expect from a comforting bake. Choose a piece with some of the golden top and enjoy it while it's warm.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Original yield
- Serves 8
- Ingredients
- 7 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Casseroles · Rice dishes
A few quick notes
1. Use quick-cooking rice dry
Add the Minute or quick-cooking rice straight from the box. It goes in uncooked and softens in the casserole as it bakes with the broth and creamy mixture.
2. Mix until evenly creamy
Before it goes into the baking dish, make sure the soup, sour cream, broth, chicken and rice are well combined. That gives the rice a better chance to cook evenly throughout the casserole.
3. Coat the crumbs in the bag
Crushing the crackers and shaking them with melted butter in the zip top bag keeps the topping simple and helps the crumbs bake up evenly golden.
Get to know the ingredients
Chicken is already cooked
Start with cooked chicken, either shredded or cubed. The oven time is for heating it through and cooking the rice, not for cooking raw chicken.
Cream of chicken soup sets the base
The condensed soup is the main creamy binder here. Use the listed amount, either two regular cans or one large can, so the rice has enough saucy mixture around it.
Ritz crackers make the top
The crackers are crushed for the topping, then mixed with butter before they go over the casserole. Keep the crumbs fairly even so they cover the top without big dry patches.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 8. 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 Creamy Chicken 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
Bake until the top and rice are ready
The casserole is done when the crackers are golden and the rice is tender. Check both signs, since the topping can look tempting before the rice has fully softened.
A little more help as you go
Vegetables can go in before baking
If you want to add vegetables, stir them in before the casserole bakes. Try broccoli florets, chopped mushrooms, mixed veggies or sweet green peas. A different topping can change the flavor too.
Topping options are flexible
You can swap the topping for cheese, crushed pretzels, crushed cheese crackers, crushed cornflakes or stuffing mix. Keep the casserole base and choose the finish you like.
A few questions you might have
Can I use regular long-grain rice instead of Minute rice?
Use Minute or quick-cooking rice here. Use it uncooked, and the bake time is written for rice that softens quickly in the creamy broth mixture.
Should the chicken be shredded or cubed?
Either works. Shred or cube the cooked chicken breasts, choosing the texture you like best in a creamy casserole.
Do I mix the butter into the casserole or just the topping?
The butter goes with the crushed Ritz crackers. Pour it into the bag with the crumbs, shake until coated, then spread that mixture over the casserole before baking.
Where should the casserole go in the oven?
Bake it on the middle rack at 350F. That placement helps the cracker topping brown while the rice cooks through in the casserole.
Can I add vegetables to the casserole?
Yes. Add vegetables before cooking; broccoli florets, chopped mushrooms, mixed veggies or sweet green peas are all options.
Any more cooking tips?
Vegetables can be added before cooking. Try: broccoli florets chopped mushrooms mixed veggies sweet green peas Try different toppings for a new taste! Cheese crushed pretzels crushed cheese crackers crushed cornflakes stuffing mix
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: easyfamilyrecipes.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
