I have been eating this mushroom soup chicken and rice casserole for as long as I can remember. This recipe has chicken pieces of your choice that are baked up in a creamy mushroom soup and rice casserole, with cheese on top! Oh, and my Grandma would always sprinkle crushed saltine crackers on top as well, a fantastic retro touch!
How to Make Chicken & Rice Casserole in the Oven
Unlike many recipes, you don’t HAVE to use chicken breast in my recipe. In my family, we usually use a whole chicken that has been cut up into various pieces. Making chicken and rice casserole is SO easy—you won’t believe it! Here are the basic steps that you will take to make this chicken casserole ( please see the recipe card for exact details).
- Preheat your oven to 375 °F.
- Whisk together all ingredients except the chicken pieces and the cheddar cheese. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Place the chicken on top and bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes or until the chicken reaches the desired temperature.
- Enjoy!
Ingredients for Chicken and Rice Casserole
The classic ingredients for this chicken and rice casserole are:
- chicken pieces
- mushroom soup
- onion soup mix
- rice
- cheddar cheese
Tips and Tricks for Making Chicken & Rice Casserole
- This can be a really affordable meal for your family. You can skip the chicken breasts and use cheaper cuts like chicken thighs and legs if you want. I find that chicken thighs cook up the best in this recipe, as chicken breasts can dry out.
- If you use chicken breasts, cover them with sauce and rice, if possible, to prevent them from drying out.
- Use only the rice I specify, wild or brown rice will take too long and it won’t cook on time.
- You can choose to cook skin-on or skin-off chicken. The chicken skin doesn’t crisp up, so if you don’t like the texture of soft chicken skin, remove it and cook skinless.
- If you want to keep the skin on and make it crispy, simply place the chicken on top of the rice and soup mixture. It will crisp up more!
This chicken and rice casserole definitely hearkens back to the days of canned soup mania, and it has stayed popular to this day. If you want a really retro taste, you can sprinkle crushed saltines or Ritz crackers on top of the cheese at the end. I love it that way!
Other Great Casserole Recipes
Here are a few tried, tested, and authentic recipes that are also reader favorites! I love the tater tots casserole; it’s my favorite!
- Hamburger Hotdish with Tater Tots Casserole
- Lazy Cabbage Roll Casserole
- Tater Tots Shepherd’s Pie
Happy cooking!
Love,
Karlynn
Mushroom Soup Chicken & Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 4-8 pieces assorted cuts of chicken
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- two 10.5 ounces cans of condensed mushroom soup
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons dry onion soup mix
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 °F.
- Whisk together the rice, soup, water and soup mix until the lumps in the soup are smoothed out and mixed in.
- Pour into a large buttered 9×13 or deep large lidded casserole dish.
- Place your chicken pieces on top of the rice. IF you are using chicken without the skin, immerse the chicken into the soup and cover it completely so that the chicken doesn’t dry out. If the chicken has skin – and I prefer it that way – you can gently set the chicken on top.
- Cover with foil and cook for 55-75 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken has reached a temperature of 165°F for the breast pieces or 185°F for legs and thighs. Depending on the type of rice you are using, the time can take longer.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese on top. Let the cheese melt, then serve.
Notes
- Nutritional information will vary with brands of ingredients used and the cut of chicken.
- As with all rice recipes, cooking time will vary depending on the type and brand of rice, how tightly you sealed your casserole dish, if your chicken was very cold when you put it into the dish, etc. Allow yourself extra cooking time.
- Use only long grain white rice that cooks in 15-20 minutes on the stove top. Don’t use parboiled, don’t use brown, don’t use medium grain. IF you use these types you will have to cook them longer.
Nutrition
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Grammy says
My mom made a version of this. She would coat the chicken thighs in seasoned flour (red season salt & pepper) then place it on top of the rice mixture. Delicous!
Grammy says
Buy a cookbook and avoid internet recipes then. No need to be so rude to the author – geez!
KM says
As written would be pretty bland for sure. Have to layer the flavor by seasoning and browning chicken BEFORE placing in the rice mixture. I guarantee you’ll get what you are looking for. Comfort food. 😋
Dave B. says
Thank you for posting this recipe! I’ve made it four times, the first time following your exact recipe and the other times making small changes to the recipe. The changes I’ve made: Season(!) five chicken thighs and brown real well using 2 Tbsp of oil. I use a round, 5 quart, non-stick roasting pan (with lid) which eventually is used to cook the dish. After browning, remove chicken to a plate. Add 2 cups of chopped mushrooms to the pan along with 1/4 cup of chopped onions. Saute mushrooms and onions then add to the mushroom, rice, and dry soup and mix well. Point of clarification: I read a lot of the reviews and many complained that the rice was not cooked enough. A standard one cup measurement of say, Jasmine rice, will weigh approximately 200 ml, whereas the plastic “go” cup included with your rice cooker will weigh either 160 or 180 ml when filled to the top. Actual size depends on which one shipped with your rice cooker. I use 3 “go” cups in my recipe, each weighing 160 ml. Now this piece is important: I add the mushroom soup from the can, then fill up the can of soup with water and add that, then add another 1/2 a can of water. For every 160ml of rinsed (and drained) rice I add 1.5 soup cans of water, or 450 ml of water. One can filled with water weighs 300ml (the weight of the can has been removed.) Pour that mixture into a round roasting pan or your 9×14 dish, lay the chicken around the edge along with the juices, put the lid on (alum. foil if you don’t have a lid) and slide that into a 400 degree oven for 55 minutes. When done, test to make sure your rice is cooked completely. If done, remove the chicken and take a spatula and gently mix the rice and any extra liquid will be quickly absorbed into the rice. Chicken is tender and flavorful and the rice is pure comfort food. Yes, guaranteed your teenage foragers will love this dish!
LakeMom says
I added a whole envelope of onion soup + 1 tsp of better than bouillon roasted chicken and I used Uncle Ben’s converted rice. Came out perfectly seasoned and good texture. Will definitely make this again.
Karlynn Johnston says
That sounds sooo good~! Love your adaptation!
Dissatisfied in MI says
If you think ketchup is spicy this is the dish for you. All the flavor of rice cakes, though the rice in this is slightly crunchier than said rice cake. Overall completely bland, no flavor and crunchy rice.
Sheryl says
Great recipe and will make again but definitely had to cook rice first at least part of the way. Following the recipe exactly and cooking for 75 minutes left me with uncooked crunchy rice.
Steve says
Recipe needs work
L.A. Jones says
Whenever I try a new recipe, I always choose a couple that I like and take bits and pieces from each and do my own thing.
If it turns out good I add it to the rotation.
I loved the concept of chicken and cream of mushroom soup. My mom used to make it years ago but can’t remember how now.
So I started with 4 chicken quarters and 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup.
Empty both soup cans into a bowl and I added a little cooking Sherry, Pinot Grigio, chicken broth and onion soup mix stirring it all in together.
Chicken goes into long Pyrex and cover chicken in that wonderful sauce.
Onto chicken pieces I added thyme, paprika, garlic powder, pinch of garlic salt and some pepper over chicken.
Covered with foil that’s sprayed with Pam so chicken and herbs don’t stick.
Baked at 375 for about an hour and the mushroom sauce is delicious, chicken is tender and now I’ll serve this over precooked rice with a side vegetable… tonight Lima beans.
It turned out better than I thought!!!
Thanks for your inspiration 😊
Ruth Flaherty says
Very easy and super yummy! Definitely a keeper for us!
Theresa says
This is Delicious!
I did alter the recipe a bit.I only used 1 can of mushroom soup, but I used a whole envelope of onion soup mix. I heated the rice, water and soup in a pot. I prefried the chicken in frying pan, sprinkled pepper on chicken. I poured the hot rice into a roaster, arranged 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs on top. I then sprinkled some salt on the rice and Montreal Chicken spice on the chicken. Baked it covered and then turned broil on for a few minutes. I didn’t even add the cheese…..Delicious without the cheese!
Theresa says
We must have very different taste buds…..This is Delicious!
I did alter the recipe a bit.I only used 1 can of mushroom soup, but I used a whole envelope of onion soup mix. I heated the rice, water and soup in a pot. I prefried the chicken in frying pan, sprinkled pepper on chicken. I poured the hot rice into a roaster, arranged 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs on top. I then sprinkled some salt on the rice and Montreal Chicken spice on the chicken.
Paige says
Do not waste your hour plus making this bland disgusting dish.
Jamie Lynn says
Very disappointed after reading all of the comments saying this was great. It is easy but it doesn’t have that much flavor and it is heavy, really heavy. If you have teenagers that are eating you out of house and home this would be an okay meal to serve. For regular adults this is a dish that makes you appreciate the other casseroles. Won’t be making this again.
forex says
I love it
Clark says
Could I make this in an electric skillet with a glass lid?
Aisha Aparicio says
I always use double water… 2 cups rice ill add like 4-5 cups water…i like my rice soupy great recipe thanks for sharing
Kelly says
I used cooked chicken. However, had to cook over 2 hours at 400 before rice was cooked. I was making for company and had to order pizza instead because we couldn’t wait any longer. It will be dinner for tomorrow. Sad it didn’t work out for guests, but I’m sure my family will enjoy this nice Sunday dinner.
Diane says
Can you mix this up ahead of time?I like to throw dinner together early so when we’re ready I can just bake it.
Ric says
I do
olga_p says
I like to add mushrooms-canned, celery,chopped green onion, sliced water chestnuts & garlic, parsley, thyme, basil, (or chicken seasoning,) sometimes sliced black olives, basically whatever I have into the bowl, in addition to par-cooked wild rice-white &/orwhatever rice, because I live at avery high altitude where things take forever to cook otherwise. In addition, use 1 can mushroom & 1 can cream of celery along with 1/2 cans of chicken broth or just water if I don’t have any. Also, pre-partially microwave, or sear chicken thighs as we like the chicken crispy (have used deli chicken on sale,)for the same reason, to make sure it’s cooked through.
Been making this over fifty years & never had a complaint, even with a hubby who normally hates rice! He won’t even let me freeze the leftovers. Adjust which ingredients based on individual tastes.
Bonnie Moss says
Turned out great .. I gave the thighs a quick sear, deglazed the pan with a little white wine but followed the rest of the recipe as posted and it turned out great .. rice was done and chicken 165 deg at about 50 min. Chicken was juicy and the rice very flavorfull. Thanks for sharing!
Dc says
Like the others rice is not cooked. Zero stars seems the right rating. Flavor is fine but the instructions are not correct based on multiple people having the same issue.
Karen Whaley says
It was delicious! I cut it in half for my husband and myself. With all the crunchy rice comments I used 1 cup of rice with one cup of water, one can of soup, and I added a package of sliced mushrooms, turned it up to 400 for one hour tightly covered. It came out perfect!
Dana Therrian says
Thank you for suggesting this. I planned to make then saw the rice comments and worried I needed plan B. I am going to try it this way and hope for best. I’m too tired to spend time in the kitchen today!
Margot Lizardo says
Is the rice cooked or uncooked?
Jess says
I just followed recipe and put it in at 375° for an hr. It’s still soupy. So back in the oven I guess.
Robbi Fedor says
Im making the dinner…i cooked the rice before hand because i always have problems with putting rice or noodles in a recipe without cooking them..i just lessin the ciok time…
Lynne says
I only have brown rice, should I par boil it first???
Katie Edsill says
Do you cover this with a lid or foil or don’t cover at all? I’m using a 9×13 glass casserole dish.
Dawn Rogal says
I cooked it in a 9×13 pan covered in tinfoil for 55 minutes. Just pulled it out of the oven and only the edges were cooked, the rice in the middle totally uncooked, so back in it has gone. Dinner is late. What did I do wrong?
Karlynn says
Was the chicken really cold? That’s the only thing I can think of that would make the center not heat up and cook?
Dawn Rogal says
The chicken was straight from the fridge, I think it was probably just a combination of my oven, timing… The bottom line, so delicious. It was a huge hit and will definitely enter our dinner rotation. Thanks!!
Jessica Justice says
I tried this recipe last night and the rice came out crunchy and not cooked
Joyce Lee says
Hi Karlynn,
I’m going to make the mushroom soup chicken and rice dish next week, if I don’t have a casserole dish with lid can I use a roasting pan? My friend gave me a casserole dish without lid, it’s wide enough but not deep. I’ve made the pull pork slow cook made it twice and my brother loves it. The dish last us for 2 days. Your recipes are simple and some of the ingredients I have already at home.
Kind regards,
Joyce from Australia 🙂
olga_p says
I’ve used roasting pans with a cover or tinfoil with no problem!
Sharon Longo says
Made it for dinner tonite. Followed the recipe as written.
Turned out perfect after 1 hr 5min at 400 deg in a 13×9 covered in foil. I used Jasmine rice, so no problem with rice being crunchy. I only had chicken thighs with skin on, so as you said the skin doesn’t get crispy. But the chicken meat was perfectly done & moist.
Couple of suggestions– the chicken is bland, especially since you can’t eat the skin which normally would have seasonings on it. So next time, I would add seasonings & maybe herbs into the rice mixture. Or, use boneless chicken thighs and season the chicken.
I did uncover it, for 5 mins in the oven at the end when I added the cheese, plus I added Durkees onions on top.
Also, the oven temp was confusing. In your editorial prior to the recipe, you said 375 deg. In the actual recipe portion, it states 400 deg. That’s the temp I used. 375 definitely would not have cooked the chicken or rice through. Might wanna correct your editorial.
Otherwise, it was very easy & tasty.