Rice Casserole
intro
A warm, cheesy, hearty baked rice casserole loaded with tender chicken, mixed vegetables, and creamy sauce, perfect for cozy shared family meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Preheat and prep ingredients
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Rinse 200g uncooked long-grain white rice under cold running water until the water runs clear, then set aside to drain. Dice 1 small (100g) yellow onion, mince 2 (10g) garlic cloves, and cut 300g boneless skinless chicken breast into uniform 1cm cubes.
Sauté chicken and aromatics
Place a large 3L oven-safe Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium stovetop heat (160°C). Melt 30g unsalted butter, then add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cubed chicken, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring every minute, until the chicken is lightly browned on all sides but not fully cooked through (internal temperature ~65°C/150°F).
Make creamy sauce base
Sprinkle 20g all-purpose flour evenly over the chicken and onion mixture, then stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in 480ml whole milk and 240ml low-sodium chicken broth, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Combine rice and vegetables
Stir the drained, rinsed long-grain rice and 200g frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans) into the creamy sauce until every grain and vegetable piece is fully coated. Bring the mixture back to a low simmer, then turn off the stovetop heat. Stir in 100g (1 cup) of the shredded cheddar cheese until fully melted and smooth.
Bake the assembled casserole
If using a Dutch oven, cover the pot tightly with its oven-safe lid; if using a regular skillet, transfer the mixture to a greased 23x33cm (9x13 inch) glass baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 30 minutes, then remove the lid or foil, sprinkle the remaining 50g (1/2 cup) shredded cheddar evenly over the casserole surface, and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and light golden around the dish edges.
Rest and serve warm
Remove the finished casserole from the oven and let it rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes at room temperature to allow the sauce to set and the rice to absorb any remaining excess liquid. Serve warm in individual portions, garnished with a light pinch of extra ground black pepper if desired.
Tips
2.Do not use instant rice or short-grain sushi rice as a substitute, as they will turn mushy during baking. If using long-grain brown rice, add 120ml (1/2 cup) extra broth and extend the covered bake time by 15 minutes to ensure it cooks fully.
3.For a make-ahead option, assemble the unbaked casserole (without the top cheese layer) and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours; add 10 minutes to the covered bake time when cooking straight from the fridge.
OMG this casserole was an absolute game changer for our weeknight family dinner! My three kids (ages 5, 7, and 9) all went back for seconds, which never happens when there’s veggies involved. I used frozen mixed veggies since that’s what I had in the freezer, and it still turned out so creamy and flavorful. 10/10 will be adding this to our regular rotation!
Made this for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were asking me for the recipe before I even finished serving! It’s so hearty, the creamy sauce doesn’t get all weird and congealed like some casseroles do, even when it sits out for a bit. Only note is I added a little extra shredded cheddar on top for the last 10 mins of bake time, chef’s kiss.
This is my new go-to Sunday meal prep! It divides perfectly into 6 single-serve containers, reheats like a dream in the microwave, and keeps me full all the way through my work meetings. I love that I don’t have to make a separate protein, veg, and starch—this has it all in one pan. Total time was right around an hour too, which is way less than my usual meal prep spread!
Wait, as someone who can barely boil water without burning it, this was actually easy enough for me to make? No fancy ingredients, no complicated steps, and it turned out SO good. My roommates thought I ordered takeout lmao. Only thing is I accidentally used cream of mushroom instead of cream of chicken because I grabbed the wrong can at the store, still slapped.
This was solid! I brought it to my book club potluck and everyone raved, but I will say I wish the cook time was a little shorter? I prepped everything the night before which helped, but 60 minutes in the oven had me rushing to get out the door on time. Flavor was 10/10 though, super creamy and well seasoned.
Cozy, comforting, and exactly what I wanted on a cold rainy day last week. I added a handful of frozen peas and a sprinkle of paprika on top because we love a little smoky flavor, and it paired perfectly with a side of buttery biscuits. My husband said it tastes like the casserole his grandma used to make, which is the highest compliment possible in our house.
Tried this last night and really liked it! I used leftover rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to cut down on prep, which made the whole thing come together in like 15 minutes before popping it in the oven. The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is I felt like it needed a little more salt and pepper for my taste, but that’s an easy fix.
Okay, I was skeptical because my kid turns his nose up at anything with ‘mixed vegetables’ in the name, but this was a hit? I diced the carrots and celery super small so they were less noticeable, and the creamy sauce coated every bite of rice and chicken so he didn’t even pick them out. Win for dad tonight!
This is such a lovely, straightforward casserole. I added a can of drained sweet corn because we always have corn in our casseroles down here, and it added such a nice little pop of sweetness. Perfect for when the grandkids come over, they always leave with full bellies and a request to make it again next visit.
I was looking for a higher protein casserole that wasn’t loaded with weird processed ingredients, and this fit the bill! I used Greek yogurt instead of half the sour cream to bump up the protein, and it was still so creamy without feeling heavy. Great post-gym dinner that doesn’t taste like ‘diet food’ at all.
Made this on a whim last night after a brutal 10 hour work day, and it was so low effort I could do it while half watching the game. I didn’t even have fresh chicken, so I used a can of drained chunk chicken breast from my pantry, and it still turned out great. Absolute lifesaver for nights I don’t have the energy to cook a whole production.
Really tasty base recipe! I loaded mine up with extra broccoli, zucchini, and bell pepper because I love a veggie-heavy casserole, and it held up perfectly without getting watery. The creamy sauce is so flavorful it doesn’t get overpowered by all the extra veggies, which is usually my problem with rice casseroles.
Made this for my husband’s first ‘home cooked meal’ after we got back from our honeymoon, and he said it’s better than any restaurant meal we had on the trip! I was so nervous I’d mess it up since I’m still learning to cook, but the steps were so easy to follow and it came out perfect first try. Definitely making this for our first married Thanksgiving too!
Wait, this is so good but I have a question—can I freeze this after baking? I made a whole 9x13 pan and it’s just me and my roommate, so we have way too many leftovers and I don’t want them to go bad before we can eat them all. Flavor is incredible, by the way, I added a little crispy fried onion on top and it was *chef’s kiss*.
This recipe saved my grocery budget this week! I already had rice and frozen veggies in the pantry/freezer, picked up a couple chicken thighs on sale, and the whole thing cost like $8 to make for 6 servings. Way cheaper than ordering takeout for my family, and it tastes way better too. 10/10 for anyone trying to cut down on food costs.
Made this for my kid’s post-soccer practice team dinner last night, and those 8 year olds devoured it. Even the kid who ‘hates all casseroles’ asked for a second helping. It’s filling, warm, and perfect for feeding a crowd of hungry kids (and tired parents) after a long practice. Will be making this all soccer season long!