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Chicken burrito bowl bake with melted cheddar, rice, beans, and corn
Katie

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

An easy cheesy chicken and rice casserole with tender chicken, long-grain rice, mixed veggies, and a creamy from-scratch cheddar sauce, all baked together in one dish. No canned soup required.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 590
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice rinsed well
  • 2 cups frozen mixed veggies straight from the freezer
  • 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese marble works too
  • 2 tablespoon butter cut into little bits
  • 2 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Rinse the rice under cool water until it runs mostly clear, then spread it in an even layer on the bottom of the dish.
  3. Scatter the chicken pieces and frozen veggies right on top of the rice.
  4. In a bowl, whisk the broth, cream, seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and pepper together until smooth.
  5. Pour the mixture over everything, making sure the rice is fully covered in liquid. Dot the butter bits over the top.
  6. Cover tightly with foil (a tight seal is what steams the rice) and bake for 35 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven, take off the foil, and scatter the cheese across the top. Return to the oven uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, until the rice is tender, the chicken is cooked through, and the cheese is melted.
  8. Let it rest 5 minutes before serving so the sauce firms up.

Notes

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear to wash off surface starch and keep it from going gummy.
Make sure all the rice sits below the liquid line, and seal the foil tightly, so the rice steams evenly instead of coming out crunchy.
If the rice still has a bite when the time is up, re-cover and let it rest off to the side for 8-10 minutes; the residual steam finishes it.
To reheat leftovers, stir in a splash of broth or cream first, as the rice absorbs moisture as it sits.
Rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken can be used; stir it in when you add the cheese so it just warms through.