Make-ahead Meal : Chicken and Rice Casserole

If I have brought you dinner before or if you have come to my house for dinner before, there is a good chance, you’ve had this chicken and rice casserole. It is a perfect dinner for families! It is delicious and I haven’t met a single soul who doesn’t love it. It’s comfort food and the kind of meal you’d love to come home to any night. It is quick to put together and is a great option for a make-ahead meal.

Make-ahead Meal : Chicken and Rice Casserole

The easiest, yummiest chicken and rice casserole to share with your loved ones or feed a crowd.

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Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 cups rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4-8 chicken breasts (depends on how many people you are feeding)

Instructions

 

• Melt the stick of butter in a large bowl or measuring cup.
• Add soups and water and mix well.
• Spread the rice on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
• Reserve 2 cups of sauce and set aside. Pour remaining sauce over rice and mix well then spread evenly on the bottom of the pan.
• Trim fat off chicken and place on rice. I also like to cut the chicken in half so it's not as thick. Place trimmed chicken on top of rice.
• Pour remaining sauce over chicken.
• Bake uncovered at 275 for 3 hours. Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving.

I always have the ingredients for this make-ahead meal : chicken and rice casserole on hand. The soups and rice have a long shelf-life. I prefer using fresh chicken breasts but when I don’t have them, I always have some chicken breasts in the freezer. It still is great with frozen chicken which can be used instead. It’s saved my “what am I having for dinner tonight” crisis many times.

It does take three hours to bake so you have to plan ahead. It’s the perfect thing to put in to bake before you head out to church, a game, errands or your afternoon school runs and then it’s ready and waiting for you when you get home.

This was one of the first dinners I learned to make and made it several times in college. Over 20 years later, it’s still one of my favorites! For years I have made this in a regular 9×13 pan but a couple years ago, I bought this deep 9×13 pan and it’s way better. You can use what you have but I’ve loved having a little extra space at the top of my pan. If you’re doing this in a disposable pan, just be careful not to spill because the sauce goes pretty much to the top.

Is it too late for you to make this tonight? Try this Parmesan Chicken instead and save this for another time.