Description
This No-Peek Chicken Casserole is a comforting and creamy one-dish meal featuring tender chicken breasts baked with quick-cooking rice, creamy soups, and a medley of vegetables. It’s a simple, hands-off recipe perfect for busy weeknights, delivering flavorful, moist chicken and perfectly cooked rice in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of celery soup
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups quick-cooking rice (such as Minute Rice)
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
- 1 (2-ounce) package onion soup mix (such as Lipton), divided
- 4 (7-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, patted dry
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center of the oven. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to ensure the casserole doesn’t stick.
- Make the sauce and base mixture: In the prepared baking dish, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, and water until smooth. Stir in the quick-cooking rice, frozen peas and carrots, and half of the onion soup mix (about 4 tablespoons), mixing everything well.
- Prepare the chicken: Season the chicken breasts evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Nestle the chicken breasts gently into the rice mixture in the baking dish.
- Add remaining seasoning and cover: Sprinkle the remaining half of the onion soup mix evenly over the chicken breasts. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil to lock in moisture during baking.
- Optional make-ahead step: You can assemble this casserole up to 12 hours before baking. If doing so, keep it covered in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before baking.
- Bake the casserole: Place the covered dish in the preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 160°F. The internal temperature will rise to 165°F as it rests. The rice should be tender and cooked through.
- Rest and serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Carefully fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with chopped fresh chives if desired, and serve warm.
- Storage: Store any leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- This casserole can be prepared ahead of time, making it perfect for busy schedules.
- Make sure to tightly cover the dish with foil to keep the chicken moist during baking.
- Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
- Feel free to substitute frozen peas and carrots with other mixed vegetables if desired.
- Use fresh chives as a garnish to add a subtle onion flavor and a pop of color.
