Dinner / Casseroles & pot pies
Chicken and Rice Casserole from Scratch
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Mushrooms browned in butter, a thick creamy sauce, chicken, rice and a buttered Parmesan crumb on top. It's the casserole you carry in with both hands and a towel, and it comes home empty.
The short version
Brown mushrooms, onion and celery in butter, whisk in flour, stock and milk for a thick sauce, then stir in cooked chicken and rice. Top with buttered Parmesan crumbs and bake at 400°F for 25 to 35 minutes. Use a rotisserie chicken and leftover rice to cut the work in half.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Make the sauce in the same pot. A butter, flour, stock and milk sauce takes 10 minutes and gives you the creamy base canned soup is trying to imitate, with real flavor and no gluey aftertaste.
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Add onion, celery and thyme. A few chopped vegetables and a pinch of thyme give the casserole the savory backbone that plain white sauce lacks.
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Top with Parmesan and buttered crumbs. The crust is the best part. Tossing the crumbs with melted butter first means they brown evenly instead of drying out.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Unsalted butter6 tablespoons
- Celery2 stalk
- Cremini or white mushrooms8 ounces
- Dried thyme1 teaspoon
- Whole milk or half-and-half1½ cups
- Shredded cooked chicken4 cups
- Panko or dry bread crumbs¾ cup
- Grated Parmesan¼ cup
Casserole
Topping
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Heat the oven, grease the dish
Set a rack in the center and heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish. Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
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Soften the vegetables
Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and mushrooms with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring now and then, 8 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it cooks off and everything is soft and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and thyme for 1 minute.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Make the sauce
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute so it loses its raw smell. Slowly pour in the stock while whisking, then the milk. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to coat a spoon.
Add the liquid slowly at first. The sauce is lumpy until about half of it is in.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Fold in chicken and rice
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chicken, rice and peas if using. Taste, and add salt until it tastes a little bold. The rice will mute it. The mixture should be creamy and loose, not stiff.
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Top and bake
Scrape everything into the baking dish and spread it out. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the topping is deep golden.
About 30 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Rest before serving
Let the casserole stand 10 minutes. The sauce thickens as it cools slightly and it scoops cleanly instead of running.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Leftover rice works best. Fresh hot rice turns mushy once it bakes in the sauce.
- To cook the chicken from raw, simmer 2 pounds of boneless breasts in salted water for 15 to 18 minutes, until 165°F inside, then shred.
- Substitute cooked turkey for the chicken, or brown rice if it's already cooked. Add ½ cup toasted chopped almonds or pecans to the topping for crunch.
- Storage. Fridge, 4 days covered. Freezes, baked or unbaked, for 3 months; thaw overnight and bake until hot in the center. Reheat portions in the microwave or covered at 350°F.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Can I use uncooked rice in chicken and rice casserole?
Not in this version. The sauce is built for cooked rice, so the baking time stays short. Raw rice needs more liquid and about 45 minutes covered in foil.
How do I keep chicken and rice casserole from being dry?
Keep the sauce loose before baking. It should look a bit too saucy, since the rice soaks up liquid in the oven. Don't bake past the point where the sauce bubbles and the top browns.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it without the topping up to 2 days ahead, covered in the fridge. Add the crumbs and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer.
What can I use instead of canned cream of chicken soup?
The sauce in this recipe is the replacement. Equal parts butter and flour with stock and milk makes a thick, creamy base in 10 minutes.
Can I use brown rice?
Yes, as long as it's fully cooked first. Brown rice holds its shape better than white, so the casserole will be a little chewier.
From the table
Made it? Tell me how it went, and who went back for seconds when they thought nobody was looking.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 28, 2026.