Chicken and Rice Casserole
This chicken and rice casserole must be older than I am because my entire family makes this recipe. It’s so easy to make with leftovers, just be sure and stock some sliced or chopped water chestnuts.
We typically always have slivered or sliced almonds in the freezer (they stay so fresh this way). So, I had leftover rice and some rotisserie chicken, so I’m sharing this awesome inexpensive recipe. Call this a true comfort food since it is delicious to eat and easy to make. Just like so many of my other recipes, I love making dinner from scratch. How To Cook Rice
Kitchen Items You May Need
- A Good Knife
- Chopping Board or Silicone Cutting Boards
- Large Bowl
- Baking Dish (9 by 13-inch)
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- Onions: Onions are a must-have ingredient for most casseroles, adding a sweet and savory flavor that complements the chicken and vegetables. Chopped onions add texture and flavor to the dish.
- Celery: Celery adds a fresh and bright flavor to the casserole, as well as a nice crunch. Chopped celery gives the dish a natural and wholesome texture.
- Sliced Water Chestnuts: Sliced water chestnuts are a unique and delicious addition to this casserole, adding a nutty and slightly sweet flavor. They also provide a nice texture to the dish.
- White Rice (cooked): A staple ingredient in many casseroles, providing a neutral base for the other flavors. Some cooks prefer long-grain rice for casseroles.
- Cooked Chicken: My favorite cooked chicken is rotisserie chicken (cooked and ready to chop). I generally buy the pre-cooked rotisserie chicken at Costco. I think they use chicken breasts, but they may include chicken thighs. Either way, the chicken has always been tender in all my recipes calling for chicken.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise binds the ingredients together. Some cooks will use a creamy sauce too.
- Sliced Almonds: They add the finishing crunch topping to any baked dish.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a little touch of tartness to the casserole.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Step One:
Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C) degrees. Gather all of your ingredients.
Step Two:
Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, chop the onion into bite-sized pieces, and chop the celery into bite-sized pieces. This makes cooking things fully easier so you know they are done. If you’ve stored your chicken in the freezer, be sure to thaw the meat so the cooking time allows for the casserole to come out hot and fully cooked.
Step Three:
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, except the almonds. Stir the chicken and rice mixture until blended well. Set the almonds aside.
Step Four:
Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. I usually use a cooking spray since it’s so easy. Scoop or pour the ingredients into the casserole dish or pan. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through. Add the almonds to the top of the casserole during the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
Finished Product
Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
- 2 cups cooked chicken cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 1 chopped fresh onion
- 1 cup fresh celery chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 can water chestnuts drained, sliced or chopped (approximately 8 ounces)
- 1 cup mayonnaise or miracle whip
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup almonds (slivered)
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Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C) degrees.
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Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
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Chop the onion into bite-sized pieces.
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Chop the celery into bite-sized pieces.
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Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, except the almonds. Stir the mixture until blended well. Set the almonds aside.
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Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Scoop the ingredients into the baking dish.
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Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through. Add the almonds to the top of the casserole during the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
What are some other ingredients I can add to change the flavor or texture of the casserole?
Some family members like to add different soups to the mixture to help expand or stretch the recipe. They have tried cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and even cream of celery soup since celery is a key ingredient.
Along that same line of thinking, they’ll add some sliced mushrooms to their cream of mushroom soup. Each of these will change the flavor as the tastes of the new ingredients come through.
To get more creative, consider some broccoli to increase the vegetable content of the casserole. You can add butter and/or cheddar cheese to make it more creamy too. Instead of the sliced almonds, consider topping off the casserole with some crushed Ritz crackers.
Another creative approach would be to replace the rice with some cubed potatoes, but then you’d have to call it chicken and potato casserole. (lol)
Add spice flavor with some salt, pepper, or garlic powder, all of which are common favorites.
How do I store the leftovers?
I like to have an airtight container with a secure lid for storage of my leftovers because it will keep the casserole from drying out. Be sure to put your container in the fridge when dinner is done to help maintain freshness.
When it’s time to serve the casserole again, just put it in the microwave and cook it until hot enough to enjoy.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
I wouldn’t recommend it because it has mayonnaise in it. The texture would not be the same. I would cut the recipe in half, instead.
What can I serve with this recipe?
- Spinach Salad
- Tossed Salad
- Fruit Salad
- Fresh Fruit
- Fresh Vegetables
Final Word
Please let me know if you try making this easy chicken and rice casserole. I’m trying to share as many inexpensive recipes as possible. The price of groceries is so expensive, that we have no choice but to cut back wherever we can. If you get discouraged going to the grocery store, you’re not alone. I’ll not cave to some of the higher prices I see of certain foods. I have to stop buying them. It’s a fact, and I’m not alone.
Linda, I use a shortcut to make this. Home canned chicken (or pre-baked chicken thighs or breasts), Rice a Roni Herb and Butter rice, add snow peas (or celery), water chestnuts and some green onion while the rice is cooking, then add the chicken the final 15 minutes. The whole meal takes about 30 minutes and it’s really tasty as well as easy. I don’t use sliced almonds, even though I love them, because Jane doesn’t.
With any luck she’ll be home from her latest bowel surgery either today or tomorrow. She’s been in the hospital with me by her side the past eight days. I only come home to care for the dogs and sleep.
HI Ray, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! I love using canned meat, I need to try it with Rice a Roni!! I love quick meals and cost less money! I’m sorry to hear about Jane, that poor woman needs all of our prayers! You are such a blessed caregiver, Ray, I hope she comes home soon. Linda
Dear Ray: I am SO SORRY to hear what you and your wife have been going through the last week or two! I pray that God will protect you both and heal your wife soon! What a great man you must be to be so faithfully by her side non-stop!
About the recipe, Linda you have made me very happy with this recipe, because I just finished pressure-canning organic chicken thighs I got on clearance (but still perfectly fine). Plus we already have that clean white rice from the Himalayas on hand and lots of it! Plus, I already have been slowly building up my stock of Pacific Foods Organic Condensed Cream of Chicken and Cream of Mushroom Soup, and we already have in stock dehydrated organic celery and other organic veggies. I am also getting ready to freeze dry organic onions and more celery, so we should be all set for making this dish during SHTF times that are returning soon. The D.S. has already begun announcing their triple-virus injections to the public and that there will be new lockdowns coming. All that on top of trashing the dollar….BUMMER! Well, if I have to stay home for months on end, no worries! I am NOT getting that dangerous shot unless they tie me down and inject me against my will!! We know too many who, by now, have cancer,or have died or become paralyzed (or something like that) from the last round!!
Thanks for an easy recipe. We just cannot use mayo because my hubby and son are allergic to eggs, thus the cream of whatever soups and Mayacamas g/f sauces we’ve been slowly accumulating over the last year or so! I am going to work on freeze-drying organic broccoli, too, so we can add that in.
Oh, by the way, Linda, I have 2 quarts of our own blackberries in my old EXCALIBUR dehydrator right now, thanks to YOU! Have also been cutting up and freeze-drying organic peaches and zephyr squash “rounds”. The peaches freeze dried should be awesome because I can tell you the f-dried apricots were DIVINE!! Yesterday was pick-up day for conventional plums and organic beets, so I am going to be swamped for at least several weeks longer!!! Next will be organic onions and beet greens (plus making pickled beets), and then finishing up the org. peaches…. Whew! I am beginning to feel it’s almost time for a VACATION!! :-). NOT complaining one bit in reality. We are so grateful for all that God has sent our way this year. I just wish we had a 2nd freezer to put some of it in!!! Thus all my canning dehydrating and freeze-drying out the kazoo!
Hi Joyce, oh you are truly blessed to have all this organic food dehydrating, freeze-drying, and canning. SQUEAL! Life is good when you have your own healthy food in your home! I love this!! Linda
Linda this sounds so good. I gotta make it soon. I make a chicken and rice casserole a different way. I use a can of cream of chicken soup, 2 soup cans of water, about a cup of chopped onion, and mix well. Add 1 soup can of rice and mix again. Add chicken breasts on top and season with seasoned salt or seasoning of choice. Bake at 350, covered for about 45 minutes. I have added peas and carrots to it and it was good too.
HI Deborah, oh, I love this idea, cook the rice in the casserole! Yummy! We will all be needing more recipes like yours to stretch our food budget. Thanks for sharing! Thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend, Linda
Hi Linda:
I use a mix of rice, You would not believe how many different types I have right now I can list what I remember, Blue, Black, Red and about 8 more. I buy them at sprouts when they have them on sale. My husband adores it when I make something with the different rices. He hates white rice but my trick is usually use one or more of the darker rices and cook half and half. The white rice will take on the color of the colored rice and he has no problems with it. I also make my chilli with about 10 different types of dried beans. That way I can put pinto beans in and it does not bother me. When you cook about 10-15 different types of beans you get a fantastic pot of Chilli. At least my family thinks so.
Thanks for the Chicken recipe. We eat so much chicken that we have a freezer of cooked chicken;.
Hi Jackie, it sounds like you have a great stash of rice. I’m glad your husband like the mixture you make. Life is good when we can cook from scratch. Linda
Hi Jackie, I forgot to tell you thank you for 5 stars, my sweet friend! Linda
HI Linda:
I forgot to tell you my husband can’t eat fresh onion or celery so I used celery seed. Same flavoring just not the juice the celery has. It’s a Indian Spice. I also used a can of cream of mudroom soup and a can of cream of chicken soup. I am making rice and noodles for the casserole. For whoever wants whatever and and I added chicken broth to thin it out. I also put a large can of mushrooms in it. I think my family will love the casserole even if it isn’t totally the recipe you shared.
Hi Jackie, this sounds good, thanks for sharing the different choices to change out the recipe! Yummy! Linda