This Dump and Bake Italian Chicken and Rice is an easy and healthy dinner recipe that comes together in about 10 minutes! Even the rice cooks in the dish, making this a fast and wholesome casserole to please even the pickiest little eaters.
Wondering, “what can I do with chicken breast and rice?!”…
These two pantry staples offer a variety of delicious dinner options, but I love a recipe that doesn’t require me to spend too much time pulling out equipment, dirtying (and washing) dishes, or slicing, chopping, and prepping a variety of ingredients! Instead, I want baked chicken and rice recipes that I can toss together in advance (preferably while my boys are at school for the morning), and then just pop it in the oven when my crew gets hungry. Can you relate?
This Dump and Bake Italian Chicken and Rice is definitely one of those gems!
How do you make chicken and rice in the oven?
Let’s start with a few basic ingredients: you’ll need uncooked white rice, marinara sauce, boneless, skinless chicken breast, and a can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano.
You’ll also need some Italian seasoning and salt. Between the sauce, the seasoned diced tomatoes, and the additional spices, we’re adding lots of flavor to this dish!
First, in your baking dish or in a separate bowl, stir together uncooked rice, marinara sauce, and diced tomatoes (in their juice).
In a separate bowl, toss together uncooked chicken with salt and Italian seasoning.
Combine the seasoned chicken with the rice mixture, and your job is basically done!
Cover the dish tightly with foil or a lid, and bake the chicken and rice casserole in a 425 degree F oven for 35 minutes.
After 35 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and take off the cover. Give everything a good stir. At this point, the rice should be just about tender and finished cooking, but may still be slightly al dente.
Once the rice is almost done, it’s time for the cheese!
Sprinkle grated mozzarella and grated Parmesan over the top of your casserole. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for about 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the rice is tender, and the chicken is cooked through.
The end result is this delicious, satisfying, and nutritious baked chicken and rice casserole! It’s truly the best!
Is this Italian Chicken and Rice gluten free?
Yes! These ingredients are naturally gluten free, but of course — always double check your labels to make sure that there is no gluten hiding in your pasta sauce or tomatoes!
Can Chicken and Rice Casserole be frozen?
If you want to freeze this dish, I recommend baking it first. Uncooked rice does not freeze well, because its texture breaks down and the end result is a mushy dish. Baked rice freezes fine, though!
To freeze, bake the casserole as instructed. Allow the dish to cool to room temperature, wrap tightly, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can Chicken and Rice Casserole be cooked in the Crock Pot?
Yes, but you have to be careful! Different slow cookers cook the ingredients at slightly different temperatures, so cooking times will always vary depending on your appliance.
You’ll need to watch your rice closely towards the end of the cooking time, since you want to be sure to turn it off when the rice is tender. If the rice cooks for too long, it will become mushy.
In general, this dish cooks in a Crock Pot on LOW for 3 1/2 – 5 1/2 hours, or on HIGH for 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours. Again, check your rice regularly, give it a stir if possible, and turn off the slow cooker as soon as the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
What to serve with Chicken and Rice?
If you’re wondering “what goes with chicken and rice?” then the answer is easy: just about anything! With protein, veggies, and starch all in one dish, I consider this a complete meal on its own. That said, if you’d like to offer a couple of other sides, try these easy favorites:
- A green salad with Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 3-Ingredient Breadsticks
- 2-Ingredient Italian Sugar Snap Peas
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli
COOK’S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS — THE BEST CHICKEN AND RICE RECIPE:
- If you prefer, you can use about 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken instead of the uncooked chicken.
- Try using frozen (thawed) meatballs instead of the chicken.
- If you prefer to use brown rice, you will need to increase the total baking time to 75-90 minutes. I suggest adding the chicken during the final 35 minutes so that the meat doesn’t get overdone and dry.
- After 35 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and take off the cover. Give everything a good stir. At this point, the rice should be just about tender and finished cooking, but may still be slightly al dente. If the rice is still hard, return the dish to the oven (covered) for another 5-10 minutes before adding the cheese on top. Total baking times can vary depending on the type of dish that you’re using (for instance, glass dishes may require a longer baking time than a nonstick metal pan). Your best bet is to just taste the rice and make sure that it’s almost finished before you sprinkle that cheese on top!
You might also enjoy these other easy chicken and rice recipes:
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Rice Casserole
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
- Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole
- Southern Chicken and Rice Salad
- One Pot Farmer’s Market Chicken and Rice
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Dump-and-Bake Italian Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups marinara (or tomato basil) sauce
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano (NOT drained)
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 ½ lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast or chicken tenderloins, diced into bite sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Stir marinara sauce, tomatoes (in their juice), and uncooked rice together in the prepared dish (or in a separate bowl).
- In a small bowl, combine diced, uncooked chicken with Italian seasoning and salt.
- Add seasoned chicken to the rice mixture and stir to completely combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
- Cover tightly with foil or with a lid.
- Bake for 35 minutes, remove the cover, and give the dish a good stir. At this point the chicken should be cooked through and the rice should be just about tender (but still slightly al dente). If the rice is too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes, or until it’s ready.
- Once the rice is just about tender, sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over top. Return dish to the oven, uncovered, for about 5 more minutes, or just until cheese is melted and rice is completely done.
- Garnish with parsley before serving.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can use about 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken instead of the uncooked chicken.
- Try using frozen (thawed) meatballs instead of the chicken.
- If you prefer to use brown rice, you will need to increase the total baking time to 75-90 minutes. I suggest adding the chicken during the final 35 minutes so that the meat doesn't get overdone and dry.
- After 35 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and take off the cover. Give everything a good stir. At this point, the rice should be just about tender and finished cooking, but may still be slightly al dente. If the rice is still hard, return the dish to the oven (covered) for another 5-10 minutes before adding the cheese on top. Total baking times can vary depending on the type of dish that you're using (for instance, glass dishes may require a longer baking time than a nonstick metal pan). Your best bet is to just taste the rice and make sure that it's almost finished before you sprinkle that cheese on top!
Nutrition
This post was originally published in May, 2015. It was updated in January, 2019.
This was delicious! Needed 20 min longer cooking time but that could be my oven.
Also made this substituting chicken and rice for meatballs and pasta. So good!
Thank you, Karen! We’re happy to hear it worked for you.
Really delicious and satisfying! Great meal for the cool nights ahead. Comes together quickly with ingredients most people have on hand. I used pre-cooked chicken which made the recipe even easier. Will make this again and again.
Thank you, Dena! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
About how much rice did you use it didn’t really tell you how much to measure out like if you’re using minute Rice?
I’m not a professional cook I’m just a novice cook that sometimes likes to try little recipes here and there but it didn’t really mention how much rice. It looks like you just use I looked at your picture before you did it you had about one can of tomatoes?
Hi Kevin! You can find the ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of any post. This recipe uses 1 cup of uncooked long grain rice and 1 (14.5 ounce) can of diced tomatoes. We hope you enjoy!
Made this last night and it was AMAZING! I used what I had on hand, legs and spaghetti sauce, so I minced up some onion and garlic and added some dried Italian seasoning. Cooked it for 45 minutes at 400°, poured the remainder of the spaghetti sauce on top and added the cheese and threw it back in for 15 minutes with some garlic cheese bread on the side. It was SO good! Our 7 month old granddaughter even got in on the action! Thank you!
We’re so happy to hear this! Thank you for trying it out, Lee Anne!
I added Greek yogurt for a great flavor, but 35 wasn’t enough. Added another ten mins, rice still underdone. Any ideas?
Hi, J! The total cooking time will vary depending on the type of dish that you use and on your individual oven. It sounds like your rice just needs a few more minutes in the oven. It can go from looking very firm and under-cooked to soft quite quickly, so keep an eye on it. Hope it works for you!
Hi! I wanted to try this. If I double the recipe, can I still use a 9×13 baking dish and do I need to extend the baking time?
Hi, Tiffany! I wouldn’t try to put double the ingredients in a single dish. For the best results, you’ll want to use two separate pans. The cooking time should remain about the same, but you may need to add a little bit more time with two pans in the oven. Hope you enjoy!