Chicken and Rice Casserole

5 from 11 votes

This old-fashioned chicken and rice casserole comes together in just 10 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chicken and rice casserole, chicken and rice casserole recipe, chicken and rice casserole with cream of chicken soup, creamy chicken casserole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 366.6kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

3 cups cooked, diced chicken
3 cups cooked rice
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup, NOT diluted (or use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup)
1 cup chicken broth
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup finely diced celery
½ cup slivered almonds (about 2 ounces)
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, coarsely crushed (about 30 crackers or 1 ½ cups crumbs)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or other herbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together chicken, rice, mayonnaise, condensed soup, chicken broth, onion, celery, and almonds. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
In a separate bowl, stir together Ritz cracker crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over top of the casserole.
Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes (or until hot, bubbly, and golden brown on top).

Video

Notes

The celery and onion become slightly tender in the casserole, but still have a bit of a firm bite (which I prefer for crunch in the dish). If you like your celery and onion very soft, I recommend sautéing the vegetables in a skillet with butter or olive oil before adding them to the casserole.
Use microwaveable rice for a shortcut. If you're using Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, microwave the rice according to the package directions before adding it to the dish. Each pouch contains about 2 cups of rice, so you'll need about 1 ½ packets for this recipe.
For another shortcut, try using pre-cooked chicken from the grocery store, leftover chicken from another meal, or a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
Any variety of cooked rice will work in this casserole. I typically use white rice, but you can substitute with wild rice or brown rice, if you prefer.
Use any flavor of condensed soup that you prefer: cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, or cream of celery are all nice options.
Add more veggies to the filling, such as steamed broccoli, frozen mixed vegetables, canned corn, frozen peas, or sautéed mushrooms.
Don't have Ritz crackers? Crushed Corn Flakes cereal mixed with the melted butter, buttered panko breadcrumbs, or crushed potato chips are great substitutes for a crunchy, flavorful topping.
Omit the almonds for a nut-free dish, or substitute with a different nut of your choice. Chopped pecans are also great!
For a tangier flavor, use sour cream instead of mayo, or replace half of the mayo with sour cream for a combination of both flavors.
Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese (or another variety of cheese) on top of the casserole before adding the cracker crumbs.
Season the filling with extra herbs or spices. Good options include chives, parsley, thyme, oregano, or basil, as well as garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika.

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