Description
This Chicken Rice Casserole is a warm, comforting dish featuring tender chicken, creamy soup, and perfectly cooked rice, all topped with a buttery, crispy Ritz cracker crust. It’s a simple, hearty recipe perfect for family dinners and serves 8 comfortably.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Rice Mixture
- 3 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded or cubed, about 4 cups)
- 2 cans Campbell’s cream of chicken soup (or 1 large can)
- 2 cups Minute rice (or quick cooking rice, uncooked)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream
Topping
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers (crushed)
- 1/2 cup salted butter (softened)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, cooked cubed or shredded chicken breast, uncooked rice, chicken broth, and sour cream. Stir well until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Spread the combined mixture evenly into a 9×13 inch baking dish, ensuring an even layer for consistent cooking.
- Crush Crackers: Pour Ritz crackers into a sealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs.
- Butter the Crumbs: Add the softened salted butter into the bag with the crushed crackers, reseal, and shake vigorously to coat the crumbs evenly with the butter.
- Top the Casserole: Evenly spread the buttered cracker crumbs over the top of the casserole mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake: Place the casserole on the middle rack of the warm oven and bake for 40 minutes until the cracker topping turns golden brown and crispy, and the rice is tender.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your hearty and creamy Chicken Rice Casserole!
Notes
- For best results, use cooked chicken breasts that are still warm to help the rice cook evenly.
- This casserole can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated before baking.
- You can substitute cream of mushroom soup if desired for a different flavor profile.
- Use quick cooking rice such as Minute rice to ensure it cooks fully during baking.
- If you prefer less salty dishes, use low-sodium chicken broth and unsalted butter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
