Description
This creamy and comforting Chicken Rice Casserole features tender cooked chicken, quick-cooking rice, and a savory cream of chicken soup mixture, all topped with a buttery, crispy Ritz cracker crust. Baked to golden perfection, it makes a hearty and easy weeknight meal perfect for feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken 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 into a creamy mixture.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Spread the combined mixture evenly into a 9×13 inch baking dish, ensuring an even layer for consistent cooking throughout.
- Crush Crackers: Pour the 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 the bag, and shake vigorously to coat the cracker 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 to form a crunchy crust.
- Bake: Place the casserole on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes until the cracker topping turns golden brown and crispy, and the rice is fully cooked and tender.
- Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes to set before serving. Enjoy this hearty, creamy Chicken Rice Casserole!
Notes
- You can use cooked rotisserie chicken as a shortcut for the chicken breasts.
- If you prefer a healthier option, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt.
- Make sure the rice is quick-cooking or instant to ensure it cooks fully during baking.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute Ritz crackers with gluten-free crackers or crushed gluten-free bread crumbs.
- Allowing the casserole to rest before serving helps it set and makes it easier to portion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
