Delicious Chicken Rice Dish

Looking for a no-fuss chicken and rice dish for tonight's dinner? This homemade cheesy bake is exactly what you're craving! I totally enjoy whipping up this casserole because it's straightforward, heartwarming and my entire family gobbles it up. You'll only need a single dish and a handful of ingredients for this warm meal that'll soon become your family's most requested dinner.

What Makes This Dish Foolproof

Whenever I cook this no-hassle casserole, everyone wants extra helpings. The juicy chicken, well-cooked rice and velvety cheese mixture create absolute mealtime magic. What do I love most about this from-scratch dish? Everything goes in one pan, so there's barely any washing up. It works great whether I'm just feeding my own crew or having pals over for supper.

An Old Favorite Simplified

This warm bake has topped my family's list for ages. I've adjusted the preparation to make it even more straightforward while keeping all that traditional comfort taste. My approach gives you that genuine homemade flavor without spending your whole evening in the kitchen.

Quick Path To Tasty Results

Let me guide you through cooking this yummy dish right from my kitchen to yours:

1. Start With Basics: First warm your oven to 350°F. While it's heating, collect all your stuff. I find it helpful to measure everything out before starting.
2. Fix Your Dish: Coat a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. This stops food from sticking and makes clean-up quicker.
3. Combine Main Parts: In a big bowl, stir together raw rice, both creamy soups, milk, water and the onion soup mix packet. This creates our super tasty foundation. Mix until completely blended.
4. Create Your Dish: Empty that smooth rice blend into your greased pan. Spread it all around evenly - this matters for proper cooking. Scatter half your cheese across the rice mixture.
5. Position Your Protein: Put your chicken pieces over the rice blend. Push them down gently so they sit nicely in the dish. Add extra salt and pepper if you want.
6. Wrap And Heat: This part's crucial - cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Your meal needs this to cook right. Put it in the oven for roughly 1½ to 2 hours.
7. Test If It's Ready: After about 90 minutes, see if the rice feels soft and the chicken's fully cooked. The chicken should reach 165°F inside.
8. Finishing Touch: When everything's cooked, take off the foil, add your leftover cheese and let it turn all gooey and delicious - about 5 more minutes of baking.
9. Cool Before Eating: Let your dish sit for about 15 minutes before dishing up. This helps everything come together perfectly.

Your Shopping List

• Rice: One cup uncooked for your dinner base.
• Cream Soups: One can each of chicken and mushroom to give your dish its smooth texture.
• Liquids: Half cup each milk and water to soften that rice just right.
• Seasoning: One packet onion soup mix for knockout taste.
• Chicken: Two chicken breasts to make your meal filling and satisfying.
• Cheese: Two cups shredded cheddar for that can't-resist cheesy topping.

Quick Cooking Guide

1. Combine Your Ingredients: Start by mixing rice, creamy soups, milk, water and flavors in a bowl.
2. Stack Your Dish: Put your mixture in a baking dish, add half the cheese, then place chicken on top. Everything should be spread out evenly for best results.
3. Cooking Time: Wrap and cook at 350°F for about 2 hours until chicken's done and rice feels soft.
4. Add More Cheese: Sprinkle with remaining cheese, let it melt completely.
5. Rest Before Eating: Let your dish cool down before serving – trust me, it's better this way!

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Create Your Version

This bake is really adaptable. Try other cheese types, toss in your preferred vegetables, or jazz it up with herbs. I often add broccoli for extra color and goodness. The main elements stay unchanged, but you can tweak the extras to match what your family likes.

Get Ahead Planning

Make cooking easier with these smart shortcuts:

• Put everything together the evening before cooking day.
• Cook twice as much, save half for another day.
• Your ready-to-bake dish stays good in the freezer up to 3 months.

Crowd-Pleasing Comfort

This easy dish isn't just food, it's comfort on a plate! Your homemade creation will soon become a household favorite. For busy weeknights or lazy Sunday meals, this warm bake always hits the spot. It's the kind of cooking that brings everyone running to the table, ready to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why does this take so long to cook?

The extended cooking time lets the rice properly soften and develop a creamy consistency. Standard rice (not quick-cooking types) needs this much time to soak up all the liquid.

→ Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Absolutely, chicken thighs are a great option and stay moist during the lengthy cooking. They're even better when you're using brown rice.

→ Why isn't minute rice recommended?

Quick-cooking rice would turn soggy with this much liquid and cooking duration. Standard long grain rice gives you the best results.

→ Can I add vegetables?

For sure, toss in some broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, or any veggies you like before baking. You can use fresh or frozen ones.

→ How do I prevent dry chicken?

Tuck the chicken pieces down into the rice mix and wrap the dish tightly with foil. Don't forget to let it sit for 15-20 minutes after taking it out of the oven.