Creamy Garlic Chicken Rice Casserole (Printable Version)

A hearty bake featuring tender chicken, fluffy rice, and savory garlic cheese sauce that the whole family will love.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Rice & Broth

02 - 1.5 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
03 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 cup frozen corn, optional

→ Dairy & Cheese

08 - 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of garlic soup
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Spices & Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and bell pepper for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in uncooked rice, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat rice evenly with spices.
04 - Transfer the onion-rice mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Add cooked chicken and corn if using. Mix thoroughly.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together garlic soup, chicken broth, and milk until smooth. Pour over casserole ingredients and stir gently to combine.
06 - Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
07 - Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until rice is tender and top is golden and bubbling.
09 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • One dish feeds a crowd, and everyone at the table goes quiet when they take that first bite.
  • The garlic flavor is bold enough to feel restaurant-worthy, but creamy enough that even the picky eaters never complain.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 5-minute resting period or the casserole will fall apart when you scoop it, a mistake I made once and learned the hard way.
  • If your soup is the only seasoning you're adding, the whole dish tastes one-dimensional and flat, so those spices are non-negotiable.
  • Use whole milk instead of water or cream alone, because the emulsion of milk with the soup creates the right creamy texture that actually coats the rice.
03 -
  • Cook your chicken separately before adding it so you control the seasoning and texture instead of relying on what the casserole provides.
  • Whisk the soup and milk together in a separate bowl before adding it to the casserole so there are no soup lumps that never fully dissolve.
  • If your oven runs hot, cover the dish with foil for the entire baking time and just remove it in the last 5 minutes to let the top brown slightly.
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