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Mamaw's Chicken and Rice Casserole

I grew up with this chicken and rice casserole recipe. My Grandmother got it from a lady from church at a potluck a long time ago! She passed it down to my mom and it's always been a family favorite. Quick and easy for school nights, and the leftovers are just as good! You can use less butter on top of course, my Momma and Mamaw always put the full stick on top (gotta love Southern ladies and their butter!)
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 3717.2 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Casserole Dish 9x13 inch or similar, appropriate for 6 servings
  • 1 Large Mixing Spoon For combining ingredients
  • 1 Chef's knife For cubing chicken breasts
  • 1 Cutting Board For preparing chicken
  • 1 Measuring Cups For water and rice

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 3 chicken breasts cut into cubes
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups instant white rice
  • 1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 10.5 ounce can cream of celery soup
  • 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup butter sliced into pats

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease sides and bottom of a casserole dish. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Stir chicken, water, rice, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, and cream of mushroom soup together in the prepared casserole dish; season with salt and pepper. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Arrange butter evenly over the top of the chicken mixture. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 1 hour to 75 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy! Photographer: Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Sammy Mila / Prop Styling: Kristen Schooley

Notes

For a richer, deeper flavor, consider browning the cubed chicken breast before adding it to the casserole; this develops a maillard reaction, adding complexity. Replace water with chicken broth for a more savory base. To elevate the dish, sauté a small amount of diced onion and garlic before combining with other ingredients. Ensure your instant rice is thoroughly mixed to prevent crunchy spots. While the recipe calls for a significant amount of butter, you can reduce it without compromising the core flavor profile, though a good pat of butter does contribute to a rich, golden top crust. Avoid overbaking; the chicken should be cooked through and the rice tender, but not dry.