Description
A comforting, oven-baked casserole featuring tender chicken, creamy rice, and plenty of melted cheese, perfect for a dependable weeknight family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 cups cooked shredded or cubed chicken breast
- 3 to 3 ½ cups cooked brown or white rice
- 1 (12-16-ounce) bag frozen California blend vegetables
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Mist a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter while whisking until combined, about 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the milk, 1 cup at a time, whisking slowly and continuously after each addition until all milk is added.
- Stir in the garlic powder, salt, mustard, onion powder, paprika, and pepper.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Simmer until thickened, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add 1 ½ cups of the cheese to the sauce and stir until melted and smooth.
- Pour the cheese sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Add the cooked rice, cooked chicken, and frozen vegetables. Stir until well combined.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil. Stir the mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese over the top.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For raw chicken, cook it first. If using raw chicken breast, cube or shred it, then bake it at 375F for 15-20 minutes until cooked through before adding it to the casserole mixture.
- Adjust the amount of cooked rice based on your preferred consistency; use 3 cups for a thicker bake or 3 ½ cups for a looser bake.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 90
Keywords: Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake,Dump And Go Crockpot Dinners,Cheap Dinners For A Family,Easy Supper Recipes,Kid Friendly Dinners,casserole,chicken and rice,comfort food,baked dinner