Healthy Baked Chicken & Rice Casserole

This casserole recipe is so simple to make and great for feeding a ton of people. Unlike most casseroles, this one is not made with soup. I have used ingredients like cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, and even cheddar cheese. However, when I make this recipe, I prefer it without soup because it tastes better and is healthier. This recipe is very filling and can keep you full until breakfast. A casserole like this will be a hit where ever you take it!

For maximum flavor, sauté the red onion and toast the brown rice in the skillet first. When finished browning the chicken, deglaze the pan with some of the chicken broth to scrape up any brown bits left on the bottom of the skillet. When finished, transfer the liquid from the skillet to the casserole dish with the rest of the chicken broth.

To make this a truly healthy chicken and rice casserole, you want to use a low sodium chicken broth and brown rice. This makes a healthy dinner recipe that still tastes amazing.

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Even though this recipe is so good and simple to make, you may need some substitutions if you missing an ingredient or just want to try something.

• Rotisserie Chicken: If you don’t have the time or just don’t feel like it, you can shred up some of your favorite pre-cooked chicken.
• Rice: You may be feeling a little lazy with the chicken, but minute rice won’t work as well with this recipe. If you decide you want to use brown rice, you will need an additional 1/2 cup of liquid and a longer cooking time.
• Veggies: I love adding a bit more to my recipe by adding broccoli florets or other veggies not only because it tastes good, but because it adds a pop of color. You can use fresh or frozen!
• Herbs: Adding fresh herbs will make the casserole even tastier.
• Cheese: If you want a creamy recipe, I recommend adding some cheese like cheddar, Colby jack, or mozzarella or bumping up the heat with some pepper jack!

Yes! One of the best things about this recipe is that it is super simple to make. If you decide to use uncooked chicken, you may worry about bacteria. Any bacteria will fully cook out and be killed at 160 degrees. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check!

Another perk of this recipe! You don’t need to cook your rice. The broth in the recipe allows the rice to cook while baking.

For this recipe, you will want to cover it for the first 40 minutes. Then, to get the golden brown casserole look, it will need to be uncovered for the last 15-20 minutes.

Place the casserole dish in an airtight container for the best storage method. You can also use a casserole dish that already has a lid. This will reduce the number of dishes you need to do.

You can make this recipe as a freezer meal. When the casserole is made, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking or store it in the freezer for three months.

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Chicken breasts
• Red onion
• Brown rice
• Chicken broth
• Salt and Pepper

Step 1. Preheat the oven and grease the baking dish with olive oil. Add oil to a large frying pan and cook and season your chicken for about 3-4 minutes until golden.

Step 2. Add the onion and rice into the baking dish and season if desired. Combine and add the broth. Arrange the seared chicken into the casserole dish and cover with foil for 40 minutes. Leave uncovered for 15-20 minutes until fully cooked.

Step 3. Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool before using a fork to fluff the rice. Serve right away and enjoy!

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