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    Ingredients » Recipes » Chicken

    Grandma's Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Jan 13, 2022 · Modified: Jan 13, 2022 by Dee

    Grandma's Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice recipe is easy comfort food made with simple ingredients that the whole family will love. This easy chicken recipe is a family favorite perfect for busy weeknights, and even picky kids love it! via @meamel

    Grandma's Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice recipe is easy comfort food made with simple ingredients that the whole family will love. This easy chicken recipe is a family favorite perfect for busy weeknights, and even picky kids love it!

    Jump to Recipe -
    baked chicken and rice on a black plate with parsley

    If you're looking for easy chicken recipes, you've come to the right place! This easy chicken and rice recipe is absolutely delicious and super simple.

    I'll go so far as to say it's life changing. Why? For one thing, my whole family -- even my picky kids and picky husband love it.

    And, our favorite comfort food is seriously easy to make. Just mix the ingredients together, and bake!

    I usually serve peas or green beans or broccoli on the side. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal!

    chicken breasts, rice, butter, cream of chicken and cream of celery soup on counter

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients for this old fashioned chicken and rice recipe. You can get them in your grocery store or online.

    • Chicken breasts 
    • Jasmine rice-- or any long grain white rice, not minute rice
    • Butter -- original recipe calls for margarine
    • Can of cream of chicken soup
    • Cream of celery soup
    • Can cream of mushroom soup
    • Dried parsley
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    • Salt -- to taste, optional
    • Black pepper -- to taste, optional

    I just love old recipes, but like many old fashioned chicken and rice recipes, grandma's recipe is very basic. I added seasoning for extra flavor to please our modern palates.

    Note: The original recipe calls for 3 different canned soups, which makes this casserole super creamy. It also works with just 2 cans of soup, but it won't be as creamy.

    How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole

    First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees f. Many old recipes list the oven temperature as just "medium heat" or "medium-high heat," but we can interpret this as 350 degrees.

    Then, spray a casserole dish or baking dish with cooking spray, like Pam.

    Next, rinse your rice, and drain it. Then, melt margarine or butter in the microwave.

    Mix the rice and about half of the butter with the cream of chicken and cream of celery soup in the baking dish.

    mix jasmine rice and cream of chicken and celery soup together

    Spread the rice mixture evenly in the dish. Then, place chicken over the rice.

    Next, season chicken, and melt the remaining butter over the chicken and rice.

    This picture shows how the dish looks with just 2 cans of soup. If you use 3 cans, the rice mixture will be closer to the top of the casserole dish.

    Now, cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. This step is necessary to allow steam to build up and cook the rice.

    And yes, it's safe to cook raw rice and raw chicken together!

    chicken breasts and rice with butter and cream of chicken soup in casserole dish

    Cooking Time

    Cook the chicken and rice casserole for 30 minutes covered. Then, carefully remove the foil -- The steam will be hot, so use oven mitts!

    Bake the casserole for another 30 minutes uncovered, for a total of 1 hour. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is at least 165 degrees.

    You may have to cook chicken and rice a little longer depending upon your oven.

    Let the dish rest for a few minutes after baking. The rice will absorb extra liquid as it cools down. If you like, you can shred the chicken or cut smaller chicken pieces before serving.

    Doesn't it look delicious?! The creamy chicken, steamy rice, and simple flavor profile make this the perfect comfort food meal!

    baked chicken and rice in casserole dish

    Variations

    There are a few simple ways to customize this yummy comfort food to your liking!

    For cheese lovers, sprinkle on some of your favorite shredded cheese during the last 10 minutes of baking the chicken and rice.

    Give your meal a pop of green with broccoli or frozen peas. Add the veggies to the chicken and rice during the last 30 minutes of baking, or after you uncover the dish.

    I usually use cream of chicken and celery since some of don't like mushroom soup for this recipe, but you can use whatever type of soup you like best. Cream of onion soup also gives a great flavor.

    If you want a more Mexican or Southwest style flavor, add some salsa to the soup base. Verde or red both go well with this! Sprinkle some Mexican blend shredded cheese on top for extra goodness!

    Instead of chicken breasts, you can cook chicken thighs as well.

    You can also make chicken and rice dishes in the Instant Pot! Check out these delicious recipes: Instant Pot chicken and rice and Instant Pot teriyaki chicken and rice.

    How to Store and Reheat

    Store any leftover chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it'll keep for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it.

    Reheat individual portions in the microwave. For larger portions, you can reheat the chicken and rice in the oven. Though, you may want to add a bit more liquid to the dish, so that it doesn't dry out.

    grandma's chicken and rice on a black plate with parsley

    Grandma's Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice

    Published by Dee
    Grandma's Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice recipe is easy comfort food made with simple ingredients that the whole family will love. This easy chicken recipe is a family favorite perfect for busy weeknights, and even picky kids love it!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Resting Time 5 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 448 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 chicken breasts about 2 pounds
    • 1 cup jasmine rice any long grain white rice, rinsed and drained
    • 1 stick butter melted
    • 1 can cream of chicken soup
    • 1 can cream of celery soup
    • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • salt and pepper, to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350° f
    • Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray
    • Mix the rinsed rice, canned soups and about half of the butter in the baking dish, and spread evenly in the dish
    • Place chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture, and season with parsley, onion powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper, if using
    • Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes
    • Remove foil, and bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until rice is soft and chicken is 165 degrees, according to meat thermometer
    • Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving

    Notes

    You can use any combo of cream soup. I like cream of chicken and cream of celery or cream of onion for extra flavor.
    You can use only 2 cans of soup for a less creamy casserole.
    You can use 4 to 6 boneless chicken breasts here.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 448kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 23gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 1203mgPotassium: 463mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 729IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword chicken and rice, old fashioned chicken and rice recipes
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    This is one of the best chicken main dishes I've found in my grandmother's old cookbook! Seriously, it's one of my favorite recipes for hearty comfort food, and a great way to treat yourself after a long day.

    For more old-fashioned chicken recipes, slow cooker recipes, and simple recipe ideas, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lin says

      February 01, 2022 at 5:29 am

      Yum!!! This is such a great dinner. Love it!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Krystle says

      January 31, 2022 at 10:07 am

      This reminds me of something we used to eat growing up, comfort food at its finest.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        January 31, 2022 at 12:04 pm

        Thanks so much! Comfort food is the best!

    3. juliane says

      January 30, 2022 at 10:54 pm

      I love this recipe. It's so appetizing and amazing!5 stars

      Reply
    4. Dorothy Reinhold says

      January 28, 2022 at 6:01 pm

      Such a comforting meal! I want to try several of your variation ideas. They all sound so good.

      Reply
    5. Erik says

      January 28, 2022 at 4:54 pm

      Such a classic, perfect comfort food!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Beth says

      January 28, 2022 at 1:09 pm

      This is such a classic dish. I've loved serving it to my family for years. 5 stars

      Reply
    7. Ann says

      January 18, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      This is just how my Grandma used to make it!5 stars

      Reply
    8. Edna says

      January 17, 2022 at 1:21 pm

      This does remind of what I used to make for my kids. Simple and very tasty. My grand kids loved it just as my own kids did.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        January 18, 2022 at 12:48 pm

        Thank you so much, Edna. I'm glad you all like it!

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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

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