Creamy Garlic Chicken & Rice (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and rice bake in a rich garlic Parmesan sauce with melted mozzarella. An easy, satisfying dinner the whole family will love.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ 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 or garlic Parmesan 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
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly 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 black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously to coat rice evenly with spices.
04 - Transfer the seasoned rice mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Add cooked chicken and corn if using. Mix thoroughly.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together garlic Parmesan soup, chicken broth, and milk until smooth. Pour mixture over casserole ingredients and stir gently to combine.
06 - Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheese evenly across the top of the casserole.
07 - Cover casserole tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes at 375°F.
08 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until rice is tender and cheese topping is golden and bubbling.
09 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Zero stress cooking: Everything goes into one dish, then the oven does the heavy lifting while you actually sit down.
  • The cheese pull is real: That golden, bubbly top with two kinds of cheese melted together is the kind of comfort that justifies seconds.
  • Naturally feeds a crowd: Six generous servings mean this works for family dinners, potlucks, or meal prepping without extra fuss.
02 -
  • Don't skip the foil-covered phase: I learned this the hard way when I skipped straight to baking uncovered and ended up with slightly crunchy rice on top and barely-cooked rice underneath—the foil is doing crucial work.
  • Stir everything together loosely before baking: You want the liquids distributed, but you don't need to obsess over perfect mixing; the baking process will sort it out, and over-stirring can make the rice gluey.
03 -
  • Don't peek under the foil: Every time you lift it, you're letting steam escape and adding cooking time, so trust the process and leave it alone for those first 35 minutes.
  • Use shredded cheese you shred yourself if you can: Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce feel slightly grainy instead of silky smooth.
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