Creamy Garlic Chicken & Rice (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and rice in a rich garlic Parmesan sauce with melted mozzarella cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Rice

02 - 1 1/2 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 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
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 pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to coat rice evenly with spices.
04 - Transfer the onion-rice mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Add cooked chicken and corn if using. Mix well to distribute ingredients evenly.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together cream of garlic soup, chicken broth, and milk until smooth and well combined.
06 - Pour the broth mixture over the casserole ingredients. Stir gently to combine, ensuring liquid is distributed throughout.
07 - Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
08 - Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until rice is tender and the top is golden brown and bubbling.
10 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can pull off a homemade dinner that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • The rice cooks directly in the casserole with the chicken and creamy sauce, so you skip the extra pot and the cleanup headache.
  • One dish feeds six people generously, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or when you're hosting without wanting to stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip the foil covering in the first 35 minutes—I made that mistake once and ended up with crunchy overcooked rice on top and mushy rice beneath, which was nobody's favorite.
  • Whisk the soup, broth, and milk together thoroughly before pouring, or you'll get weird clumps of soup that won't distribute evenly and will throw off your entire casserole.
  • If your chicken broth is salted, taste the mixture before serving and adjust—the cheese adds saltiness too, so you might not need any extra.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly when you whisk the soup, broth, and milk together, so pull those from the fridge a few minutes before mixing.
  • If your top isn't browning enough in the last 10 minutes, crank the oven to 425°F for those final minutes while keeping a close eye on it—you want golden and bubbly, not burnt.
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