Description
A cozy, creamy chicken and rice casserole with a rich mushroom sauce that’s perfect for easy comfort food and one-dish meals.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 100g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 50g)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: ½ cup frozen peas
- Optional: ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Optional: chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice mushrooms, dice onion, mince garlic, measure rice and broth, grate Parmesan, and chop thyme.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook diced onion for 2-3 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 4 minutes until they release moisture and start to brown.
- Add garlic and thyme; cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out raw taste.
- Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Simmer gently for about 3 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in heavy cream and cook for another 1-2 minutes until sauce is silky and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Place raw chicken breasts in the dish.
- Sprinkle uncooked rice evenly around and under the chicken.
- Pour creamy mushroom sauce over chicken and rice, coating everything well. Season with salt and pepper.
- If using, scatter frozen peas over the mixture.
- Cover dish tightly with foil or lid and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove foil, sprinkle grated Parmesan and mozzarella (if using) over the top.
- Return to oven uncovered for 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly and chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
[‘Use low-sodium broth to control salt levels.’, ‘Cook flour in butter and mushroom mixture to avoid raw flour taste and thicken sauce.’, ‘Check chicken doneness early; tent dish if chicken cooks before rice.’, ‘Fresh mushrooms are preferred for best flavor.’, ‘Let casserole rest before serving to set and meld flavors.’, ‘Make-ahead: assemble up to step 4, refrigerate overnight, add 5-10 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.’, ‘For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour or cornstarch and gluten-free broth.’, ‘For dairy-free, substitute heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk, butter with olive oil, and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 35
Keywords: chicken casserole, creamy chicken and rice, mushroom sauce, comfort food, one-dish meal, easy dinner