This chicken and rice casserole is frequently requested by my husband who grew up calling it “Forgotten Chicken.” Simple and satisfying!
SCALE
INGREDIENTS
for the sauce:
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (I used 2 cans)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon seasoning mix (or 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. parsley)
(you can sub 2 cans of cream of chicken soup for the homemade sauce.)
for the casserole
- 1 ½ cups uncooked brown rice, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons seasoning mix of your choice for the flavor of the casserole – my favorite was a smoked hickory southwestern seasoning
- 1 cup water
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make the sauce: combine the chicken broth and 1/2 cup of the milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and seasonings into the milk until a smooth, thick mixture forms. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan over low heat and stir continuously, whisking as the mixture simmers. Continue to simmer and stir/whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick, 5-10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch square baking dish – it really sticks to the sides.
- In a large bowl, combine the uncooked rice, condensed soup from step 1, 1 tablespoon seasoning, and water. Pour into prepared dish.
- Arrange chicken pieces over the top and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of seasoning.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake for an additional 30-45 minutes or until rice and chicken are cooked through and top is slightly browned. Allow to cool for 15 minutes; shred chicken into small pieces and stir to combine with the rice. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or shredded cheese.
NOTES
A few commenters mentioned their rice not cooking all the way through, so you might want to just add a little extra liquid (about 1/2 cup) and keep the pan covered with foil for the entire baking time. Be aware that covering the dish helps it cook faster, while leaving it uncovered gets that nice browned texture on the chicken. I used a combination of both as mentioned.
Add water or milk as you reheat it to bring it bake to its original creaminess. Nutrition information is for 8 servings.
