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Angel Chicken and Rice Casserole is a creamy, cheesy, comforting classic. Tender chicken is folded into fluffy rice smothered in a savory cream sauce. The top has the most perfectly toasty cheesy crunch. You’re going to love it!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: Using pre-cooked chicken and rice cuts down on prep time. The rest comes together with kitchen staples. It’s great when you want a homemade meal with minimal effort.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Both kids and adults love the creamy, cheesy, comfort flavors. It’s a great choice for family dinners or gatherings.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your taste or use what’s on hand. Add veggies like broccoli or mushrooms, and swap out the cheddar for mozzarella or Colby jack cheese. Make it a little spicy with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
What’s in Angel Chicken Rice Casserole?
The ingredients needed for this recipe are basic, and in fact, you should have most of them in your kitchen. You can find exact measurements for each ingredient in the recipe card below.
Casserole
- Shredded Chicken: Pre-cooked chicken makes the dish super quick to assemble. Rotisserie chicken is a great option!
- White Rice: Cooked rice adds bulk and absorbs the flavors of the sauce, binding the casserole together.
- Cream Cheese: Adds a rich, creamy texture to the casserole. Be sure to soften it to room temperature so it mixes easily.
- Unsalted Butter: Enhances the overall taste with a rich buttery flavor.
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Thickens the sauce and gives it a savory, slightly creamy chicken flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Keeps everything nice and moist as the casserole bakes.
- Italian Dressing Mix: Infuses flavor into the dish with a blend of Italian herbs and spices.
- Salt and Pepper: To taste!
Topping
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Provide a light, airy crunch that contrasts beautifully with the creamy casserole beneath.
- Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar is a good melty cheese that creates a gooey, golden-brown layer over the filling.
- Seasonings: A blend of salt, black pepper, oregano, and thyme gives the dish a delicious, savory flavor.
Angel Chicken Rice Recipe Instructions
Angel Chicken and Rice Casserole is an easy, no-fuss dish that combines simple prep with minimal ingredients. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or when you want a comforting meal with little effort.
- Prep: Prepare a 9x13x2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the shredded chicken and rice to a large bowl.
- Make the Sauce: In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whisk the cream cheese, butter, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning.
- Combine: Add the cream sauce to the chicken and rice mixture, then mix well to combine.
- Add to the Dish: Pour the chicken and rice casserole mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Mix the Topping: In a large mixing bowl, mix the bread crumbs, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme.
- Bake: Spread the bread crumb mixture over the top of the casserole, then cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the casserole and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the topping is golden and crispy. Serve fresh!
Tips and Variations
Here are some helpful tips and ways to make this casserole recipe your own! I know your family will love it just as much as mine does!
- Soup: Try using cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken for some variation.
- Rice: You don’t have to use white rice; wild or brown rice can be used as long as it’s cooked before adding it to the casserole.
- Chicken: For cooked chicken, I like to use a rotisserie or buy cooked chicken breast from Costco. There are so many meals that use cooked chicken, so buying a Costco-size bag of cooked chicken is worth it!
How to Store Leftover Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container. They can be in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Make Ahead: To make ahead, follow instructions up until step 6. Then, cover it with plastic wrap. It can go in the fridge for 2 days before baking or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: If you freeze the dish before cooking, the baking time will increase to 40-50 minutes covered. Bake it until it is heated through. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to achieve a golden crust.
More Delicious Chicken Casseroles
If you’re like me, then having a casserole ready for dinner makes your life simpler. Here are a few of my favorite easy chicken casserole recipes for you to try.
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Angel Chicken and Rice Casserole
Angel Chicken and Rice Casserole is a creamy, cheesy, comforting classic. Tender chicken is folded into fluffy rice smothered in a savory cream sauce. The top has the most perfectly toasty cheesy crunch. You're going to love it!
Ingredients
Casserole
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 (10-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 package of Italian dressing mix
- Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ⅔ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon thyme
Instructions
- Prepare a 9x13x2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the shredded chicken and rice to a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whisk the cream cheese, butter, cream of chicken soup chicken broth, and Italian seasoning.
- Add the cream cheese mixture to the chicken and rice mixture and mix well to combine.
- Pour the chicken and rice casserole mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- In a separate bowl mix the breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme.
- Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the casserole, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Uncover the casserole and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the topping is golden and crispy. Serve fresh!
Nutrition
Calories: 569kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 26gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 663mgPotassium: 278mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1148IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
My husband is diabetic. What do you think about cauliflower rice? That would greatly lower the carb count but I don’t want to destroy something that looks delicious!!
Hi Trudy, thank you for your question. Cauliflower rice will be a wonderful substitution for the regular rice! Substitute it 1:1 and follow the same instructions. Let e know how it turns out!