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Chicken Casserole

Chicken casserole that bakes up creamy, bubbly, and golden with a Ritz cracker and cheddar crust. This easy chicken casserole layers shredded chicken, vegetables, and cooked long-grain rice for a comforting family dinner casserole.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken casserole base
  • 3 cup cooked chicken
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
Cheddar and Ritz topping
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed
  • 3 tbsp butter melted

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Mix the casserole filling
  1. Combine shredded chicken, cooked rice, both soups, sour cream, chicken broth, peas and carrots, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in the baking dish and stir until well mixed.
Assemble
  1. Spread the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
  2. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
  3. Mix crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter and sprinkle over the cheese, covering as evenly as possible.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until bubbly and the cracker topping is golden brown, with a caramelized, crunch-crackled surface.

Notes

For best texture, use fully cooked and cooled rice and shredded chicken so the filling sets without turning watery. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot throughout. Freezing: yes—freeze baked casserole in portions up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat sour cream and reduced-fat cheddar, keeping the topping buttery for the same crunch.