Creamy Garlic Chicken & Rice (Printable Version)

Hearty chicken and rice bake with creamy garlic sauce, Parmesan, and melted mozzarella cheese.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Rice

02 - 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup frozen peas, optional

→ Dairy & Sauces

07 - 10.5 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
08 - 10.5 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
09 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
10 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
14 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
17 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

→ Toppings

18 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
19 - 2 tablespoons melted butter
20 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion and diced bell pepper for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine sautéed vegetables, cooked chicken, uncooked rice, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, milk, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, Italian herbs, paprika, black pepper, salt, and frozen peas if using. Mix until evenly combined.
04 - Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly with a spatula.
05 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the mixture evenly across the top of the casserole.
06 - Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
07 - Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
08 - Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before portioning and serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • One dish, minimal cleanup, and it comes together in under an hour because nobody has time for dishes piling up.
  • The creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce coats everything so perfectly that even the rice tastes like it went to culinary school.
  • Your kitchen will smell so good that neighbors might actually knock on your door wondering what you're cooking.
02 -
  • Don't cook the rice ahead of time because it will turn into mush once it bakes in all that liquid—the uncooked rice is actually the secret.
  • Always use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the shaker kind because the coating on pre-shredded cheese prevents it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • Taste the mixture before it goes in the oven because you might need to adjust the salt depending on which soup brands you used.
03 -
  • Make the breadcrumb topping right before you bake instead of ahead of time, or the butter will soak in and they'll lose their crispness.
  • If you're making this for a crowd and want to assemble it the night before, skip the topping and add it fresh right before baking so the crust actually browns.
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