Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

Instructions

0 of 7 steps complete

1. 1Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Rinsing the rice removes surface starch so the casserole bakes up creamy, not gummy.
2. 2Melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes until soft, stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring.
3. 3Whisk in 1 cup of the chicken broth and simmer 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream, ½ cup of the cheddar, the salt, pepper, parsley and paprika until smooth.
4. 4Spread the rinsed rice in the prepared dish. Scatter the raw chicken pieces over the rice, pour the creamy sauce over everything, then add the remaining 2 cups of broth. Stir gently to combine and make sure the rice is submerged.
5. 5Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. The tight seal traps steam, which is what cooks the rice through.
6. 6Remove the foil, stir gently, and check that the chicken has reached 165°F and the rice is tender. If the rice is still firm, add a splash of hot broth, re-cover and bake 10 minutes more.
7. 7Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar over the top, then the crushed crackers tossed with the melted butter. Bake uncovered 10–12 minutes until the topping is golden and the edges bubble. Rest 10 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours for 3–4 days.