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Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole

This hearty and easy-to-make Chicken and Rice Casserole is the perfect comfort meal for busy weeknights. With only a few simple pantry ingredients and a few minutes of preparation time, you can have a flavorful and healthy meal that’s sure to please the whole family! We recommend using canned chicken to cut down on the cooking time, but feel free to use fresh if you prefer. Serve it with your favorite sides for a complete meal that will keep your family satisfied and coming back for more. Chicken and Rice is a quick and easy meal that comes together in under 20 minutes. I’m sharing all the keys to success that will make this one a family favorite.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

If you’re looking for a delicious, easy-to-make casserole for dinner tonight, look no further.

This classic Chicken and Rice Casserole is sure to be a hit with the whole family!

It’s simple to make using Tyson canned chicken breast, American cheese, sour cream, and other ingredients.

Read on to learn why each ingredient is essential to making this recipe perfect.

We call this recipe just “Chicken and Rice” and it has been my son’s favorite meal since he was a little tot.

It’s perfect for kids who are not very adventurous with their food, but you can also spice it up to make it a more grown-up meal.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Key to Success #1 – Thou Shalt Use Only Tyson Canned Chicken

I know that cooking with canned chicken is considered uncool by a lot of people, but if you buy the right stuff it’s really a great staple to have in your pantry.

The Tyson brand has all-white meat chicken in it and I’ve never found anything unsavory in it.

It has a long shelf life and doesn’t require refrigeration so it’s easy to pull out when you need a quick meal.

I frequently use Tyson canned chicken in our delicious Chicken Cheese Ball recipe as well as in Chicken Salad Sandwiches.

You’ll want to drain off the liquid in the can, but you don’t have to squeeze all the moisture out of it.

Just a quick drain will do it. Then use a fork or a spoon to break up the chunks of chicken while it is still in the can.

Tyson canned chicken breast is the perfect addition to this dish because it’s already cooked and flavored.

Not only does this save you time but it also ensures that your casserole will have great flavor.

Plus, Tyson canned chicken has fewer calories than fresh or frozen chicken breasts so you can feel good knowing that this dish is healthy as well as delicious!

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Key to Success #2 – Add American Cheese For Creaminess

Adding American cheese adds a nice creamy texture to the casserole.

Not only does it bring out the flavors of the other ingredients in the dish but it helps bind everything together as well.

Frequently, I use Kraft Singles American Cheese Slices in this Chicken and Rice recipe.

I know it sounds like an unusual ingredient for a casserole, but I’m a big proponent of using what you have and not having to buy an ingredient for a dish that you’ll only use infrequently.

And this goes doubly for an ingredient that needs to be refrigerated and the recipe only uses a little bit.

The American cheese melts wonderfully and adds a nice creaminess to the dish.

If you would prefer, you can use Velveeta cheese in place of the American cheese slices.

In addition to the American cheese, we’re also using cheddar cheese in this delicious hot dish.

Make sure you shred your cheese yourself instead of buying pre-shredded cheese since shredded cheeses often contain additives that can leave a bad aftertaste in your mouth.

Additionally, many pre-shredded kinds of cheese have a lower fat content than when you shred it yourself, which can negatively affect the flavor of your dish.

So go ahead and take the extra time to shred your cheese yourself! Your taste buds will thank you!

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Key to Success #3 – Sour Cream Adds a Kick

No chicken and rice casserole would be complete without a little bit of sour cream!

The sour cream adds an extra layer of flavor that really makes this dish stand out from all the rest.

You don’t need much.

Just a half cup should do the trick.

It will give your casserole just enough of a kick to make everyone at the table take notice!

But you can definitely add more sour cream if you want your Chicken and Rice Casserole to be creamier.

I think the sour cream really adds a nice, tangy kick to the dish and balances out the cheese very nicely.

Of course, you can certainly leave out the sour cream if it’s not your thing.

In addition, you can also add some Tabasco or other hot sauce if you want to spice things up.

The kids like their food without any hint of spice, so we’ll sometimes add Tabasco to our dinner at the table instead of adding it to the whole dish.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Why You’ll Love This Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and rice casseroles are classic dishes that never go out of style.

This particular recipe calls for Tyson canned chicken breast, American cheese, sour cream, and other ingredients that work together perfectly to create a delicious meal everyone will love.

Be sure to use only Tyson chicken as it adds great flavor while keeping calories low.

Don’t forget about adding American cheese for creaminess and sour cream for an extra kick of flavor!

With these tips in mind, you’ll have perfectly cooked chicken and rice every time!

Either way, this is a simple and easy dish that the whole family will fall in love with.

Save this Chicken and Rice recipe to your favorite Kid-Approved Dinners board or your Easy Weeknight Meals board!

Quick and Easy Chicken and Rice
Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Chicken and Rice is a quick and easy meal that comes together in under 20 minutes. I'm sharing all the keys to success that will make this one a family-favorite.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups instant white rice
  • 1 can (12.5 oz) Tyson Premium Chunk White Chicken Breast, drained
  • 4 slices (about 3 oz total) Kraft Singles American Cheese Slices
  • 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In medium-sized saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add instant rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes while water absorbs.
  2. Add butter and both kinds of cheese. Let sit covered for 2-3 minutes until cheese starts to melt.
  3. Add chicken then stir well. Add sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir until just combined.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

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