Easy Canned Chicken and Rice Casserole (15 Minute Pantry Dinner)
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This hearty and easy-to-make Canned Chicken and Rice Casserole is the perfect comfort meal for busy weeknights. With only a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of preparation time, you can have a flavorful and healthy meal that’s sure to please the whole family! Are you ready to whip up a delicious dinner in no time?
I can’t count how many times I’ve made this recipe, but it remains a staple in my household.
Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a lazy weekend, this dish comes through every single time.
It pairs well with other comfort foods like creamy mashed potatoes or a warm, buttery biscuit.
If you’re into quick and hearty meals, you might also want to check out my easy Ground Beef Stroganoff or my Million Dollar Spaghetti Alfredo.
Table of contents
- Why You’ll Love This Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Why This Canned Chicken and Rice Casserole Is Different
- Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole
- 🔑 Key to Success #1 – Use High Quality Canned Chicken
- 🔑 Key to Success #2 – Add American Cheese For Creaminess
- 🔑 Key to Success #3 – Sour Cream Adds a Kick
- Easy Recipe Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Quick and Easy Casserole Dinners
Why You’ll Love This Chicken and Rice Casserole
This easy Chicken and Rice Casserole is a longtime family favorite that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Made with canned chicken, rice, sour cream, and cheese, it comes together in less than 20 minutes with very little prep work.
We simply call it “Chicken and Rice” at our house, and it’s been one of my son’s most-requested dinners since he was little. The creamy, comforting flavor makes it a hit with picky eaters while still being easy enough for a busy weeknight dinner.
Why This Canned Chicken and Rice Casserole Is Different
If you like Nacho Cheese Doritos, you might like to try our easy Doritos Chicken Casserole recipe.
Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this mouthwatering casserole:
- Water: For cooking the rice. You can use chicken broth for extra flavor.
- Instant white rice: Because it’s quick and easy, but you can use brown rice if preferred.
- Tyson Premium Chunk White Chicken Breast: Using canned chicken makes this recipe super convenient. You can also use leftover cooked chicken.
- Kraft Singles American Cheese Slices: Adds that creamy, melty texture. Feel free to experiment with different cheeses.
- Cheddar cheese, shredded: For a sharp, cheesy flavor. Monterey Jack or Mozzarella are good alternatives.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps the cheese melt smoothly.
- Sour cream: Gives the dish a slight tang and creamy texture. Greek yogurt is a healthier substitute.
- Salt and black pepper: To taste, essential for seasoning.
How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole
Making this Canned Chicken and Rice Casserole is as easy as 1-2-3!
Here’s how to do it:
🔑 Key to Success #1 – Use High Quality Canned Chicken
Tyson canned chicken is my go-to for this recipe because it’s fully cooked, convenient, and has a great texture.
Simply drain the liquid and break up the chicken with a fork before mixing it into the casserole.
You can also substitute cooked shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken if you prefer.
🔑 Key to Success #2 – Add American Cheese For Creaminess
American cheese is the secret ingredient that makes this casserole extra creamy and helps bring all the flavors together. I usually use Kraft Singles because they’re easy to keep on hand and melt beautifully into the sauce.
You’ll also add shredded cheddar cheese for even more cheesy flavor. For the best texture, I recommend shredding your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese. If you’d rather skip the American cheese, Velveeta or cream cheese are great substitutes.
Unlike many chicken and rice casserole recipes, this one doesn’t use cream of mushroom soup. My family prefers the flavor and texture of this simple homemade version.
🔑 Key to Success #3 – Sour Cream Adds a Kick
A little sour cream goes a long way in this recipe. It adds a creamy texture and just enough tangy flavor to balance the cheese and make the casserole extra comforting.
I typically use ½ cup, but you can add a little more if you prefer an even creamier casserole.
If your family likes a bit of heat, try adding a few dashes of hot sauce to your serving. We usually leave it out of the casserole itself so everyone can customize their own plate.
Easy Recipe Variations
If you’re looking to make this dish even more delicious, consider topping it with some crispy fried onions or a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
You could also turn it into a bake by transferring it to a casserole dish, topping with breadcrumbs, and baking at 350°F until golden and bubbly.
Here are some other variations you might enjoy:
- Spicy Kick: Add some diced jalapeños or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Veggie Boost: Mix in some cooked broccoli, peas, or carrots for added veggies.
- Herb Flavor: Stir in fresh herbs like parsley or chives for an extra burst of flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use chicken broth instead of water if you want a little extra flavor. I have made it both ways, and honestly, it is delicious either way. If I have broth open in the fridge, I will use it. If not, water works perfectly and keeps this an easy pantry dinner.
Absolutely. If I have leftover rotisserie chicken, I will shred it and use about the same amount as the canned chicken. This recipe is very forgiving. The canned chicken just makes it extra quick and convenient for those nights when I have nothing thawed and everyone is hungry.
This recipe is written specifically for instant white rice. Regular rice will not cook properly with the same method and timing. If you want to use long grain rice, you would need to cook it separately first and then stir it in. Instant rice is what keeps this a true 15 minute chicken and rice dinner.
It can be frozen, but I personally prefer it fresh. Because of the dairy, the texture can change slightly after freezing and reheating. If you do freeze it, store it in an airtight container and reheat gently so the cheese stays creamy.
You can swap the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt if you like. You can also use reduced fat cheese. I have tested it both ways, and it still turns out creamy and comforting. That said, sometimes we just need a simple, satisfying dinner, and this one checks that box.
If I want to stretch it or add a little extra nutrition, I will stir in:
Steamed broccoli
Frozen peas
Diced bell peppers
Cooked spinach
It is a great base recipe that you can easily build on depending on what you have in the fridge.
With canned chicken and cheese, this meal packs in serious protein. Each serving has about 54 grams of protein, which makes it surprisingly filling. It is one of those budget friendly high protein dinners that keeps everyone satisfied.
Enjoy making this delicious and easy Canned Chicken and Rice Casserole that’s sure to become a favorite in your home, just like it is in mine!
Canned Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups instant white rice
- 12.5 oz can Tyson Premium Chunk White Chicken Breast, drained
- 4 slices Kraft Singles American Cheese Slices, about 3 oz total
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 Tbsp butter
- ½ cup sour cream
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
- 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.
- Add butter and both kinds of cheese. Let sit covered for 2-3 minutes until cheese starts to melt.
- Add chicken then stir well. Add sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir until just combined.
Nutrition Facts
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This recipe is a game changer! I love how quick and easy it is to throw together using pantry staples. Perfect for busy weeknights! Can’t wait to try it with some extra veggies. Thanks for sharing!
This casserole sounds like a perfect weeknight meal! I love how quick and easy it is to whip up with pantry staples. Can’t wait to try it out—thanks for the recipe!
I am making your canned chunkchickenand rice casserole this friday night. However, I could not find a small bag of instant rice, so bought a package of jasmine rice. I plan to double everything, so I am using 2 cups of rice, 2 10 ounce cans of canned chunk white chicken, as the can says 1 10 ounce can equals 6 ounces drained-do I need 2 more cans of chunk chicken since I’m doubling everything? I bought an 8 oz. bag of colby jack cheese and sour cream. I decided not to use the sliced american cheese or the 1 tb. of butter. I’d appreciate your response
Hi! I think two cans of chicken will be perfect. I also think the jasmine rice will be a great addition. Hope you enjoy it!
Make sure you use instant rice bc any other kind takes wayyyy longer and is still hard after water is gone other then that it was good.
It’s surprising good. I didn’t use the cheese slices just added more shredded. Good meal for something simple and quick
Was very fast to make. Taste wasn’t bad. A little bland but going to throw some extra spices in to spicy it up a bit.
Very good very easy
Made this for something quick with can chicken, this one’s going in the book. Thank you
👌🏼😉👍🏼
I’ve just made this for the first time and it turned out very good… Didn’t use Tyson chicken, used regular Jasmin rice, used about a 1.5 cups of Sour Cream and added a Splash of Soy Sauce…And it turned out really good I think…