The perfect recipe for a weeknight meal is this Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice casserole! It's a rice dish that's creamy, savory, and loaded with chicken, corn, plus cheese on top.
Cheesy Chicken and Rice is total comfort food! This is one of the easiest meals to put together, pleases everyone and is not hard on the wallets. The recipes I share on this blog are almost always going to include items you can find at your local grocery store. Food prices have gone up so much this year and we are all just looking for budget friendly meals to feed our families. I hope you come to my site and find these options. If there are any meals you would like to see, please leave a comment or if you try this recipe, let us know!
Try some of our other favorites, such as Sausage and Tortellini Soup, Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole, Homemade Hot Dog Chili Sauce, or One Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni Casserole.
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Ingredients for Chicken and Rice with Cheese
- cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
- box Zatarain's yellow rice mix
- corn, drained
- cream of cheddar soup
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt, pepper to taste
FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the dish up to the point of baking, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, allow it to come to room temperature and then bake as directed.
Yes, you can freeze this dish. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Add diced jalapeños, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or a few dashes of hot sauce to the rice mixture for extra heat.
Top Tips
- Some suggestions to add into this casserole would be crumpled bacon, other vegetables, such as 2 cups of broccoli florets or mixed vegetables.
- If you cannot find or do not have Zatarain's, you can use other yellow rice. We love it because it is already seasoned.
- Shredded chicken is used in this recipe but you can use diced chicken or rotisserie chicken.
- I'm using cream of cheddar soup to add a little extra cheesiness, but you can substitute for cream of chicken, cream of celery or cream of mushroom.
- One of the best ways to cook chicken for shredding, is in the Instant Pot. I place it in the Instant Pot, cover with 1 cup of chicken stock and any seasonings you like. Close the top and touch the Poultry setting. Once it beeps, shred the chicken with your hands, tongs, forks, anything that works for you.
- If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
How to make Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Corn
- Prepare a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook rice according to package instructions.
- Stir cooked rice, cooked chicken, cream of cheddar soup, drained corn, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Pour into the prepared 9x13" baking dish.
- Top with shredded cheese of your choice (cheddar is best but a combination of cheese is great too).
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
- 1 box Zatarain's yellow rice mix
- 1 can 15.25 oz. corn, drained
- 1 can 10.5 oz. cream of cheddar soup
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×13″ baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook rice according to package instructions.
- Stir cooked rice, cooked chicken, cream of cheddar soup, drained corn, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Pour into the prepared 9×13″ baking dish.
- Top with shredded cheese of your choice (cheddar is best but a combination of cheese is great too).
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!
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