One 10.5-ounce can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup melts into long-grain rice, raw chicken breasts, and broth in roughly 10 minutes of whisking before a 45-minute bake at 350°F. The soup works as both sauce and seasoning, so a 10.5 oz can pulls the rice, the protein, and the topping into one cohesive pan with minimal effort.
You’ll find the pantry shortlist, the exact liquid-to-rice ratio by grain type, the layering order for a 9×13 dish, three topping paths, and fixes for crunchy rice, soupy centers, and dry chicken. The goal is a reliable backup dinner that handles any night the fridge looks bleak.
The Pantry Setup for a Foolproof Campbell’s Casserole
Six to eight common items turn this from a vague idea into dinner. Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup seasons the rice while it bakes, and long-grain or converted white rice absorbs that flavor without turning gummy. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are the default protein, though thighs slot in cleanly when that’s what you have. A 9×13 baking dish, a sheet of foil, and a little butter round out the toolkit.
The Core Six
- Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup: One 10.5 oz can, undiluted, becomes the sauce and the seasoning in a single pour.
- Long-grain white rice: Holds its shape under the liquid; minute rice works but needs a different ratio (covered below).
- Chicken broth or water: Broth deepens the savory note; water keeps the dish neutral and pantry-only.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Two medium halves lay flat across the top and cook evenly in 45 minutes.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Optional, but a cup melted over the top creates that golden, stretchy finish.
- Buttered breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz: A tablespoon of melted butter tossed with crumbs delivers the crispy cap.
Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper handle the supporting notes. A frozen vegetable blend (broccoli, peas, carrots) drops in without thawing and bulks the casserole into a full meal.
What You Can Skip Without Ruining It
Leave out the diced onion and add a half teaspoon of onion powder in its place. Skip the cheese; the soup alone carries plenty of flavor. Plain buttered breadcrumbs or even crushed cornflakes fill the topping role just as well. The point of this recipe is flexibility: every swap listed here has been tested against the original, and the bake time barely budges.
The Exact Ingredient List and Liquid-to-Rice Ratio
Here’s the measured list for a 9×13 casserole serving four to six. The ratio below is the single most important number in the recipe, because rice sitting in too little liquid turns crunchy, while rice in too much liquid turns the bottom into a thin porridge. Get this right and the rest is assembly.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup | 1 can (10.5 oz) | Do not dilute |
| Long-grain white rice (uncooked) | 1 cup | Rinsed and drained |
| Chicken broth or water | 1 1/4 cups | 1 3/4 cups if using minute rice |
| Boneless skinless chicken breasts | 1.5 to 2 lbs | Two large halves, trimmed |
| Onion (optional) | 1/2 small, finely diced | Or 1/2 tsp onion powder |
| Salt and pepper | 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper | Adjust to taste |
| Shredded cheddar (optional topping) | 1 cup | Added in last 10 minutes |
| Buttered breadcrumbs (optional topping) | 1/2 cup crumbs + 1 Tbsp butter | Added in last 10 minutes |
Liquid-to-Rice Ratio by Rice Type
Long-grain white rice needs a 1:1.25 ratio of rice to liquid (1 cup rice to 1 1/4 cups liquid including the soup). Converted or parboiled rice behaves the same way. Minute rice is more absorbent and calls for 1:1.75 (1 cup rice to 1 3/4 cups liquid) so each grain plumps fully without drying out the dish. Brown rice needs roughly double the liquid and 30 extra covered minutes, and works better in a separate recipe.
Tip: Whisk the soup with the broth or water in a separate bowl before pouring it over the rice. Skipping this step leaves clumps of condensed soup that never fully break down during baking.
Optional Mix-Ins That Disappear Into the Bake
Two cups of frozen broccoli florets, a cup of frozen peas and carrots, or a single steam-in-bag vegetable blend all work. Stir them into the rice and soup mixture before adding the chicken. The vegetables thaw as the casserole bakes and end up tender without releasing enough water to throw off the ratio.
Step-by-Step Assembly From Can to Baking Dish
Total hands-on time lands under 10 minutes. The oven does the rest, and the layering order matters because it controls how steam moves through the dish.
Preheat and Prep
Set the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Pull the chicken from the fridge so it loses its chill; room-temp pieces cook more evenly than ice-cold ones.
Chilled chicken hits the hot dish at a different starting temperature, so the bake behaves accordingly.
Build the Rice Base
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup with 1 1/4 cups broth or water (or 1 3/4 cups if using minute rice). Stir until smooth.
- Season and combine: Stir in 1 cup rinsed long-grain rice, diced onion if using, salt, and pepper.
- Pour into the dish: Spread the rice mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Layer the Chicken and Seal
- Season the chicken: Pat both breasts dry, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika or garlic powder if desired.
- Lay on top: Place the breasts flat across the rice mixture, leaving space between them for steam to circulate.
- Pour any remaining liquid: If any soup-broth mixture clings to the bowl, scrape it over the chicken.
- Dot with butter: One tablespoon of butter cut into small pieces across the top keeps the chicken moist during the covered bake.
- Cover tightly: Seal the dish with aluminum foil, crimping the edges so steam cannot escape.
Bake Time, Internal Temperature, and Topping Choices
The covered bake at 350°F runs 35 minutes. After that, the foil comes off, the topping goes on, and the dish returns to the oven for another 10 minutes to brown. Total time from oven to table: about 45 minutes plus a 5-minute rest.
The 165°F Rule for Chicken
An instant-read thermometer pushed into the thickest part of the breast must register exactly 165°F before the chicken is considered safe to eat. Test through the side of the breast rather than the top to avoid piercing the presentation surface. If the reading sits at 160°F, give it another 3 to 5 minutes and retest; the temp climbs fast in the last stretch and going past 170°F dries the meat out.
Frozen Chicken Adjustment
Frozen breasts can go straight into the dish, but they release extra water and cook slower. Add 15 to 20 minutes to the covered bake and confirm 165°F before pulling. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before placing it on the rice, and skip the butter dots since frozen meat needs less added fat.
Three Topping Paths
Cheesy, crunchy, or buttery. Each option is a different personality for the same base recipe.
- Shredded cheddar: Sprinkle 1 cup over the chicken after the first 35 minutes of baking. Return to the oven uncovered for 10 minutes until melted and lightly browned at the edges.
- Buttered breadcrumbs: Toss 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter and a pinch of salt. Scatter over the dish for the final 10 minutes.
- Crushed Ritz crackers: Crush about 12 crackers in a zip bag, mix with 1 tablespoon melted butter, and sprinkle on at the same point. The buttery crackers add a slightly sweet, salty crunch that kids especially like.
Rest Before Serving
Let the casserole sit on the counter for 5 minutes after pulling it from the oven. The rice absorbs the last of the surface liquid and the creamy base sets up just enough to slice cleanly. Skipping the rest is the single most common reason a chicken and rice casserole ends up soupy on the plate.
Once it comes out rested and sliced, the same casserole invites a dozen easy reinventions for the next meal.
Substitutions, Variations, and Make-Ahead Options
Once the base ratio is locked in, the recipe bends to whatever the pantry offers. The table below maps the most common swaps to what changes during the bake.
| Swap | What Changes | Bake Time Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom for Cream of Chicken | Earthy flavor; no other ratio change | None |
| Chicken thighs for breasts | More forgiving on overcooking; richer flavor | Same 45 minutes; 165°F still applies |
| Brown rice for white | Needs double the liquid, longer covered bake | Add 30 minutes covered at 350°F |
| Leftover rotisserie chicken for raw breasts | Skip the protein bake; reduce covered time | Cover 20 min, top, then 10 min uncovered |
| Minute rice for long-grain | More liquid needed | Reduce covered bake to 25 minutes |
Make-Ahead and Fridge Storage
Assemble the casserole through the topping step, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, pull it from the fridge 20 minutes before it goes in so the dish isn’t ice-cold. Add 10 extra covered minutes to compensate for the chill, then finish uncovered as the recipe states.
Freezer Instructions
Wrap the unbaked, fully assembled casserole in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F covered for 60 minutes, uncover, add topping, and finish for another 15 to 20 minutes until the center hits 165°F.
Troubleshooting Crunchy Rice, Soupy Base, and Dry Chicken
Three failures account for nearly every disappointing bake. Each one has a clear cause and a fix you can apply before or even after the dish leaves the oven.
Crunchy Rice at the Bottom
Usually the liquid was short, the rice was old (older grains dry out and resist absorbing), or the foil seal leaked steam. Add 2 tablespoons of hot broth directly over the crunchy area, reseal the foil tightly, and return to the oven for 10 more minutes. If the problem repeats, switch from long-grain to converted rice, which absorbs more predictably.
Soupy or Thin Base
Either the liquid was too generous, the rice-to-broth ratio was off, or the casserole sat uncovered too long after baking. Spoon off any pooled liquid, return the dish to a 375°F oven uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes, and let it rest 10 minutes (not 5) before serving so the rice can soak up the extra moisture.
Dry or Chalky Chicken
The breast likely went past 170°F or sat uncovered the full 45 minutes. Pull the chicken sooner next time, tenting with foil only for the first 35 minutes. Sliced leftover dry chicken benefits from a splash of warm broth spooned over the top before serving; it rehydrates the surface without rewarming the entire dish.
Leftovers That Reheat Cleanly
Store covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of broth or water per cup of leftover casserole before reheating, covered, at 325°F for 15 minutes. The splash restores the creamy texture that the fridge tends to tighten up.
What to Serve Alongside It
A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the creamy base. Steamed broccoli, green beans, or roasted carrots round out the plate without competing for flavor. Warm dinner rolls or a slice of crusty bread handle the sauce that inevitably pools on the plate.
Even a flawless bake leaves sauce behind, and the right side dish earns its place by soaking it up.
Bottom Line
The recipe is forgiving because the soup carries so much of the work, and the ratio of 1 cup of long-grain rice to 1 1/4 cups of liquid (with the soup counted in) reliably produces tender, fully cooked grains. Pull the chicken at 165°F, rest the casserole for 5 minutes, and the dish comes out creamy without being soupy. With three topping paths and a fridge life of nearly a week, this earns a permanent spot in the rotation.
FAQ
How do you make chicken and rice casserole with Campbell’s soup?
Stir one can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup together with 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth, fold in 1 cup of uncooked long-grain rice, scrape the mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish, and arrange two seasoned chicken breasts across the top before covering and baking at 350°F for 35 minutes. Uncover, add a topping, and bake 10 more minutes until the chicken reads 165°F.
Can you use Minute Rice in a chicken rice casserole?
Yes, but increase the liquid to 1 3/4 cups and shorten the covered bake to 25 minutes since minute rice is pre-cooked and only needs to absorb moisture, not cook from raw. The dish still comes out creamy and fully set after the final uncovered 10 minutes.
Do you cook the rice before putting it in a casserole?
No, the rice goes in uncooked for this recipe. The soup and broth provide enough liquid for the grains to absorb and soften during the covered bake, which gives the casserole its unified, creamy texture from edge to center.
Can you freeze chicken and rice casserole with cream of chicken soup?
Yes, wrap the assembled but unbaked casserole tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F covered for 60 minutes, uncover, top, and finish for another 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F.
What kind of rice is best for chicken and rice casserole?
Long-grain white rice or converted (parboiled) rice both work and hold their shape under the liquid. Minute rice is the fastest option with a small ratio tweak, and brown rice works but needs double the liquid and an extra 30 minutes covered.
How long does chicken and rice casserole take to bake?
About 45 minutes total at 350°F, broken into 35 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered with the topping. Frozen chicken adds 15 to 20 minutes, and a fully assembled fridge-cold casserole adds another 10 minutes to the covered stretch.
