Ina Garten Chicken And Rice Casserole

Ina Garten Chicken And Rice Casserole is a classic American dinner that’s baked until bubbly and golden. This hearty dish uses roasted chicken, basmati rice, and sharp cheddar cheese to make a meal that everyone at the table loves.

I’ve tried a few versions of chicken and rice and this one from Ina Garten is the one I keep going back to because it doesn’t rely on canned soups. Most recipes use that gelatinous glop from a tin, but this method builds a real sauce from scratch using chicken stock and heavy cream. It takes a bit more effort to whisk the flour and butter together, but the result is a clean, savory flavor that you just can’t get from a can.

If you need a solid dinner that feels like a warm hug on a cold day, this is the one. The first time I made this, I tried to skip roasting the chicken myself and used a supermarket rotisserie bird instead. It works in a pinch, but you lose out on those flavorful pan drippings that make the rice taste so much better. Now I always take the extra forty minutes to roast the breasts with plenty of salt and pepper because that’s where the real depth comes from.

Ina Garten Chicken And Rice Casserole Ingredients

For the Chicken and Rice

• 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
• 2 teaspoons (10g) kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon (5g) freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup (185g) uncooked basmati rice
• 2 cups (475ml) chicken stock, preferably homemade

For the Sauce and Topping

• 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup (150g) chopped celery
• 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups (350ml) chicken stock
• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (15g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups (225g) grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup (60g) fresh breadcrumbs

How To Make Ina Garten Chicken And Rice Casserole

• 1. Roast the chicken: Heat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan, rub them with olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper before roasting for about 35 to 40 minutes until they’re cooked through.
• 2. Shred the meat: Let the chicken cool down until you can handle it comfortably. Pull the meat off the bones, discard the skin, and tear the chicken into large, bite-sized pieces while making sure to save any juices left on the pan.
• 3. Cook the rice: Combine the rice, chicken stock, and a teaspoon of salt in a small pot and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot tightly, and let it simmer for 15 minutes before turning off the heat and letting it sit for another 5 minutes to finish absorbing the liquid.
• 4. Sauté the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and celery and cook them for about 8 to 10 minutes until they’re soft and see-through but not browned.
• 5. Make the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetables and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes. This cooks out the raw flour taste and creates a thick paste that will eventually hold your sauce together.
• 6. Build the sauce: Slowly pour in the chicken stock and heavy cream while whisking constantly to keep the mixture smooth. Let it simmer on low heat for a few minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• 7. Combine everything: Stir the cooked rice, shredded chicken, leftover pan juices, parsley, and half of the cheddar cheese into the sauce. Taste it now to see if it needs more salt or pepper before you put it in the baking dish.
• 8. Assemble the casserole: Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish and pour the chicken mixture inside, spreading it out into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese and the fresh breadcrumbs over the top so every inch is covered.
• 9. Bake until golden: Put the dish in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. You’re looking for the sauce to bubble around the edges and the breadcrumbs to turn a dark, toasted brown.

Recipe Tips

• Use bone-in chicken. Cooking the meat on the bone keeps it much juicier during the roasting process. Boneless breasts often dry out and turn stringy once they go through the second round of cooking in the oven.
• Don’t overcook the rice. You want the grains to be just barely tender before they go into the sauce. If they’re mushy at the start, they’ll turn into a paste while the casserole bakes.
• Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in potato starch to keep it from clumping in the bag. That starch stops it from melting smoothly and can make your sauce feel grainy or oily.
• Watch the breadcrumbs. If you use dried crumbs from a can, they’ll be too fine and won’t give you much texture. Fresh crumbs made by pulsing a couple of slices of white bread in a blender stay crispy and light.
• Check the seasoning early. Once the casserole is in the oven, you can’t fix a bland sauce. Always salt the rice water and the sauce before you assemble everything to make sure the flavor goes all the way through the dish.
• Let it rest. Give the dish about five or ten minutes on the counter after you take it out of the oven. This lets the sauce set up slightly so it doesn’t run all over the plate when you scoop it out.

What To Serve With Chicken And Rice Casserole

A simple green salad with a sharp lemon dressing is the best way to balance out this heavy meal. The acid from the citrus helps cut through the richness of the cream and cheddar cheese.

Steamed broccoli or roasted green beans also work well on the side. You don’t need anything too complex because the casserole has the starch and protein already covered in one dish.

How To Store Chicken And Rice Casserole

• Fridge: Put any leftovers in an airtight container once they’ve cooled to room temperature. It’ll stay fresh and safe to eat for up to three or four days.
• Reheat: The oven is the best way to keep the top crispy, so heat it at 175°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes. A microwave is faster for a single serving, but the breadcrumbs will lose their crunch and turn soft.
• Freeze: You can freeze this dish for up to two months by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Let it thaw completely in the fridge overnight before you try to reheat it or the middle will stay icy.

Ina Garten Chicken And Rice Casserole Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 8):

• Calories: 540 kcal
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 890mg

FAQs

Can I use brown rice in this Ina Garten Chicken And Rice Casserole?

Yes, but you’ll need to cook the rice separately for much longer before adding it to the sauce. Brown rice needs more liquid and time to soften, so it won’t work if you try to swap it in without adjusting those steps.

Why is my casserole sauce too thin?

This usually happens if you didn’t let the flour and butter mixture cook long enough or if the stock was added too fast. Make sure the sauce simmers until it’s thick enough to leave a clear path when you run a finger across the back of your spoon.

Can I assemble this dish a day in advance?

Yes, you can put the whole thing together and keep it in the fridge overnight. Just wait to add the breadcrumbs until right before you put it in the oven so they don’t get soggy from the moisture in the sauce.

Can I make this with leftover turkey instead of chicken?

Yes, this is a great way to use up holiday leftovers since the meat is already cooked. Just skip the roasting step and go straight to making the sauce and rice before mixing in your shredded turkey.

How do I stop the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot?

Make sure you keep the heat on the lowest possible setting once the water starts simmering. If the flame is too high, the liquid evaporates too fast and the rice will scorch before it’s actually finished cooking.

Check out More Recipes From Ina Garten:

• Ina Garten Scalloped Potatoes
• Ina Garten Shrimp Risotto
• Ina Garten Lamb Chops