5-Ingredient Chicken and Rice Casserole

Growing up, we had a lot of casseroles for dinner.  It was one of the fastest, easiest and most inexpensive ways to feed a family.  I danced and played other sports and had a high metabolism which was the perfect combination for needing to consume a lot of calories each day.  Forget boys, I was a growing girl!  *wink*  As a mom now, I totally understand why my mom made casseroles as often as she did.  I just don't have time to slave over a meal that takes hours to prepare.  The recipe I'm sharing today is perfect for an easy weekday dinner, a Sunday meal or when you need to feed a lot of people without spending a lot of money.

I first had chicken and rice casserole while over to dinner at my dad and step-mom's house a couple of years ago.  My step-mom is a great cook, but when she pulled this out of the oven, I was a little bit skeptical because it's certainly not pretty.  But hey, it's chicken and rice, which I always like and know my kids will eat so we piled it on our plates and ate it all.  Then went back for seconds.  My husband might have even had thirds.  A couple of days later, I texted my step-mom asking for the recipe and was surprised at how short the ingredient list was: 5.  Five ingredients to make a tasty, filling meal.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom
• 3 lb. chicken breasts
• 1 pkg onion soup mix
• 2 c. Minute/instant rice
• 2 cans water

Okay, so it's 6 ingredients, but who counts water?

To get started, you need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and get out a 9x13 pan and some tin foil.  Next, remove the fat and cut your chicken into large chunks.

Open the cans of soup and pour them straight into the pan, along with the rice and water.  Also, make sure you use minute/instant rice.  The real stuff won't cook all the way through.  Stir it all together until thoroughly mixed. 

Put the chicken in, spacing it throughout the pan as evenly as possible but don't stress out about it.

Take your packet of onion soup mix and sprinkle it over the top of the chicken and rice/soup.  Cover the pan with tin foil and pop it in the oven.

Start checking the chicken at about an hour and a half, but it could take up to 2 hours to cook through.  Don't go any longer than that, or you will end up with dry, overcooked chicken.

We usually serve this with salad or steamed veggies, fruit and rolls.

5 Ingredient Chicken and Rice Casserole
Makes (1) 9x13 pan, serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 can cream of chicken
• 1 can cream of mushroom
• 3 lb chicken breasts
• 1 pkg onion soup mix
• 2 c. minute/instant rice
• 2 cans water

 Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and get out a 9x13 pan and some tin foil.  
2. Remove the fat and cut your chicken into large chunks.
3. Open the cans of soup and pour them straight into the pan, along with the rice and water.  (Make sure you use minute/instant rice.  The real stuff won't cook all the way through.)  Stir it all together until thoroughly mixed.  Put the chicken in, spacing it throughout the pan as evenly as possible.
4. Sprinkle the onion soup mix over the top of the chicken and rice/soup.  Cover the pan with tin foil and pop it in the oven.
5. Start checking the chicken at about an hour and a half, but it could take up to 2 hours to cook through.  (Don't go any longer than that, or you will end up with dry, overcooked chicken.)
6. Serve warm with salad, steamed veggies, fruit and rolls.

If you're looking for another tasty chicken dish, check out my Parmesan Chicken!