Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole
Million Dollar Chicken and Rice is the ultimate comfort food casserole. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to a perfectly creamy, golden topping. Jump to the recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Chicken Soup and Slow Cooker Pot Roast Bowls with Chipotle Pineapple Glaze.
Why This Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole Is Pure Comfort
- Golden, crispy topping
- Creamy, comforting chicken and rice
- Better than takeout taste
- Easy to customize with your favorite veggies
What You'll Need for Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Long grain white rice
- Cream of chicken soup
- Milk
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Crushed cornflakes
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Optional: Steamed broccoli
- Optional: Chopped fresh parsley
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts: You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Rice: Long grain white rice works best, but you can also use brown rice if you prefer.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Instant Pot — Saves time and ensures perfectly cooked rice every time. → See on Amazon
- Food processor — Makes quick work of chopping chicken and crushing cornflakes. → See on Amazon
How to Make Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole
- Prepare chicken: Cook chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook rice: Cook rice according to package instructions until tender.
- Mix ingredients: In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, cooked rice, cream of chicken soup, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Mix well.
- Transfer to baking dish: Transfer the chicken and rice mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add topping: In a small bowl, mix together crushed cornflakes, melted butter, and parsley. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is golden and crispy.
- Add cheese and broccoli: Remove from the oven and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with steamed broccoli on the side.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole
- Common mistake and fix: The #1 reason this recipe fails is using too much milk. This can make the casserole watery. To prevent this, use only 1 cup of milk and adjust the consistency with more cream of chicken soup if needed.
- Time-saving tip: You can prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 24 hours in advance. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Customization tip: Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to this casserole. Diced bell peppers, carrots, or peas would all work well.
Storing & Reheating Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make-ahead tip: You can prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 24 hours in advance. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Freezing Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole
This dish does not freeze well due to the creamy sauce.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. Stir halfway through.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For an extra layer of flavor, try browning the chicken breasts in a pan before chopping them.
- Best substitution: If you don't have cream of chicken soup, you can substitute it with a mixture of chicken broth and cornstarch.
- Make-ahead: This casserole can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the topping isn't crispy enough, you can broil it for an additional 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
Want to level up this recipe?
Baking dish — A good quality baking dish ensures even cooking and prevents hot spots. → Check price on Amazon
Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Long grain white rice
- Cream of chicken soup
- Milk
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Crushed cornflakes
Seasonings
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Parsley
Optional Toppings
- Steamed broccoli
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare chicken: Cook chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook rice: Cook rice according to package instructions until tender.
- Mix ingredients: In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, cooked rice, cream of chicken soup, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Mix well.
- Transfer to baking dish: Transfer the chicken and rice mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add topping: In a small bowl, mix together crushed cornflakes, melted butter, and parsley. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is golden and crispy.
- Add cheese and broccoli: Remove from the oven and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with steamed broccoli on the side.
Notes
- Chef tip: For an extra layer of flavor, try browning the chicken breasts in a pan before chopping them.
- Best substitution: If you don't have cream of chicken soup, you can substitute it with a mixture of chicken broth and cornstarch.
- Make-ahead: This casserole can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the topping isn't crispy enough, you can broil it for an additional 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: This dish does not freeze well due to the creamy sauce.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. Stir halfway through.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 24 hours in advance. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 520
- Protein: 35g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbs: 48g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Cholesterol: 105mg
- Sat. Fat: 10g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 24 hours in advance. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
The #1 reason this recipe fails is using too much milk. This can make the casserole watery. To prevent this, use only 1 cup of milk and adjust the consistency with more cream of chicken soup if needed.
No, this recipe is not suitable for the air fryer. It's best to bake it in the oven as directed.
If you don't have cream of chicken soup, you can substitute it with a mixture of chicken broth and cornstarch.
Yes, this casserole is not only delicious but also more cost-effective than takeout. Plus, you can customize it with your favorite vegetables.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Million Dollar Chicken and Rice: The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
