Ranch Chicken Rice Casserole - Easy Creamy Dinner Recipe

This Ranch Chicken Rice Casserole is easy and yummy! Just layer (raw) rice, beans and chicken in one pan, pour in the creamy Ranch mixture and bake. Super simple dinner solution, year-round!

Creamy, Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole

It’s a lovely day to be outside here in the Midwest! The sun is shining in a light blue sky, puffy white clouds float overhead, an ever so slight breeze is blowing… 

It’s a perfect day!☀️

Also perfect day for the weeds to shoot up, the peas to be picked, the grass to be mowed, etc., etc. And the lake is calling:)

That’s when a simple and easy recipe like this comes in super handy! Ranch Chicken and Rice Casserole comes together without a whole lot of prep time, and the oven takes care of the rest! It's the perfect easy weeknight meal and makes enough for the whole family.

This is another of my go-to recipes for busy days when, quite honestly, I'd rather not be spending a bunch of time in the kitchen. Also, we all enjoy chicken and rice, so I know no one will be disappointed to see this casserole on the table for dinner again.

Casseroles may not be the "in thing" to make for dinner in this day and age, but I still like a good casserole (if it's actually easy to make and doesn't make 100 extra dirty dishes!). They're often budget-friendly, too.

So anyway, all that to say, if you're wanting an easy baked chicken and rice casserole recipe, this is it! It's easy, simple comfort food all in one pan.

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Ingredients in the Chicken and Rice Casserole

• Rice - white rice (jasmine rice or basmati rice are our favorites)
• Chicken - cooked and shredded chicken breasts is what I'm using today. (Leftover roast or rotisserie chicken pieces removed from the bone are excellent for this recipe!)
• Chicken broth - regular chicken broth form the store or you can make and use your own.
• Milk - whole milk
• Ranch dressing - homemade Ranch dressing is best:)
• Sour cream 
• Salt - regular iodized table salt.
• Pepper - we like to add a dash of ground black pepper
• Shredded cheese - freshly grated cheddar cheese 

Find the full recipe on a printable recipe card below!

Supplies you'll need

Check out some of our favorite kitchen products (or something very similar) linked below:

• 9x13 baking dish
• Mixing bowl - I actually use this thing as a mixing bowl frequently; it works perfectly for this recipe!
• Whisk, spatula, or wooden cooking utensils
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board 
• Kitchen knife
• Cheese grater

How to make Ranch Chicken Rice Casserole

If you're using raw chicken, you'll want to cook and shred it first, before using in this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.

Rinse the raw rice until the water runs clear, then spread it in the bottom of the greased pan.

Rinse the beans and spread them on top of the rice.

Next, add the cooked, chopped chicken.

Mix together the chicken broth, milk, Ranch dressing, sour cream, salt, and however much pepper you wish, then pour it over everything in the pan. (It's ok if the mixture is a little lumpy!)

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes.

Spread the shredded cheddar cheese over everything and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy.💛

Notes

You can add toppings! Tortilla chips, either whole or crushed, on top of or with the chicken and rice bake, diced tomatoes, or sauteed peppers and onions....

Another fun thing to add is herbs. Parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, any of these!

If you like spice, you can add red pepper flakes, a little bit of cayenne pepper before baking or drizzle with hot sauce before eating.

What to serve with Ranch Chicken Rice Casserole

Most times, I'll serve greens of some sort along with this casserole. Like a side salad or a simple cooked vegetable. This time I added a side of fresh peas from our garden!

A few more side dish ideas are Brown Butter Broccoli, Sweet & Sour Green Beans, and Corn Chip Lettuce Salad.

How to Store leftover Ranch Chicken Rice Casserole

Save any leftovers to eat the next day! Store the leftover chicken rice casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or freeze for several months.

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Looking for more dinner recipes to try?

Here are a few more of our simple and easy favorites:

Tater Tot Casserole

Million Dollar Spaghetti

Taco Potato Haystack Casserole

Check out this list of 30 Comfort Food Dinner Ideas!

Thanks a million!

…For stopping in our small town.

We hope you’ll stay to explore more made-from-scratch small town recipes.

Here’s a couple more simple dinner ideas:

’til next time,

Julie