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This single serving chicken and rice casserole is rich, creamy, and made from scratch. With tender chicken, mushrooms, and a homemade sauce, it’s a comforting one-dish meal you’ll want to make often.
Featured Comment
“I have made this dish quite a few times. It is one of the most delicious dishes I have tried. So easy to make.”
– Nicola
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Homemade Flavor Without Canned Soup: Made entirely from scratch using fresh ingredients, no condensed soups or pre-boxed mixes, just real chicken, real onions, real broth for rich, natural taste.
- Single Serving Size: Designed to feed one person, so you get fully fresh portions without leftovers.
- Creamy and Comforting: Tender chicken, creamy sauce, and perfectly cooked rice combine into a warm, satisfying one-dish meal.
- Easy to Scale Up: Double everything, bake in a larger dish, and enjoy the same flavor and texture for two or more servings.
I love this easy chicken and rice casserole because it’s made completely from scratch with simple ingredients that highlight real flavor.
Skipping canned soup makes such a difference, and the result is a creamy, classic comfort food that feels homemade in every bite. It’s the kind of meal I turn to when I want something warm and satisfying without a lot of fuss.
Consider serving your small chicken casserole with sautéed green beans, a small Italian chopped salad, small batch French bread rolls, and a glass of crisp white wine for a complete meal.
Ingredients
If you have ingredients leftover from this small chicken and rice casserole recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder for ways to use them.
- Chicken: Use a boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast. Thighs are juicier, but breasts work just as well – choose what you prefer. Extra chicken? Make our baked chicken thighs, chicken tikka masala for one, small batch chicken nuggets, or Tuscan chicken for one.
- Seasoning: A blend of salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning gives this dish great flavor. Italian seasoning typically includes basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemaryif you’re out, use any combination of these.
- Mushrooms: Sliced cremini or button mushrooms add depth. Not a fan? Leave them out. Leftover mushrooms? Use them in a small mushroom casserole or risotto for one.
- Chicken Broth: I prefer low-sodium chicken broth for better control over seasoning. Vegetable broth works too. Leftover broth? Use it in lasagna soup for one, a single serving of Spanish rice, or a small green bean casserole.
- Sour Cream: Greek yogurt is a good substitute if you want a lighter option.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness to the sauce. For a lighter version, use whole milk or half-and-half, but the sauce won’t be as thick. Leftover cream? Try it in fettuccine Alfredo for one or mini French silk pie.
- Rice: Medium or long-grain white rice works best. Basmati is a great alternative with no change in cooking time.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Chicken And Rice Casserole
These photos and instructions show you how to make this small chicken casserole with rice. For exact ingredient amounts and full instructions, see the recipe below.
- Preheat and Brown the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then brown it on both sides for 1-2 minutes. The chicken doesn’t need to be fully cooked, just browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the Onions and Garlic: Add a little more olive oil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions until translucent, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Cook the Mushrooms: Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. I don’t like to add extra oil—this helps them brown and release moisture. Stir occasionally and cook for 2 minutes.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth and stir. Remove the pan from heat, then mix in the sour cream, heavy cream, remaining salt, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Assemble the Casserole: Add the uncooked rice to a 5×5-inch baking dish.
- Combine: Pour the cream mixture over the rice and stir gently. Place the chicken on top in a single layer.
- Bake: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, if there’s still too much liquid, bake uncovered for a few more minutes until it evaporates.
How To Make Chicken and Rice Casserole on the Stovetop
No oven? You can make this on the stovetop using a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan with a lid. Keep the heat low and let it simmer gently until the rice and chicken are fully cooked.
Expert Tips
- Adjusting Salt: The amount of salt needed depends on your broth. Taste the casserole before serving and adjust as needed.
- Time-Saving Tip: Save time by using 4-5 ounces of pre-cooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken or leftovers. After Thanksgiving, swap in leftover turkey for an easy variation.
- Add Vegetables: For a boost of greens, mix in 1/4 cup of steamed or blanched chopped broccoli before baking. This turns it into a delicious chicken and broccoli casserole.
- No Instant Rice: This recipe won’t work with Instant Rice or Minute Rice, as the liquid and cooking time won’t be right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Yes! Double the ingredients and use either:
Two 5×5-inch baking dishes
One 8×1½-inch round baking pan
One 6×8-inch baking dish
One 9×5-inch rectangular baking dish
If using a larger dish, the baking time stays the same since the mixture will spread out evenly.
Brown rice takes longer to cook and may need additional liquid and baking time. For best results, stick with white rice.
Yes. If using cooked chicken, skip the browning step and stir the chicken into the rice before baking.
RELATED: Easy Dinner Ideas For One
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve made this easy single serving chicken and rice casserole or any recipe from One Dish Kitchen, let me know what you think! Rate the recipe and share your experience in the comments below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Chicken and Rice Casserole For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (4-ounce) boneless skinless chicken thigh or chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt -divided
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil -divided
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ¼ cup sliced mushrooms
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ cup long-grain white rice
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper. Add to the pan and brown on both sides for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Note: The chicken does not need to be fully cooked, just browned.
- Add ½ tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook the onions for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Increase heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Note: No additional oil is added so the mushrooms brown and release moisture.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir. Remove from heat, then mix in the sour cream, heavy cream, remaining salt, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Pour the rice into a 5×5-inch baking dish.
- Pour the cream mixture over the rice and stir gently. Place the browned chicken on top in a single layer.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil—if there's still too much liquid, bake uncovered for a few more minutes until it evaporates.
- Serve hot.
Notes
-
- Adjusting Salt: The amount of salt needed depends on your broth. Taste the casserole before serving and adjust as needed.
- Time-Saving Tip: Save time by using 4-5 ounces of pre-cooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken or leftovers. After Thanksgiving, swap in leftover turkey for an easy variation.
- Add Vegetables: For a boost of greens, mix in 1/4 cup of steamed or blanched chopped broccoli before baking. This turns it into a delicious chicken and broccoli casserole.
- No Instant Rice: This recipe won’t work with Instant Rice or Minute Rice, as the liquid and cooking time won’t be right.
Two 5×5-inch baking dishes
One 8×1½-inch round baking pan
One 6×8-inch baking dish
One 9×5-inch rectangular baking dish If using a larger dish, the baking time stays the same since the mixture will spread out evenly.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I used 3/4 cup cooked white rice instead of 1/4 cup dry. I used the same amount of liquids. The only thing different was to coat the chicken with 2 tsp cornstarch before cooking After cooking the chicken a few minutes, I added all the ingredients and simmered a few minutes until it started to thicken up. Then I put it in the dish and covered it with foil and baked it 30 min at 375 degrees Came out perfect I just love One Dish Kitchen
Sounds like you worked out a great method using the cooked rice. So glad it came out perfect for you, and thank you for the kind words.
Great recipe.
Hello, I was wondering if I could use wild rice instead of the white rice?
I know you can’t use instant or minute rice.
I just love wild river more than the white.
Thanks, Constance
Wild rice wouldn’t be a good substitute in this recipe. It has a much longer cooking time and absorbs liquid differently than medium or long-grain white rice, so the texture and timing would be off.
For best results, I recommend sticking with regular long-grain or medium-grain white rice as written in the recipe.
Could I use brown rice, maybe add more liquid? I’m diabetic so I avoid white rice when possible.
Brown rice takes much longer to cook and needs more liquid and baking time, and I haven’t tested this recipe with brown rice. For the best results, I recommend sticking with white rice for this casserole.
Very good
This was so good. Reminded me of a dish I made regularly for the family years ago. The family version called for canned mushroom soup and dry onion soup mix. This was much better with everything from scratch and it was just enough for me. The only change I made….I used a whole leg and a whole thigh. I’m aiming to up my protein intake. Thanks so much for making it easy to cook just for myself.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and that it reminded you of a dish you used to make for your family. I love hearing that you preferred this from-scratch version, and using a whole leg and thigh is a great way to add more protein. I’m really happy it was just the right amount for you.
Any suggestions for swapping out white rice for brown rice? I’m ok with a different texture… Thanks Joanie!!
Brown rice takes longer to cook and may need additional liquid and baking time. For best results, stick with white rice.
Holy COW, this was absolutely amazing!!! Will be making over and over
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you.
Help!!! I want to make this for 4 people, can I get the ingredients adjustment PLEASE??
I haven’t tested this recipe in a larger size beyond doubling it for a 6×8-inch dish, so I’m not able to give reliable measurements or a baking dish size for four servings. I want to be sure the information I share is accurate, so I can only recommend making the recipe as written or doubling it as noted.
There are few things in life that you can count on: death, taxes and the great results of Joanie’s recipes. This was so simple and delicious. I had some pre-cooked the Wild and white rice so I adjusted the amount of chicken broth to accommodate also anytime a recipe calls for milk cream or heavy cream I always use sour cream. So much easier to store.
You made me smile with that — thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and I love the way you adapted it with the rice and sour cream.
This is one of my go to recipes. I usually make extra to freeze. I’m not a fan of mushrooms so I use what ever veggies I have on hand.
I’m a little tired of chicken so I decided to give this a try using a thick ground beef patty. I also changed the broth to beef. It is simply delicious!!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I have made this dish quite a few times. It is one of the most delicious dishes I have tried. So easy to make.
Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear it’s become a favorite.
Wonderful recipe. I’d like to try a little wild rice with the white rice. Might work to cook it partially before adding to the white rice would Anyway the recipe is really perfect as is
Yes Jackie I had some pretty cooked wild and white rice left over from a previous time. I just adjusted the amount of liquid to accommodate the pre-cooked rice and it turned out perfect.
Can you use precooked chicken?
Yes.
This was super simple to make, I used 2 small cans of mushrooms drained. I also used a pint jar of home canned chicken (i browned as per recipe), and the broth from that. And I happen to have freeze dried heavy cream, so I made some of that up for the cream part. I had an onion, otherwise I would have used freeze dried, same with the sour cream. My future daughter in law and I enjoyed this for supper. Was very very good. Only thing I did extra/different was the extra mushrooms.
I have not found a recipe from One Dish Kitchen that I haven’t liked. Love this site. Thank you for doing this for those of us that hate to waste food.
I’m so happy to hear you and your future daughter-in-law enjoyed the casserole! I love how you made it work with what you had on hand — and those extra mushrooms sound like a wonderful addition. Thank you for your kind words and for being part of our community!
Made this last night. Delishious. I used a small drained tin of cut mushrooms as that was what was in the pantry. Worked great. Will be reheating the leftovers tonight.
loved it! I’m making time to cook again and this was a fun and easy recipe to follow too
I made this in my temporary kitchen tonight using a hot plate and toaster oven, and am feeling so accomplished! It’s simple to put together and bake, and cleanup was a breeze with my camp-like sink setup. The casserole’s flavors are spot on! Also, there’s plenty of leftovers which are perfect for soup tomorrow! Thanks!!
I have cooked rice instead of raw, how would I adjust the liquid levels, and how and when do I add it to the casserole? It seems like the whole thing is a no without raw rice but I figured I’d ask the recipe magician anyway. Have a lovely day.
You should be able to use cooked rice in this casserole, but I haven’t tested it myself. Here’s how I’d adjust it:
Reduce the broth to 3-4 tablespoons.
Reduce the cream to 1-2 tablespoons.
Follow the recipe with these changes and check the consistency. If it seems too dry, add a bit more broth or cream.
I would like to use brown rice instead of white in this recipe. What alterations to the recipe would I need to make? Also, i would like to reduce the dairy content and use coconut milk or cream instead.
It’s great to hear that you’re interested in adapting the Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe with brown rice and less dairy! If you’re considering using brown rice, please note that it typically requires more liquid and a longer cooking time than white rice. However, I haven’t tested this recipe with brown rice, so you might need to experiment a little. Generally, you could try increasing the liquid slightly and extending the cooking time. Keep an eye on it to make sure it cooks through and doesn’t dry out.
As for reducing the dairy, using coconut milk or cream is a wonderful idea to bring a new flavor profile to the dish. Coconut milk can be a direct substitute for regular milk or cream, but since it has a different fat content and flavor, you might want to adjust the quantity to your taste.
This is the perfect recipe. It’s even made with the juiciest cut of chicken.
This was quite delicious and easy. I added some frozen peas. Since I didn’t have sour cream, I used 1/4 cup of soft cream cheese mixed with 1.5 tbsp of milk and it worked like a charm. I even have enough for a snack later!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the casserole, Mary. Thank you so much for your feedback.
How do you modify for air fryer?
We have not tested this recipe using an air fryer.
I finally got round to making this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I definitely will be making this pretty regularly..
Wonderful flavour..
You had mentioned about adding broccoli to it.. I just added1/3cup of the frozen assorted veg you can buy (straight from the bag) & in with the mushrooms..
Also once I’d taken foil off I started over some chopped chives& green salad onion& forked it through.
Thanks once again for another fantastic recipe.. 😊🏴
Hi Joanie,
Just made the chicken casserole. I doubled it and it came out quite tasty – I have leftovers and want to know the best way to make the leftovers creamier.
Love your recipes – I’ve made many!
Thank you
Donna
Donna, I’m so happy you enjoyed the chicken casserole. To make the leftovers creamier, I would stir in a small amount of milk or cream before reheating.
I made this tonight for supper and it is absolutely spectacular. It is SO much better than the classic mushroom soup version many of us know.
It’s also extremely economical as week . I used only 4oz of a 9oz chicken breast and the other 5oz I will use tomorrow to make a Buffalo Chicken sandwich.
Well done Joanie! This is a definite keeper!
Hi Joanie, I still haven’t gotten round to this particular recipe yet, but is on my planner for tomorrow night..
If I could just ask& I know it may seem inconsequential, but are your cooking instructions all done in a “fan assisted” oven?
The reason I ask is.. my oven is a regular one(no fan) but also I have been trying out some of your recipes using my Air Fryer which acts like a fan oven.. So I do have an air fry conversion chart but it lists Original recipe temp& time, with (fan or no fan) then tells what setting etc for air fry mode.. Previously I did some of your dishes in my Ninja, but on the “Bake” setting.. and they came out great.. But I really want to do this one on airfry mode as I haven’t done a rice one this way..
Sorry for the long winded question.. but I’m notorious for taking ages to get to the point.. I guess I could have just asked Does your oven have a fan!!!! Oh well..🤭..
Thanks so much..😊🏴
Hi Lorna! No, our oven does not have a fan-assist feature.
Thanks so much for that Joanie.. It’ll help me out a lot😊🏴
I made this for dinner tonight but substituted broccoli for the mushrooms and used lemon-flavored olive oil because that is what I had on hand. It had a bright, delicious, mouth-watering taste, and I can’t wait to eat the remainder of it tomorrow. Thank you for THE PERFECT chicken and rice casserole.
Would this work with brown rice? Thanks!
Brown rice will require more liquid and a longer cooking time. You will have to adjust the recipe accordingly.
My rice wasn’t fully cooked. Could I have not have mixed it completely? I think I had the foil on right. Otherwise, the flavors were delicious!!
If the rice wasn’t fully cooked, the casserole needed to be kept in the oven for a few minutes more.
I made this tonight & it was just delish. Made no changes. Next time I’ll add some veggies though. I had planned to have half for lunch tomorrow but I ate the whole thing! Thanks for an easy yummy recipe!
I just made this. It is one of the best of your recipes. To others that make this don’t leave out the tiny bit of Italian seasoning. It really takes it over the top. Thank you for your many recipes. I enjoy them so much.
Can this be assembled and frozen without baking first? I like to make 2-3 small dishes for one, eat one and freeze the others
I don’t recommend freezing the assembled casserole because of the heavy cream and sour cream in the sauce. Instead, I’d suggest cooking the chicken ahead of time and freezing it, you can double or triple the ingredient amounts depending on how many casseroles you’d like to make. When you are ready to enjoy the meal, thaw the already cooked chicken and make the sauce since the sauce cooks quickly, add rice and bake.
Thank you for this recipe. It sounds fabulous. As I’m a low carber like another Commenter, I think I will use half rice and half grated cauliflower. I can’t wait to try this as I love chicken and rice casserole–my mother used to add a smidgen of wine once in awhile also.
Do you have the full size recipe or do I just double, triple etc?
We have doubled the ingredients in this recipe successfully but have not tested tripling the ingredients. If doubling, you will need to use a larger pan. A 7×7-inch square pan will work and also an 8-inch round pan.
This was so GOOD.. Will be making this again!
Thank you for all the work you have done to make these recipes for one … Nice not to have to eat them for days ….
Cathie
Thank you for all you do for your readers! I’d really love to hear more about any modifications needed to prepare some of your dishes in an air fryer, and I’d be happy if I could start with this one. Might that be in the cards for you?
Thank you, we recently purchased an air fryer and are experimenting with it.
I grew up on a chicken and rice casserole made with French onion soup mic and canned cream of chicken soup. This is SO much better! (Sorry mom😬)
I used 2 thigh fillets with a combined weight of 6 ounces once all the fat was removed and only used 1/8 cup of basmati rice (low GI) to keep the carb count down and only 1/4 cup chicken stock otherwise made as per recipe and served with a small garden salad on the side for a complete meal which was thoroughly enjoyed and easy to put together. Made for What’s On the Menu at FF&F.
This was perfect! The seasonings and amount of liquids were just right. I used a mixture of wild/white rice. Cooked in a toaster oven for 30 minutes and let set uncovered for five in the oven. A little salad and a very good filling meal. Absolute perfection.
Thank you for taking the time and effort for those of us that are single. I now have no excuses for eating poorly. I also don’t have to eat the same thing for days.
I look forward to trying more and more of your recipes.
HG
I found this recipe to be everything I wanted. I love that it is scratch made. I can control the sodium content. I have multiple health issues so foods that are healthy for others may not be for me. Whole grains are not my friends so white rice it is. White rice is also a great substitute for potatoes which are high in potassium. Thank you for giving me recipes that at so versatile.
Hi,
Can I use something else other then “Heavy Cream”?
I have to watch my bad cholesterol.
Yes, you can use milk or half and half instead.
Thank you so very much Joanie!
I really appreciate it!
Hi Joanie,
I am not finding a 5×5 inch baking dish on Amazon . So many other sizes though . Can you be more specific where to buy one ?
Melissa
Melissa, in all of our recipes we link to our “Store” page. On this page, we show the baking dishes we use along with links to purchase them. Here is the link: https://store.onedishkitchen.com/#bakeware . You will see several dishes. The Sweejar 4×6 can be purchased from Amazon and works with all of our recipes calling for a 5×5-inch dish. Scroll down the page and you will find the Pyrex “Littles” – those also work. You will also see a Corning Ware square 5-inch dish. All of these are listed on the page.
Yummy. The best ever