Cheesy Baked Chicken with Cream of Chicken Soup
This Cheesy Baked Chicken with Cream of Chicken Soup is the ultimate comfort food! Chicken (thighs or breasts) is seasoned perfectly then cooked with rice in a cheesy, creamy sauce and topped with crisp, fried onions! There is no chopping in this recipe and it all comes together in one pan! Dinner=DONE!
This recipe is near and dear to my heart because it’s a version of Campbell’s One Dish Chicken and Rice Bake...which was the first real “recipe” I made back in college that turned out halfway decent!
I remember being super shocked that I threw everything in the baking dish, baked it for an hour, and BOOM! Good eats! I continued to make this dish for years to come!
Fast forward 25’ish years later and I still love the idea of this dish (5 minutes of prep, no chopping, super simple), but I have given it LOTS more flavor, without adding more steps or making it fussy!
This updated Cheesy Baked Chicken still uses cream of chicken soup, and gets rave reviews from the whole family! It’s an updated classic that will become a family favorite!
For more updated classic recipes, try my Sloppy Joes on Texas Toast, this amazing Beef Stroganoff, and this Tuna Mac and Cheese! And if you love this recipe, you’ll also love my Cheesy Chicken Casserole with Doritos!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Creamy Baked Chicken Recipe:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Chicken: I highly recommend boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay super juicy with the long oven cooking time. I have also used boneless skinless chicken breasts, and they work just fine, too. I just feel the thighs are more flavorful.
Cream of Chicken Soup: If you don’t want to use a can of soup, you can make homemade soup with this recipe.
French Fried Onions: For me, fried onions like these MAKE this dish!! Don’t leave them out if at all possible!
HOW TO MAKE BAKED CHICKEN WITH CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Season chicken on both sides with spices.
Step 2: In your baking dish, stir together cream soup, rice, cheese, and Worcestershire sauce.
Step 3: Place chicken on top of the soup mixture. Bake covered, at 375°F for 55-60 minutes until rice is tender. Uncover, add remaining cheese and fried onions, and bake for 10 minutes more.
Step 4: Let the dish rest 5-10 minutes. Then, remove the chicken. Give the rice a big stir. Add chicken back in and serve right away.
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- I like mixing all of my spices together in a small bowl before seasoning the chicken–just to ensure all of the spices are nicely mixed
- After the dish rests for a few minutes after coming out of the oven, remove the chicken and give the rice a big stir. Then place the chicken back in the pan of rice.
- Cooking time may vary depending on your oven. The key to remember is the rice needs to be tender! Start checking at about the 50-55 minutes mark. At this point, the rice should be nearly cooked. It will continue to cook for a few minutes after you add the cheese and onions.
Confidence Tip
Does your rice seem too “soupy” when it comes out of the oven? NO WORRIES! As long as the rice is tender, you are good to go! The sauce will thicken up as it rests. Then, you’ll give everything a big stir and you’ll have perfect, creamy rice!
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also tightly cover the casserole dish with a couple of layers of aluminum foil to store.
- Reheating: Leftovers are great just reheated in the microwave for a minute or so until the chicken is warmed through.
- Freezing: You can make this creamy chicken and rice casserole ahead of time and freeze it! Leave off the cheese and onion topping. Freeze in a freezer-friendly container like this one. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge. Then bake as directed. You may need to bake the casserole for an additional 10-15 minutes to account for the dish being cold out of the fridge.
Easy Substitutions
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work, too! I just like the juiciness of the chicken thighs since they are being slow-cooked in the oven.
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Cream of Mushroom works well, too! Or, make your own, homemade condensed soup!
- French Fried Onions: Buttery Ritz crackers also work well as a crunchy topping.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar is my fave but you can use a combo of your favorite cheeses, too! Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, and fontina all work well!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A side of broccoli, green beans, or a simple, crisp salad are perfect to go along with this dish!
Nope! The recipe calls for uncooked white rice (not instant rice). The rice will cook right in the baking dish!
You can make your own, homemade condensed soup with this recipe!
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TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
Check out all of my kitchen essentials in my Amazon store!
Ceramic Casserole Dish: You can’t go wrong with white ceramic baking dishes!
Instant Read Thermometer: Super handy to make sure your meat is cooked through!
TRY THESE DELICIOUS CHICKEN RECIPES NEXT…
I hope you love this Cheesy Baked Chicken with Cream of Chicken Soup! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Cheesy Baked Chicken with Cream of Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1-1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs boneless, skinless chicken breasts work too!
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp seasoned salt (such as Lawry's) or regular sea salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup uncooked rice white rice (long grain) works best, do NOT use instant rice
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1 10.5 oz. can of cream of chicken soup cream of mushroom soup also works!
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided See Note 1
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup french fried onions
Instructions
- Prep: Spray a 9×9 baking dish (or similar) with cooking spray or coat with olive oil; set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Season: Mix together garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, smoked paprika and ground pepper. Season both sides of the chicken with generously with spice mixture. Set aside.
- Mix: In your baking dish, combine rice, canned soup, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese. Use a spoon or whisk to mix until everything is well combined.
- Bake: Place chicken on top of the soup mixture. Bake, COVERED with foil on the middle rack, for 55-60 minutes until rice is almost tender. Cooking time may depend a bit on your oven. Start checking the rice at about the 50-55 minute mark.
- Uncover: Uncover the dish, add remaining cheese and french fried onions. Bake another 10 minutes more until cheese is melted and onions are crisp and toasty! Optional: Broil for the last 2-3 minutes.
- Rest: Remove dish from the oven and let it rest 5-10 minutes. Remove chicken, give the rice a big stir, then add chicken back on top (See Note 2).
- Serve: Top with more smoked paprika and fresh ground pepper, if you like! A squeeze of lemon juice is also a delicious little addition!
We made this very simple recipe tonight. Didn’t have French onions so used ritz crackers.. DELICIOUS! Will definitely make again!
Delicious!!!!
Hi. Can you use frozen chicken in this recipe? Thanks.
Hi Jessica, Although I haven’t tested it with frozen chicken, I would say no. The rice would most likely be mushy and terribly overcooked if you increased the baking time to cook the frozen chicken. Sorry 🙁
Hello I just would like to let you know that the recipe for chessy baked chicken with creamy chicken soup was awesome and my fiancee loved it.Next time I will make a green bean salad for a side dish.I plan trying some more recipes in the near future meaning next week.Thank You So Much
Made it with brown rice, cooked exactly as printed and my rice is still hard?? Idk what I did wrong. The taste is good but the rice didn’t cook 😞
Hi Kelsey, Yes brown rice has a much longer cooking time than white rice. The recipe has only been tested with white rice.
I made it with brown rice too! Took the chicken out at the 60 minute mark and covered the rice and baked another 30-35 minutes. Then stirred and added the chicken back and proceeded with Step 5
Thank you so much for sharing, Teresa!! XO
I didn’t have the fried onion so I used onion soup mix and mixed it in the beginning, also was shy on cheese so I used a mix of several, in the oven as I type. should come out almost as good but I know it’ll lack the crunch
If I double the rice and liquid, do I need to double the cooking time?
I haven’t tried it, but you would not need to DOUBLE the time…maybe just a few extra minutes! Let us know how it turns out! xo
How would this work with brown rice?
I have not tried it and I think it would work fine, you may just need a bit more liquid and a bit more cooking time. Let us know how it turns out! XO ~ Casey
Can you make it without the rice?
I haven’t tested it that way, but I don’t see why not! Maybe reduce the liquids at bit, otherwise it might be too “soupy.” Let us know if you try it1 XO ~ Casey
I believe you forgot to add the chicken broth. But it obviously(?) goes in Step 3. Good, easy recipe. Thanks.
Thanks, Carole! I updated the recipe card! Glad you enjoyed it! XO ~ Casey
What if I only have instant rice? Can I cook it separately?
Hi Jacki- You’d have to adjust the recipe quite a bit if you used instant rice. There is a lot of liquid in the recipe to cook the rice while it bakes. You can play around with those amounts but I haven’t tested it this way. Let us know how it turns out! XO~ Casey
The chicken looks so creamy and flavourful. Loved the recipe, it is perfect for my busy weeknights.
This was just a perfect dinner for the whole family! So flavorful! So delicious! Wouldn’t change a thing. My 2 year old could not get enough of the chicken. We paired it with asparagus and just a great, well-rounded meal!
This is so comforting – perfect for these cooler evenings and it is so easy – thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
That cream of chicken soup is unreal. So flavourful and easy to make
This is my new favourite weeknight chicken dinner. Easy to make and delicious!
This baked chicken looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing. So delicious.
I love that this is so easy! Such a comforting warming dish.
Oooh this baked chicken definitely is the ultimate comfort food. I love how easily the prep comes together. So good with that cheese too.
My whole family loved this hearty and delectable meal. It was so flavorful and so good. I am making this again soon.
I love using condensed soup. It adds so much flavor. The whole family thought this chicken recipe was delicious.
Loved the simplicity of the ingredients here. This is a great recipe! I made it for my family and they appreciated the delicious taste 🙂
Such a comforting and easy dish for busy evenings. This is a great idea and full of cheesiness.
Perfect family meal! My picky eaters were thrilled with your cheesy baked chicken, thanks!
Chicken with mushrooms is my all-time favourite comfort food and this recipe really hit the spot! Fried onions on top really made it extra special for me 🙂
substituted Swiss cheese for the cheddar (Jarlsberg & swiss) and added a tbs of knorrs chicken bullion cubes to the cheese/rice mix and it came out awesome!
We made this tonight. We used chicken breast and it was perfect. Adding to my monthly rotation.