Lemon Chicken And Rice Casserole

Looking for a comforting casserole that still feels like summer? Look no further. This easy mid-week dinner comes together in one pan in less than an hour. The whole family will love the creamy yet bright flavors.

Try this lemon chicken and rice casserole for an easy mid-week dinner. Chicken thighs are quickly browned and then baked with rice, lemon, and cream of chicken soup to create a comfort dish for the whole family.

close up on a plate of lemon chicken and rice casserole

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

Casseroles never disappoint. They are filling, hearty, and can last you several meals if you’re cooking for yourself or a few others. This chicken and rice casserole does just that while being bright and bold thanks to lemon, tarragon, and cream of chicken soup. It’s everything you’d want in a chicken and rice soup, but in a casserole.

“Aromatics and acids like lemon and herbs are great ways to spice up chicken casserole,” says recipe developer Catherine Jessee. “This recipe uses crushed red pepper for some heat, as well as tarragon and parsley.”

The chicken thighs are seared quickly in hot oil before finishing in the oven, resulting in tender and moist meat with a crispy exterior. If you can’t find cream of chicken soup at the store (or want to try a different option), cream of celery or cream of mushroom is a great substitute. Either way, the casserole will come out creamy and perfect.

The lemon is what helps this dish the most: “This recipe uses lemon juice and zest in the rice and sauce of the casserole, while it’s baked with slices that imbue the skin with lemony flavor,” says Jessee. “Serving with lemon juice also heightens the immediate flavor.”

Serve this casserole with warm crusty buttery bread and a leafy green salad. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for three days or the freezer for up to three months.

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 (10 1/2-ounce) cream of chicken soup
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish
2 cups chicken broth
1 lemon, sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Gather all ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Season chicken thighs evenly with salt and pepper on both sides.
Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add chicken thighs to skillet, skin sides down, and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken thighs to a plate; set aside. Do not wipe skillet clean.
Add garlic to drippings in the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 10 to 20 seconds. Add rice, cream of chicken soup, lemon juice, lemon zest, tarragon, and crushed red pepper; whisk to combine. Gradually add broth, whisking constantly, until combined and smooth. Arrange chicken thighs, skin sides up, over rice mixture and place lemon slices over chicken thighs. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or lid, and transfer to the preheated oven.
Bake in the preheated oven until rice is cooked through and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165 degrees F (73 degrees C), about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Stir rice mixture, and sprinkle with parsley. Divide chicken, lemon slices, and rice evenly among 4 plates. Garnish with
additional tarragon and crushed red pepper.