A classic copycat family favorite casserole of chicken, rice, and veggies cooked in a creamy sauce with a crispy Panko topping!
Today I want to share a copycat recipe I found a couple weeks back. I'm a big fan of a few of the Stouffers Entrees, mainly the Lasagna and the Grandmas Chicken and Vegetable Rice Bake. They're perfect when I'm pressed for time and I still want to get a hot meal on the table.
Now what I don't like is the size of the packages. The Lasagna is a pretty good size and feeds our whole family, but the chicken bake is quite small. Which is a shame because it's so good. If I purchase two than it's just way too expensive. I was so excited to find this Copy Kat Stouffer's Chicken & Vegetable Rice Bake. I did tweak the recipe just a bit and the results were fabulous!!!
I know just about everybody has a can of condensed soup in their pantry. Canned soups are great for sprucing up so many dishes and entrees. Some people like using condensed soups, but others frown upon using them at all. I can say canned soups have changed a lot over the years.
Now what I don't like is the size of the packages. The Lasagna is a pretty good size and feeds our whole family, but the chicken bake is quite small. Which is a shame because it's so good. If I purchase two than it's just way too expensive. I was so excited to find this Copy Kat Stouffer's Chicken & Vegetable Rice Bake. I did tweak the recipe just a bit and the results were fabulous!!!
I know just about everybody has a can of condensed soup in their pantry. Canned soups are great for sprucing up so many dishes and entrees. Some people like using condensed soups, but others frown upon using them at all. I can say canned soups have changed a lot over the years.
You can now buy low sodium and fat free versions which is nice, because it give consumers a few alternatives. Not to mention the taste has improved dramatically. My favorite thing about condensed soups is how it can transforms just about any casserole into a creamy dreamy dish.. So, I guess you could say I'm a big fan of condensed soups.
For the chicken and rice bake I didn't use my usual brand of soup. Instead I tried Progresso's Cream of Mushroom Soup. I have to say first off I love the large size cans. They're gluten free, low calorie and some of the soups even have no MSG. I took a chance on using this soup and I really liked it. Instead of a big glob when I opened the can this soup was nice and creamy.
Hopefully they will come out with more versions of the cream soups, because I depend on them quite often. I also forgot to mention that this recipe make (two) casseroles!!! I know you're gonna love that. We had one casserole for dinner and I froze the second (unbaked) for a freezer meal when I'm pressed for time. Let's get started on this delicious recipe.
Using a Rotisserie chicken will be a huge time saver for this recipe. If not your will need to brown the chicken before baking the casserole. If using a Rotisserie chicken, skip this step.
To brown the chicken, drizzle the olive oil into a large skillet or grill pan over med-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and pan fry until golden brown on each side (browning adds a rich flavor to the meat) instead of boiling or poaching the chicken.
Using the same skillet over medium heat, melt the 5 tablespoon of butter, onions, garlic and frozen peas & carrots. Saute until the onions are soft and translucent. Set vegetables aside. In a very large bowl add the soups and milk. Mix to combine. Add the shredded cheese, chicken, cooked vegetables and rice Gently mix everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To brown the chicken, drizzle the olive oil into a large skillet or grill pan over med-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and pan fry until golden brown on each side (browning adds a rich flavor to the meat) instead of boiling or poaching the chicken.
Using the same skillet over medium heat, melt the 5 tablespoon of butter, onions, garlic and frozen peas & carrots. Saute until the onions are soft and translucent. Set vegetables aside. In a very large bowl add the soups and milk. Mix to combine. Add the shredded cheese, chicken, cooked vegetables and rice Gently mix everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the mixture into two 9 x 11 or 13 x 9 inch pans (I use disposable roaster pans w/lids). In a small bowl melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and mix with the Panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the top of both casseroles. Place the casseroles in a 350 degree oven and cook for 40 - 45 minutes. Cook until mixture is bubble and the topping is golden brown.
I used the second casserole for a freezer meal for another day. Cover the casserole unbaked with Glad press and seal wrap or plastic wrap and then cover with two layers of aluminum foil. Using a sharpie label the pan with the name of the dish, date and cooking time and temp. Add the plastic cover that comes with the pan and place in the freezer.
I have to say this was the best chicken and rice casserole I've had in a long time. I actually think it taste better than the Stouffers version. I know that is a bold statement but it was so good and creamy.
Yield: 2 - 13 x 9 inch pans
Stouffers Grandma's Chicken & Rice Bake {CopyKat Recipe}
A classic copycat family favorite casserole of chicken, rice, and veggies cooked in a creamy sauce with a crispy Panko topping!
Prep time: 1 HourCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 45 M
Ingredients
- 1 store bought Rotisserie chicken or 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces and browned
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), separated
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen frozen peas and carrots
- 4 cups cooked brown rice or converted (Like Uncle Ben's)
- 1 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 1 10.75 ounce can cheddar cheese soup
- 2 cups milk
- 1 8 ounce package shredded mild cheddar cheese or Kraft Triple Cheddar Blend
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the rice according to package directions for 4 cups cooked rice and set aside.
- Using a Rotisserie chicken will be a huge time saver for this recipe. If not your will need to brown the chicken before baking the casserole. If using a Rotisserie chicken, skip this step.
- To brown the chicken, drizzle the olive oil into a large skillet or grill pan over med-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and pan fry until golden brown on each side (browning adds a rich flavor to the meat) instead of boiling or poaching the chicken. Remove the chicken and set aside;
- In the same skillet over medium heat, melt 5 tablespoon of butter. Add the onions, garlic and frozen peas & carrots. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Set the vegetable mixture aside.
- In a very large bowl add the soups and milk and mix to combine. Add the shredded cheese, chicken, vegetables and cooked rice Gently mix everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the mixture into two 9 x 11 or 13 x 9 inch pans (I used disposable roaster pans). In a small bowl melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and combine with the Panko bread crumbs.
- Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the top of both casseroles. Place casseroles in a 350 degree oven and bake for 40 -45 minutes. If the casserole browns too quickly, cover with aluminum foil.
- If using aluminum pans place the pans on a baking sheet before baking. Cook until the mixture is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
Notes:
To Freeze Casserole: Wrap unbaked casserole with glad press and seal or plastic wrap (that has been sprayed with non stick spray), and then wrap with on layer of aluminum foil. Label, date and add cooking time and freeze.
To Cook Frozen Casserole. Remove casserole from freezer, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove plastic wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and heated through. If you used an aluminum pan place the pan on a baking sheet before cooking.
If you do not like or are allergic to cream of mushroom soup just substitute using a total of 2 cans of cream of chicken soup.
recipe adapted from: Ask The Ebay Queen
70 comments
@mommysusan1, yes I did add the panko bread crumbs to the second casserole before freezing. I don't know the results since this was the first time I made it. I won't know until I bake the freezer casserole.
I love your recipes. I've made quite a few and they've all been winners with my family of very picky eaters! Thank you!
It is just a blend of krafts shredded cheddar cheese. It's a triple cheese blend. You can also just use regular cheddar cheese. I fixed the ingredient so it's not confused.
It states to cover the casserole (unbaked) with Glad Press & Seal or plastic wrap. Then add two layers of aluminum foil. Using a sharpie label the pan with the name of the dish and the date. Add the plastic cover that comes with the pan and place in the freezer.
http://www.chickyscafe.com/2013/04/19/tried-true-thursdays-1/
To cook freezer casserole: Remove casserole from freezer, thaw and bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and heated through.
So I did manage to get 4 small casseroles out of it, one for eating last night and then 3 frozen in 8x8 pans since it's just me and my husband and that's about the right size for us (also about the same size as the Stoffer's version anyways).
Thanks for the recipe! I'm going to try to modify it to make the Broccoli & Cheddar bake from Stoffer's as well. That one's my personal favorite. Seems like it'd be easy enough with this recipe as a base.
It turned out quite well. I made a few changes: Since I'm not a fan at all of mushrooms, I eliminated the cream of mushroom soups and just added more of the cream of chicken soups. I used jasmine rice instead of brown or parboiled rice (converted rice was just too "welfare" for use such a wondrous meal; and I loathe the cheap and hideous taste of converted rice).
I used 9 large boneless/skineless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed up so that there was a LOT of chicken to balance out the portions.
This will be a regular thing for my freezer. I love these sumptuous stick-to-your-ribs meals, and was saddened when Walmart gave up carrying the original Stouffer's line.
Thanks for the recipe!
Frozen Broccoli or even a frozen California Blend would both be good in place of peas and carrots.
Tricia
I was concerned it would be too soupy so I increased the Jasmine rice by 1 cup and in the future I will add some additional veggies that I love..
It made 1 large 8" x 12" pan and one small pan. I plan to give the small 8" x 8" pan to my elderly mother.
For those of you who dislike mushrooms you could add Cream of Asparagus or Cream of Celery instead of the Cream of Mushroom.
If you like the Stouffers, you’ll love this.
It's just my wife and me now, so I divided this recipe by four in silicone 8X8 baking pans. I freeze 3 helpings following your instructions and use cardboard to layer between the 8X8s to make better use of limited freezer space.