Creamy Butter Chicken and Rice Bake Recipe
This comforting Butter Chicken and Rice recipe combines tender chicken thighs with a creamy cheesy sauce and fluffy long-grain rice, all baked together to create an easy, flavorful one-dish meal perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Author: Nora
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice (not instant rice)
- 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 ounce can cream of celery soup (or cream of mushroom, if preferred)
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into large chunks
- 5 tablespoons salted butter, thinly sliced
Optional Garnish
- Fresh parsley or chopped green onions for garnish
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the dish.
- Prepare Chicken and Seasoning: Cut the boneless skinless chicken into large chunks and season with Montreal steak seasoning evenly, ensuring the flavors penetrate the meat.
- Mix Soups and Broth: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, and chicken broth. Stir until smooth and well incorporated to create the creamy sauce base.
- Combine with Rice: Add the uncooked long grain white rice to the soup mixture and stir thoroughly to make sure the rice is evenly distributed throughout the creamy mixture.
- Assemble the Dish: In a baking dish, spread half of the rice mixture evenly. Layer the seasoned chicken chunks on top, then cover with the remaining rice mixture, ensuring the chicken pieces are mostly covered.
- Add Butter Slices: Thinly slice the salted butter and distribute the 5 tablespoons evenly over the top of the assembled dish to help create a rich buttery flavor and aid browning.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.
- Uncover and Brown (Optional): For a golden top, remove the foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking to allow the butter and rice to brown slightly.
- Rest and Garnish: Once baked, let the dish rest for about 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley or chopped green onions if desired before serving.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for more moisture and flavor; breasts work well-too but can dry out if overcooked.
- Adjust Montreal steak seasoning amount to taste, as it can vary in saltiness.
- Ensure the rice used is long grain white rice (not instant) for proper texture and cooking time.
- Make sure the dish is covered tightly with foil to prevent the rice from drying out during baking.
- If you prefer, substitute cream of celery soup with cream of mushroom for a different flavor profile.
- This dish can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Keywords: Butter Chicken, Baked Chicken and Rice, Creamy Chicken Rice Casserole, One Dish Meal, Easy Dinner