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Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Bake

Pioneer Woman chicken rice bake is a set-and-forget chicken and rice casserole baked until the rice turns savory and deeply absorbent. Golden roasted chicken pieces sit skin-side up over herb-flecked rice in an oven chicken rice bake with caramelized edges.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and rice base
  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or 3-4 pounds bone-in chicken parts) Use bone-in for best skin caramelization and drippings.
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of celery soup
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
  • 1.5 cup water or chicken broth Broth adds extra savory flavor; water works in a pinch.
  • 1 envelope (1 oz) onion soup mix
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to taste Season chicken generously and adjust to preference.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a large 9x13 baking dish so the rice won’t stick.
Mix soup-rice layer
  1. Whisk together all three soups, rice, and water in the prepared dish until combined.
  2. Sprinkle half the onion soup mix into the rice and stir to distribute evenly.
Season and nestle chicken
  1. Season chicken pieces generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
  2. Nestle the chicken skin-side up into the rice so the skin sits above the surface.
  3. Sprinkle the remaining onion soup mix over the chicken for a deep, French-onion color as it bakes.
Bake covered, then finish uncovered
  1. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350°F until the rice has started absorbing the pan liquid.
  2. Remove the foil and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F until the chicken is golden and the rice has absorbed all liquid.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the dish covered for the full first hour so the rice cooks through; if your oven runs hot and the top browns early, tent lightly with foil for the last 10 minutes. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container, then thaw overnight and reheat until hot. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream soups (texture may be slightly less creamy but still works).