Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice

This recipe is a simple way to prepare chicken and rice by baking them together with prepared cream of chicken soup and cheese.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
• Calories: 794 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• cooking spray
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix (such as Lipton®)
• 3 cups water, or more as needed
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, or more to taste
• 2 cups rice
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Spread rice into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup Cheddar cheese over the rice; season with black pepper and salt. Arrange chicken breast halves evenly atop the rice and cheese layers. Dot chicken breasts evenly with rounded teaspoons of cream of chicken soup. Pour 3 cups water over the chicken and finish by sprinkling onion soup mix evenly over everything.

Step 3

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check rice for doneness; if water is already completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup more water to keep mixture moist. Continue baking until the chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese over the dish.