Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole

June 19, 2022

When I try to cook something different, Pioneer woman chicken rice casserole recipe peeps through my mind. It’s a perfect dinner dish for winter weeknights. You can use your oven, slow cooker, or instant pot to cook it. You don’t need to buy any fancy ingredients to enhance the taste.

It is tasty and healthy compared to any other meal. You are getting both protein and calorie sources from this single chicken recipe. You can prepare dishes in your busy schedule since it’s a good recipe for everyone. Especially if you want to treat your family members with a delicious and stomach-full item, rice casserole is the best choice.

Overview of Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe

You can make the rice casserole by using all the homely ingredients with sliced chicken and rice. It will be an effortless heavy meal that you can serve in 30 minutes since the elements like salt, parsley, olive oil, and regular chicken pieces are the main components of this recipe.

You must have all the required ingredients in your home to start cooking this recipe within a while. It will be a delicious and heavy meal that you can offer your family on winter nights.

Required Ingredients

You cannot cook this rice casserole using only rice; you will need other ingredients, including chicken, cuisines, and some parsley. However, you have some flexibility to change the taste by adding any other elements that you like most. Only remember, it should not have a strong flavor or smell that will ruin your entire recipe.

Diced Chicken (A whole diced chicken depending on the number of people)
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Parsley
Olive Oil
Garlic
Onion
Rice (According to Number of People)
Chicken Broth/Fresh Water

Making Direction

If you find chicken broth hard to make, you can skip it and add some fresh water in the making direction. But try to use chicken broth since it will enhance the smell and create a new taste. Apart from that, you should try to use the chicken legs instead of using a whole chicken.

1. Prepare Chickens

You can use a whole chicken and cut it into some medium-sized pieces, or you can buy the leg pieces from a super shop. Both methods have some drawbacks. Still, you need to choose the second method to buy the leg pieces. You should prepare the leg pieces to make an excellent treat for your family.

After getting those pieces, you must mix them with salt, pepper, paprika, and parsley. Then, place those mixed chicken legs into a preheated frypan. Mixing your legs and other seasonings can heat your fry pan with some olive oil.

2. Fry the Chicken

You need to place all the chicken legs or mixed chicken on that heated frypan and cook it for 6-10 minutes. First, fry one side properly for five minutes. Then, flip all the chickens and fry them for the next 5-6 minutes. Your chicken legs should be ready for the next step.

Before that, you must be sure about the brownish chicken fry. You must flip the chicken carefully and fry it for a long time. It will ensure good fried chicken legs that will enhance the overall recipe taste.

3. Cook Rice

After frying your chicken, you must prepare the rice and cook it with other seasonings. You should use the same frypan that you use for chicken legs. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until you get the brownish onion ready to absorb in the rice.

After that, add the washed rice. Stir them for a while. After one minute, add the chicken broth or water and mix everything fine until it starts boiling.

4. Add Chickens

Once your rice water is boiling, you need to add the fried chicken on top of your rice. Don’t try to stir them with rice. They might be broken and mixed with rice. So, keep them on the cooked rice and let the chicken broth boil again. You can stir the rice after a few minutes to make it fresh and not sticky.

5. Cook for 40-50 minutes

You need to cook the mixture for about 40 minutes until the rice is properly cooked and there is no water left in your recipe. It must be dry and fresh. You can take another ten minutes to cook it with extra care under low heat; it will help you eliminate extra water and enhance the taste.

After cooking for fifty minutes, your rice casserole must be ready to serve. You should recheck the taste and salt and add some if required.

6. Serve with Parsley

You must have cooked your rice casserole with delicious chicken. But you cannot serve it right after finishing your cooking. You need to take some rice and chicken on a plate and add some parsley on top of it to get a good decoration.

Second Method of Making Chicken Rice Casserole

You got the first method which will take a long time to cook the chicken rice casserole. But, you also have a shortcut way for this recipe. I made this simple way to cook that lengthy recipe using an instant pot.

1. Fry Chicken

You must fry the chicken legs using salt, paprika, pepper, and parsley. Use a frying pan and heat the oil to get the perfect temperature of 150° to fry the chicken legs.

Then, start frying the chicken legs for ten minutes until they all are brown. You need to flip them and get an even brawny color on both sides.

2. Prepare Rice & Paper Instant Pot

You need to mix rice, salt, and other remaining ingredients. Besides, take your instant pot and add the chicken broth to it. It will give you the best-heated chicken broth to boil your rice. Once the broth is hot, you should add the rice there.

3. Add Fried Chicken

Once you add the rice mixture, you should add your pre-fried chicken legs to the added rice. Don’t stir; place the chickens on the rice and start cooking.

4. Cook

You should close the instant pot and cook it for 40 minutes. You don’t need to check in between or stir the mixture; you must check after forty minutes. You will find the cooked rice that is already being sifted and mixed with chicken.

You will find a chicken flavor all over the instant pot and love that smell. You have the chicken on the rice. They will remain safe and in place. You won’t get the broken chicken legs.

5. Serve with Salad

Once you cook the rice and chicken for forty to forty-five minutes, your chicken rice casserole will be ready. You need to take the rice and chicken from the instant pot and place them on a dish.

Rest the chicken rice for another five to ten minutes and let it be cool. Once it cools for that time, you can serve it with your favorite salad. You can also add some dessert after serving this heavy meal.

Nutrition Fact

Since this recipe is the main meal and doesn’t have anything unhealthy, it might be on your diet list. It has some essential ingredients, inducing protein, vitamins, calories, and other nutrients. You will know all the nutrients from this section and get a clear idea of why you should add this recipe to your list.

Serving size: One

Calories 593
Fat 26g
Protein 35g
Cholesterol 111
Sodium 437
Potassium 622
Carbohydrate 56
Vitamin A 25%
Vitamin C 80%
Calcium 33%
Iron 13%

Make Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole in Crock-Pot

A 5-quart or bigger slow cooker should be sprayed with nonstick spray. Combine the rice, carrots, shallot, and Dijon mustard in a mixing bowl. Brush the chicken breasts with garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper on top. Drizzle over through the chicken broth. Cover and cook the chicken on HIGH for one and a half to two hours, or until it is cooked through, in a slow cooker. Wrap and transfer the chicken to a plate. Then add the rice, vegetables, and broth, cover, and simmer for another hour on high, or until the rice is cooked with soft. Stir in the peas and Greek yogurt after removing the top. 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and diced chicken should be added. Cover and simmer for a few more minutes on high until the remaining cheese is melted.

If preferred, garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.

Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole: What To Serve With It?

When it comes to comfort food, the Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole is hard to beat. This dish is perfect for a busy weeknight meal, and it’s also great for feeding a large crowd. But what should you serve with it? In this blog post, we will explore some of the best options. Check the list what to serve with it?

Focaccia Bread
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ciabatta Bread
Red Potato Salad
Crusty Bread
Fresh Cocktail Drink
Grape Chicken Salad

Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe Variations

For a healthier version of this casserole, you can use brown rice instead of white rice.
If you’re looking for a more hearty dish, you can add some chopped cooked chicken to the casserole.
You can also add some frozen vegetables to the casserole, such as peas or corn. This is a great way to add some extra nutrients to the dish.
You can eliminate the cheese or replace it with Colby jack, mozzarella, or Swiss.
Rice: Quick rice will not work in this recipe. If you use brown rice, you’ll need more liquid (at least 1/2 cup) and a longer cooking time, so make sure to use chicken thighs rather than chicken breasts to avoid it drying out.
Fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, freshly minced garlic, or fresh basil, can be added for extra flavor.
Fresh Green Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole: Before baking, top the casserole with 2 cups chopped broccoli florets.
Fresh Veggies: Chopped mushrooms, onions, green peppers, green beans, and broccoli can be added if desired.
While I prefer my prepared recipe, any cream of soup will suffice, such as chicken, mushroom, or celery.
Reduce the water to 1/2 cup and the milk to 1 cup in the Instant Pot Chicken and Rice. Only one can of cream of soup should be used. Cook for 8-10 minutes on high pressure/manual, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts. Allow 10 minutes for the pressure to normally release.

As you can see, there are many different ways that you can vary this recipe. So, whether you’re looking for a simple weeknight meal or something more elaborate, the Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole is sure to please. Give it a try today!

Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe Tips

You will have delicious food if you follow my directions to cook this chicken rice casserole recipe. What if you have conditions to modify the recipe? You can follow my tips to modify the original recipe to get a better taste.

Try to avoid whole chicken. If you have frozen whole chicken, you need to cut it and fry it for a long time. It will take time and enough seasoning to get the real taste. So, avoid whole chicken and use the fresh chicken legs.
Don’t use water; instead, go for the chicken broth. It will give you the best taste of the original pioneer woman chicken rice casserole. It’s not like you will lose the taste, but you will miss something.

Is Chicken Rice Casserole Healthy for Diet?

The chicken rice casserole is entirely healthy for the diet. It has enough protein, vitamins, calories, and other nutrients. But you cannot treat yourself to this chicken casserole since it has high calories. Although the chicken rice casserole is healthy, you should have it once a month.

Can You Modify the Chicken Rice Casserole?

You can modify the chicken rice casserole by adding veggies and other ingredients. But try not to avoid the main elements that I give you in the previous sections. Those are the core things that will provide you with better taste.

Best Way To Keep Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole

Allow Your Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole to cool completely before wrapping firmly or storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Your Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole can be saved for up to 4-5 days if properly stored.

In the microwave, how do you reheat Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole?

Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until your Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Casserole is warm to your liking – normally 2 minutes will suffice!

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Closing Words

I gave you two methods to cook the pioneer woman chicken rice casserole recipe. If you have time and want to taste the best version, go for method one, where you will use your oven or skillet. It will take one and half hours to finish cooking the pioneer rice casserole recipe.

In other words, if you have a short time and want to make the recipe shortly, you can use instant pot and follow the second method. Both ways are there for you.