No Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole (2024)

No-Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole features moist chicken tenders baked atop a bed of fluffy rice, in a flavorful creamy sauce. With just 10 minutes of prep, this one-pan dish is a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love!

Easy No Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole

I love any recipe that requires minimal effort on my part and is also so delicious – this no peek chicken and rice recipe definitely fits the bill. Preparing this casserole is as simple as combining the ingredients in a casserole dish, covering it with foil, and baking.

The “no peek” in the name comes from the fact that once you cover it with foil and pop it in the oven…well, you don’t touch it – not even to peek inside. Dinner really doesn’t get easier than that.

To turn it into even more of a complete meal, you can stir some frozen veggies right into the mixture or just serve it with your favorite roasted or steamed veggies.

Why You’ll Love No Peek Chicken and Rice

• Just 10 minutes of prep. And honestly, that’s even a bit of an exaggeration! Just combine the ingredients, add the chicken and seasonings, and bake all in one pan.
• Family friendly. Made with chicken, rice, and cream of chicken soup, there’s truly nothing in this recipe to not like – even for the pickiest of eaters. This is a great family dinner on busy weeknights.
• Easy to customize. You can use whatever “cream of” soup you have on hand, chicken breasts cut into strips instead of chicken tenders, wild rice instead of white rice, etc to make this no peek chicken and rice casserole your own.

Ingredients Needed

This no peek chicken recipe requires just a handful of ingredients.
(Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.)

• Long grain white rice – The dry white rice soaks up the sauce as it bakes and becomes so flavorful. Long grain brown or wild rice can be used instead of white rice, but you’ll need to cook the casserole a bit longer. Just make sure you use long grain rice. Short-grain rice will be way overcooked in this dish and turn to mush. Note: wild rice will be chewier.
• Condensed Cream of Soup – Any “cream of soup” can be used. We like the combination of cream of chicken and cream of celery, but you can swap either or both of those for cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli, etc.
• Chicken broth – Vegetable broth can be used instead of chicken broth for a richer flavor.
• Chicken tenders – See notes below.
• Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, paprika, and black pepper season this casserole.
• Onion soup mix – Adds even more flavor and a slight crunchy topping.

How to Make No Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole

Here’s a quick overview of how to make this chicken and rice casserole.
(Scroll down to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions and don’t miss the video below.)

1. Make the rice mixture. Combine the uncooked rice, soup, and chicken broth. Pour into the baking dish.
2. Add the chicken. Nestle the chicken tenders on top of the rice. Sprinkle with the seasonings.
3. Cover. Add the onion soup mix over the top of the chicken. Cover very tightly with foil.
4. Bake. Bake at 375F for 1 hour, until the chicken reaches 165F. No peeking until it’s done.

Tips & Variations

Here are a few tips for making this casserole, as well as different variations to try.

• Can’t live without cheese? After the casserole is done cooking, peel back the foil and add 1 to 2 cups shredded cheese (such as cheddar or Monterey Jack), then cook for just a few more minutes until it melts.
• As soon as the foil goes on, do not peek! Make sure the foil is wrapped very tightly around the entire casserole. Trapping in the steam is essential for cooking the chicken and keeping it moist and tender.
• Stir in some veggies. Add in some chopped broccoli florets or peas for an all-in-one meal. A 10 ounce bag of frozen veggies works great, too (no need to thaw first.)

Video: No-Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole

Serving Suggestions

If you add veggies as mentioned in the variations, this casserole truly stands on its own as a meal. If I don’t add veggies to the casserole itself, I like to serve it with a side of green veggies, like roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, or roasted carrots. A simple side salad or Caesar salad are great, too.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

• Make ahead.You can assemble, cover, and refrigerate this casserole 1 day in advance (sprinkling on the onion soup mix right before baking.) Allow it to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to putting in the oven and also add an additional 10 minutes onto the baking time.
• Freeze unbaked casserole. Assemble, wrap tightly in plastic and again in foil, removing any excess air. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then allow it to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to putting in the oven and also add an additional 10 minutes onto the baking time.
• Freeze baked casserole. Allow to cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic and again in foil, removing any excess air. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then allow it to sit out at room temperature before reheating.
• Fridge. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover the pan tightly or transfer to an airtight container.
• Reheat. Individual servings can easily be reheated in the microwave. To reheat the whole pan, cover and bake at 350F until warmed through. Add a dash of water or chicken broth to keep the rice from drying out.

More Easy Chicken Casseroles:

• Chicken Parmesan Casserole
• Nacho Chicken Casserole
• Chicken Tetrazzini
• Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
• Chicken Pot Pie Cobbler

Ihope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onTikTok,Facebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!