Name: Grandma's Chicken & Rice Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups chicken, shredded or cubed; 2 cups instant white rice; 2 cups water; 1 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup; 1 10.5 oz can cream of celery soup; 1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 cup butter, sliced

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Old-school comfort that practically cooks itself.

Okay, so—this casserole. Goodness. It’s one of those dishes that just happens in my kitchen anytime the weather even hints at turning chilly, or when I’m just plain tired and don’t feel like being clever with dinner. You know what I mean?

This recipe came from my grandma—well, kind of. She never wrote things down, but this is the closest I could get after watching her toss ingredients into that dented white Pyrex dish and somehow end up with something that had everyone scooping seconds before she even sat down.

It’s creamy, buttery, simple, and always hits the spot. Nothing trendy here, just honest-to-goodness dinner that fills the house with the kind of smell that makes the dog hover by the oven.

Why We Keep Making This (Even After All These Years)

You literally stir everything together in the dish. One pan. Done.
It tastes like comfort food is supposed to taste. Creamy. Savory. Just the right amount of salty.
You can feed half the neighborhood (or eat leftovers in your pajamas the next day).
Kids love it. Grown-ups love it. Picky eaters stop being picky.
There’s butter. Like, actual sliced butter. And we don’t apologize for it.

Ingredients (Nothing Fancy, Just Good)

Here’s what goes into this thing. Most of it, you probably already have on hand:

2 ½ cups chicken, cooked and shredded (or cubed… whatever, both work. Rotisserie chicken is my secret weapon.)
2 cups instant white rice – Not the regular kind, okay? Trust me, I tried once. Crunchy rice does not spark joy.
2 cups water – Just plain water, nothing exciting here.
1 (10.5 oz) can of cream of chicken soup
1 (10.5 oz) can of cream of celery soup
1 (10.5 oz) can of cream of mushroom soup – I know, I know—three cans. But this is not the time to cut corners.
1 tsp garlic powder – Not garlic salt, don’t mix ‘em up.
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup butter, sliced up and scattered on top – Grandma didn’t measure. She just knew when it looked right. But for the rest of us: half a stick.

How You Make It (Honestly, It’s Foolproof)

1. Preheat that oven.
Set it to 375°F. While that’s heating, give your 9×13 baking dish a quick grease. I usually just rub it with butter, but spray works fine too if your hands are full.

2. Mix it up—in the pan!
Toss the chicken, rice, water, all the soups, garlic powder, salt, and pepper right into the dish. Stir it all together with a big spoon or even a spatula. It’s not pretty at this stage—don’t worry, it’ll bake into magic.

3. Butter the top.
Take those butter slices and lay them across the top like little flavor tiles. You don’t have to be precise. They’ll melt right into everything and give the top that buttery finish we love so much.

4. Cover it up and bake.
Wrap the dish tightly in foil (like, really tight so it traps the steam inside) and bake for 45 minutes. No peeking—just let it do its thing.

5. Uncover and finish baking.
After 45 minutes, yank the foil off (careful—steam!) and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. This step is what gives it that little golden color on top and lets the rice finish cooking all the way.

6. Let it sit a few minutes.
Just five or ten minutes before serving makes a difference. The rice soaks up any last moisture and everything sets up beautifully. Plus, you won’t burn your tongue (like I always do because I never wait).

Got Leftovers? Lucky You.

This reheats like a dream, maybe even better the next day.

Fridge: Just pop some foil or a lid on and stick it in the fridge. It’ll keep for about 4 days.
Reheat: Microwave in 30-second bursts, or warm it in the oven at 350°F covered with foil until hot.
Freezer-friendly? Yep. Wrap it well and freeze for up to two months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat like above. I’ve even portioned it into little freezer containers for lunch. Works great.

Swap It, Tweak It, Make It Yours

Out of mushroom soup? Double up on the cream of chicken.
Want veggies? Toss in frozen peas, corn, or broccoli—no need to thaw first.
Add cheese on top for the last 15 minutes. My husband does this every time and claims it’s “his version.”
Like heat? A few dashes of hot sauce in the mix is sneaky-good.

Final Thought (and a Little Nudge)

Listen—I’ve been making this for decades now. It’s not fancy. It’s not TikTok-famous. But it’s real, and it feeds people, and that’s what matters most in my book.

If you end up making this—whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth—I’d love to hear how it turned out. Did your picky eater surprise you? Did you accidentally eat three servings while standing at the stove? I’ve been there.