Baked Chicken and Rice with Bacon

Baked Chicken and Rice with Bacon  is wonderfully creamy with lots of bacon flavor. Made with chicken thighs, it is an awesome family meal.

This Baked Chicken with Rice and Bacon recipe goes a step beyond the typical chicken and rice casserole. There’s a layer of bacon on the bottom and lots os seasoning which creates so much awesome flavor. Nothing bland about this chicken casserole.

(Arrange bacon in the bottom of a casserole dish)

So easy and yummy and there is no need to precook the rice. The smell as it is baking is wonderful. Slow cooking the chicken makes it fall apart tender. This is a really easy recipe to put together, but it does need 2 hours and 15 minutes to cook at 325 degrees. Cooking it for a longer time at a lower temperature produces super moist and tender chicken.

It’s a great recipe to make with pantry staples.

(Spread rice and chicken soup mixture over the bacon.)

Baked Chicken and Rice with Bacon Recipe Tips:

• I use 4 bone-in chicken thighs . The bone adds extra flavor, but you can use boneless chicken thighs instead. I really recommend chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. They have more fat and flavor and will not overcook and dry out in the time it takes the rice to cook. I think chicken legs would work well too.
• I also like to add a small can of mushrooms, but they are optional.
• I use 2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup. You could substitute one of the cans with a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup.
• You could add a little Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.

What to serve with this chicken casserole:

• A garden salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing
• Southern-Style Green Beans
• The Best Homemade Yeast Rolls

Try These Other Amazing Chicken Casseroles:

• Chicken and Sour Cream Bake
• Chicken and Dumpling Casserole
• Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
• Cheesy Dorito Chicken Casserole
• Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Baked Chicken and Rice with Bacon

4.75 from 4 votes

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Baked Chicken and Rice with Bacon  is wonderfully creamy with lots of bacon flavor. Made with chicken thighs, it is an awesome family meal.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 5 slices thin-cut bacon
• ▢ 2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ 1 small jar sliced mushrooms, drained well, optional
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teapsoon dried basil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried parlsey or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• ▢ 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• ▢ 4 chicken thighs
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place bacon strips in a single layer in the bottom of a 7x11-inch casserole dish.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken soup, water, mushrooms, garlic salt, paprika, dried basil, and parsley.
• Place rice in a separate bowl and stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into it. Spread this mixture on top of the bacon.
• Season the chicken with the seasoned salt, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning.

  Place on top of rice mixture.
• Pour soup mix on top.

  Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 2 hours 15 minutes.

Notes

I use 4 bone-in chicken thighs . The bone adds extra flavor, but you can use boneless chicken thighs instead. I really recommend chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. They have more fat and flavor and will not overcook and dry out in the time it takes the rice to cook. I think chicken legs would work well too.

Nutrition

Calories: 533kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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