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Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Bake

Pioneer Woman chicken rice bake is a set-and-forget chicken and rice casserole baked until the rice is deeply savory and the chicken skin turns golden. Bone-in chicken pieces nestle into fluffy, pan-drippings rice for an oven chicken rice dinner with big comfort-food texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 750
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and rice bake base
  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or 3-4 pounds bone-in chicken parts) Use bone-in pieces for best caramelized skin.
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of celery soup
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
  • 1.5 cup water or chicken broth Chicken broth adds extra savory flavor.
  • 1 envelope (1 oz) onion soup mix
  • 0.5 salt Add to taste.
  • 0.5 pepper Add to taste.
  • 0.5 garlic powder Add to taste.
  • 0.5 paprika Add to taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a large 9x13 baking dish until lightly coated.
  2. Whisk together all three soups, rice, and water in the prepared dish until combined and evenly moistened.
  3. Sprinkle half the onion soup mix into the rice and stir to distribute throughout the pan.
  4. Season chicken pieces generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika; nestle skin-side up into the rice so the pieces are partly embedded.
  5. Sprinkle remaining onion soup mix over the chicken for visible seasoning.
  6. Cover tightly with foil and bake 1 hour, until rice looks set around the edges and chicken begins cooking through (visual cue: bubbling beneath foil).
  7. Remove foil and bake 25-30 minutes more at 350°F until chicken is golden and the rice has absorbed all liquid (visual cue: no pooling in the corners; caramelized skin on top).

Notes

For even cooking, press the chicken pieces so they’re snug in the rice and keep the foil sealed during the first hour. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat covered in the oven or microwave until hot. Freezing: yes—freeze portions up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream soups (same method).