Curried Chicken and Rice Casserole is the ultimate comfort food recipe, made healthy using a homemade cream of chicken soup substitute, brown rice, tender chicken, vegetables and warm curry.
CURRIED CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE
You guys are going to love this Curried Chicken and Rice Casserole. It is a twist on classic chicken and rice using warm, rich curry.
If you are looking for something comforting this casserole is for you.
I don’t know about you guys but I think casseroles are so warming and cozy. I love making this Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole, Sausage and Bean Casserole, Mexican Chicken Casserole and this One Pot Mexican Stuffed Pepper Casserole.
There is also something so warming about the spice curry. I use it a lot in recipes like this Simple Curry Chicken Salad, Curry Roasted Cauliflower and Curried Butternut Squash Soup
I don’t know if it is because it reminds me of my Grandma’s chicken and rice casserole I ate as a child or the way it just sticks to your bones on a cold winter day.
But it doesn’t have to be cold to enjoy this curried chicken dinner.
It makes an easy meal that you can cook for your family, and if everyone doesn’t eat the whole pot then you might just have some leftovers for later.
When Andrew was born I was lucky enough to have my Mom come and stay with me for two weeks.
She was the biggest help during my time of recovery and figuring this whole “Mom of two boys” thing out.
She cooked, cleaned, entertained Will, snuggled with Andrew, gave me time to take naps, oh, and did I say she cooked?! She is an awesome cook.
And really that is an understatement until you have had a seat at her table.
She can whip up a meal with no recipe at all and it becomes a new family favorite!
Imagine recovering from delivery a baby, chasing around a toddler and functioning on little sleep…this requires comfort food, right?!
So I asked my Mom to whip up a batch of chicken and rice.
When she put the dish on the table it had a yellowish color and I could smell the aromatic curry.
At first I wondered if I would like the traditional chicken and rice dish transformed by curry, but I soon learned I loved it even more.
It is a warm, rich spice that adds just the right amount of flavor.
If you aren’t a fan of curry, you can easily leave out that spice and maybe use a little thyme and oregano or basil.
That is the great thing about a casserole with rice, chicken and vegetables–they are very versatile.
My Mom’s chicken and rice casserole recipe calls for a can of condensed cream of chicken soup. If you have hung around here, you know I like to try and make things from scratch as much as I can.
So, I headed over to Karly’s blog Buns in My Oven to learn how to make my homemade condensed cream of chicken soup.
And it is OH SO EASY! I highly suggest you try that as part of the recipe, but feel free to use a can of condensed cream of chicken soup if your heart desires.
OTHER RECIPES USING CURRY:
SIMPLE CURRY CHICKEN SALAD
Curried Chicken and Rice Casserole
Curried Chicken and Rice Casserole is the ultimate comfort food made healthy using a homemade cream of chicken soup, brown rice, tender chicken, vegetables and warm curry.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice (or white)
- 1 cup broccoli, chopped into small pieces
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (2 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
- Cream of chicken soup substitute (or a can of condensed cream of chicken soup)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook rice according to package and set aside.
- Heat a pot of boiling water over medium high heat. Add the broccoli and cook until tender. Set aside.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil and place the chicken in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the meat is no longer pink, turning occasionally and the juices run clear (8-10 minutes).
- Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and saute the carrots, celery, sweet onion, garlic, turmeric and curry powder until vegetables are soft {about 12-15 minutes}.
- Once the vegetables are soft add the rice, chicken, vegetables and the cream of chicken soup {or the substitute} mixing well over low heat for two minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the casserole into a 13x9 glass baking dish or casserole dish and place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
To make this recipe even easier buy a rotisserie chicken and shred two cups.
This recipe is very customizable. You can add more of less vegetables and chicken depending on your tastes.
If you want less spice you can leave the curry and turmeric out or just add a small amount to your tastes.
I like to make my own cream of chicken soup substitute to avoid using the canned soup but you can do either. If you choose to make your own substitute you will want to make that while you are sauteing the vegetables.
You can omit the turmeric and curry powder if you like and it would still taste great.
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