This 4-Ingredient Chicken And Rice Meal Makes For The Perfect Fall Weeknight Dinner

As the days cool down with fall's arrival, hot dinners that we can throw together without a ton of effort are practically nirvana. A classic combo for an easy hot dinner is chicken and rice. Even better, with just four ingredients, you can make a casserole that will turn your fall weeknights into a cozy cottagecore dream.

To make chicken and rice casserole, you only need chicken, rice, water, and soup (many use cream of chicken soup for that extra-juicy chicken flavoring). Add seasonings to taste and give it a run through the oven in a casserole dish. The best part is it only requires that one dish, so the cleanup afterward is a breeze (just promise you won't wash the chicken).

If you're looking for sides to eat with this casserole, we recommend a tasty salad or some delicious sautéed veggies. Garlic bread is a classic that goes with almost any dish and tastes amazing on its own, while roasted potatoes are a wonderful side that greatly complements chicken and rice.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity, which, in addition to making it easy to prepare, also makes way for extensive customization. You can add almost any ingredient you like, and it will still come out tasting fantastic. Mushrooms bring rich, earthy flavor that pairs well with both chicken and rice, while broccoli, carrots, and other veggies lend color and extra nutrition to the meal.

If doubling up on the chicken doesn't appeal to you that much, you can also use different kinds of soup in place of the cream of chicken. Cream of mushroom soup makes a great substitute, or you can try cream of celery, French onion, or any other kind you'd prefer (we recommend a creamy variety, as that lends an extra-satisfying texture to the dish). Dry soup powder and canned soup both work, though you may have to add or subtract water to keep the casserole from becoming too dry or moist.

Typically, this dish calls for white rice, but you can use any kind you'd like. There are more differences than you'd think between white rice and brown rice, so swapping them out can make it feel like an entirely different meal. Remember that, just like with the soup, you will need to adjust your recipe, since different kinds of rice cook differently. Brown rice, for example, takes quite a bit longer to cook and may require more water, so a bit of parcooking ahead of time may help.

@laureliz1114

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