Chile Rice Casserole

Six ingredients, one baking dish, and 20 minutes in the oven. This chile rice casserole is weeknight cooking at its most practical.

Cooked rice, cubed chicken breast, canned green chiles, cream of mushroom soup, milk, and cheese all get mixed together and baked until bubbly and golden on top. The cream of mushroom soup melts into a rich, creamy sauce that binds everything together while the green chiles add a mild Southwestern heat throughout.

This is a great use for leftover rice and chicken. Both go in already cooked, so the casserole is really just about melting everything together and letting the cheese get gooey.

Pro Tips

• Use day-old rice if possible. Freshly cooked rice can be too moist and make the casserole soupy.
• Drain the canned green chiles before adding. Extra liquid from the can thins out the sauce.
• Use sharp cheddar or pepper jack for the cheese. Mild cheese disappears in a casserole this loaded with other flavors.
• Let the casserole rest 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. It firms up and slices cleaner.

Variations

• Add a can of black beans for extra protein and fiber.
• Top with crushed tortilla chips or fried onions before baking for a crunchy lid.
• Swap cream of mushroom for cream of chicken soup if mushrooms aren’t your thing.