Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole

This post may contain affiliate links. View my privacy policy and disclosure policy for more details.

Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole is an easy dinner for busy weeknights or whenever you want a comforting meal with minimal prep. Tender chicken, fluffy rice, and pesto bake together in one dish, so you can get everything ready and let the oven do the work.

 

Ingredient Notes

Here’s a quick look at the simple ingredients that come together to make this pesto chicken and rice casserole so flavorful and comforting.

• Long grain white rice: Cooks up fluffy and works really well as the base of this casserole.
• Parmesan cheese: Adds a salty, savory flavor and melts into the casserole for extra richness.
• Pesto: Pesto brings plenty of herby, garlicky flavor and makes the whole dish taste fresh and flavorful.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Make this casserole hearty and filling while keeping the recipe simple.
• Salt & pepper: Helps bring out the flavor of the chicken and the rest of the ingredients.
• Chicken stock: Adds moisture and helps the rice cook while adding extra savory flavor.
• Roma tomatoes: Diced Roma tomatoes add a little freshness and a nice pop of color throughout the casserole.
• Heavy cream: Makes the casserole creamy and gives the sauce a rich, smooth texture.
• Italian seasoning: Optional, but it adds extra herb flavor that works well with the pesto.

How to Make Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole

This casserole comes together in one dish, making it an easy dinner. Just layer everything in the baking dish, let the oven do the work, then finish it with a creamy pesto mixture and fresh tomatoes.

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 375°F so it’s ready to go when the casserole is assembled.

Step 2: Assemble and Bake

In a 9×9-inch glass baking dish, add the rice, 1/2 cup cheese, 4 tablespoons pesto, and chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then pour the chicken stock over everything. Give it a gentle stir around the rice so it’s evenly spread underneath the chicken.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the rice is cooked to your liking.

Step 3: Finish the Casserole

Carefully remove the chicken from the dish and shred it into large pieces. Add it back to the casserole, then stir in the cream, remaining pesto, and about 3/4 of the diced tomatoes.

Divide the casserole into four servings and top with the remaining tomatoes, extra cheese if you’d like, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning. Serve warm.

Tips for Success

• Use a shallow, even layer of rice. When adding the ingredients to the baking dish, make sure the rice is spread evenly underneath the chicken. This helps it cook at the same rate instead of leaving some grains undercooked.
• Check the casserole from the center. The edges can look done before the rice in the middle is fully cooked. Test a spoonful from the center of the dish before taking it out of the oven.
• Add the cream after baking. Stirring it in at the end keeps the sauce smooth and prevents the cream from separating during the longer bake.
• Taste before adding more Parmesan. Pesto and Parmesan both bring salt to the dish, so give the finished casserole a taste first before adding extra cheese.

What to Serve With Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole

A fresh salad or simple vegetable side pairs especially well with the creamy pesto chicken and rice. These are some of the best options from the site:

• Cucumber Tomato Salad — Fresh and crisp alongside the creamy casserole.
• Roasted Green Beans— Adds a fresh, crisp contrast to the rice.
• Caesar Salad Recipe — Crisp greens and Parmesan complement the pesto.
• Garlic Bread — Great for soaking up the creamy sauce.
• Dinner Rolls — Soft rolls round out the meal nicely.

Have a great weekend! And feel free to follow along our fun weekend on my Instagram page or the Indulge Conference Instagram page too 🙂

Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole

Katie Cooksey

Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole is simple, delicious and, like any other casserole recipe, lets you sit back and relax as it bakes.

4.82 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 511 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 cup parmesan cheese divided
• 6 tablespoons prepared pesto divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 pound
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 2 roma tomatoes diced
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• Italian seasoning optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 °F
• In a 9×9 glass baking dish, pour in rice, 1/2 cup cheese, 4 tablespoons pesto, and chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper, to taste. Pour chicken stock over all ingredients and stir gently to even out the rice underneath the chicken. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until rice is cooked to your liking.
• Remove chicken from baking dish and shred into large pieces. Add chicken back in and stir in cream, remaining pesto and 3/4 of the diced tomatoes. Spoon into 4 servings and top with tomatoes, more cheese {if desired} and Italian seasoning. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 511kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 29gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 877mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1090IUVitamin C: 5.2mgCalcium: 362mgIron: 1.3mg

Keyword Pesto Chicken and Rice

Rate This RecipePlease consider Leaving a 5-Star Review!

More Recipes to Try!

• Creamy Pesto Alfredo Chicken Pasta
• Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
• Bruschetta Chicken
• Chicken Pesto Pasta
• Crockpot Pesto Stuffed Shells

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

When reheating, add a small splash of chicken stock or cream to loosen the rice, then warm gently until heated through. The texture is best when reheated slowly rather than overheated.

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tag me @laurens_latest.