Both of my little boys approve of this Cheesy Chicken, Zucchini and Rice Casserole. It has been a favorite of my oldest since I created it a couple of years ago. It sort of came together by chance, as I was trying to created a recipe he would love, that I could feel good about.
I am a stickler for organic ingredients and this casserole is no different. I used the ingredients in the recipe below from brands I trust like: Pacific Foods, Lundberg Family Farms, and Rumiano Cheese. It is loaded with zucchini, which I feel good about. Keep in mind that zucchini is one of the vegetables on Environmental Working Group’s list of the dirty dozen, so it is always best to buy this veggie organic! You could substitute a variety of different veggies, and even add additional ones if you like.
For the already prepared chicken in the recipe, I roast a non-gmo, free range chicken from Mary’s Chickens in a crockpot. I do this every week so I always have chicken on hand. I am also able to make broth with the remains afterwards – but more on that easy recipe later 🙂
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 6 people | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 25-30 minutes | 1 hour |
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This Cheesy Chicken, Zucchini and Rice Casserole is one the whole family will love!
You can make this ahead to save time during those busy weeknights. Just prepare a day or two ahead and store in the fridge. Pop it in the oven following the directions below, adding about 10 minutes more to account for the cooler starting temperature.
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- 4 cups Cooked Brown Rice prepared as directed
- 2 cups Cooked light and dark meat chicken
- 1 large Zucchini, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1.5 - 2 cups Shredded Cheese Monterey Jack or your favorite.
- 1 12 ounce containers Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil Extra Virgin
- 1-2 pinch Salt and Pepper
- Here are some of the main ingredients I started off with for the casserole.
- Prepare the rice according to the package directions. I prefer to use a third to a half portion of homemade broth for the rice preparation as it lends to some additional depth of flavor.
- While the rice is cooking, which can take 50 minutes or so, prep the remainder of the dish. Dice your chicken into bite-sized pieces or shred if you prefer.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Dice up your 1 large zucchini and mince your garlic.
- Place a medium size saute pan on medium-high heat, add your olive oil to the pan. Add your zucchini and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste, stirring for a 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 3-5 more minutes. Set aside.
- At this time, shred your cheese or simply measure out 1.5 cups (you can add more later as you see fit).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice, the 1 container of condensed mushroom soup (I prefer Pacific Foods), 3/4 cup of cheese (or a little more if you like :), the diced chicken, add the zucchini and garlic mixture. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- In a 13 x 9 inch pan, pour the mixture in. Top with the remaining cheese to your liking. Mine looked like this...
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Oven times may vary. If you like to get a little golden brown on top, feel free to broil for 2-3 minutes at the end.
- Enjoy!
I would love to hear from you if you give this recipe a try! Share in the comments below and feel free to include pictures.
Live well,
