Need a new chicken recipe that's a little bit different? Chicken and Rice Crust Pie is it! This easy chicken recipe is a modified version of the classic chicken pot pie with rice. With its wonderful, cheesy, rice crust, it's an easy, delicious recipe you'll love.
My family and I were discussing what to make for dinner. We get tired of the same thing over and over. As I was going through my recipe box, I found this oldie but a goodie!
I don't know how I had forgotten about easy chicken casserole with a cheesy rice crust. It's easy to prepare and so delicious. We have made this recipe for years and love it! You will too!
It also isn't the same old tired chicken casserole that you have eaten over and over. It's basically a chicken pot pie with rice crust with a chicken and vegetable filling!
Need more chicken casserole inspiration? Try this chicken and waffles recipe or this chicken and tater tot casserole! You won't be disappointed.
If you love this Chicken and Rice Crust Pie, then you will also love our side dishes. Find the perfect one to pair with this meal at What to Serve With Jambalaya.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Unique combination of flavors. Between the cheesy rice crust and the crispy fried onions on top, I can't decide which is the best part of this tasty pie.
- Comfort food meal perfect for hearty meals. When I think of comfort food, I think of a warm, hearty, and tasty dish. This pie is comfort food at its best!
- Versatile recipe. The filling ingredients are easy to change for endless possibilities.
- An easy chicken and rice casserole that always impresses family, friends, or guests.
- It makes a delicious weeknight meal that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Ingredients
All you need are a handful of basic ingredients to make this chicken and rice crust pie. You might already have them in your kitchen.
Let's look at the main ingredients. The complete list along with amounts is in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Rice: Use long grain cooked rice in the crust.
- Cheese and egg: Adds flavor to the crust but also holds it together.
- Chicken breasts: Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts to save time when making this recipe.
- Vegetables: The recipe uses mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper in the filling.
- Dry white wine: Gives the sauce in the chicken more depth of flavor.
- Chicken broth: Adds some moisture to the filling mixture to keep the chicken from drying out.
- Shredded cheese: More in the casserole and on top! We like parmesan for its bold flavor.
- Crispy onions: Gives the top of this chicken pie recipe a bit of crunch.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add Bacon: Since we believe bacon makes everything taste better, add in some cooked bacon or ham to the chicken casserole filling for added flavor.
- A great way to use leftover chicken. Use up any cooked leftover chicken breasts or thighs and shredded rotisserie chicken instead of the fresh. You can even make this recipe with leftover turkey.
- Add More Vegetables: Add more of your favorites or exchange vegetables with your favorites or ingredients you have on hand.
- Crunchy Fried Onions: Instead, use crushed cornflakes, tortilla chips, or breadcrumbs instead.
- Spicy: Add chili pepper flakes, some diced jalapeno, jalapeno powder, smoked jalapeno powder, or chipotle powder to the filling or the crust to give it a bit of spice.
- White Wine: Swap the white for red wine, white grape juice, or apple cider vinegar instead.
- Cheese: Use cheddar, jack, colby, mozzarella, provolone, havarti, fontina, or your favorite.
How to Make Chicken Casserole with Rice Crust
This recipe is very easy to make. It's all basic cooking, and anyone can easily make it with no issues. The highlights are below, but you'll find the exact instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Mix the cooked rice, pepper, and egg together in a bowl.
- Press it into a pie plate sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Add a layer of shredded over the top of the rice crust.
- Bake until the cheese melts.
- Cook the chicken in a skillet until browned and then remove and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables in the same pan until softened.
- Add the Italian seasonings and flour and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the white wine and broth next.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet with the vegetables and cook until thickened.
- Add the parmesan cheese.
- Spread the chicken and veggie mixture over the top of the rice crust.
- Sprinkle the fried onions on top.
- Add the cheese on top.
- Bake the chicken and rice pie until heated it's through and the cheese is melted.
- Serve it up and enjoy!
Tips
- Cook the rice before adding it to the egg mixture for a firmer crust.
- Make sure all of the cheese has melted completely before removing the pie from the oven.
- Broil at the end for an extra crunchy topping.
- Allow the pie to rest for at least 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
- Make sure you taste and then season your filling ingredients adequately with salt, pepper, and other desired herbs and spices for maximum flavor.
- Use more cheese on top of fried onions and broil to create a wonderful crispy and cheese topping.
FAQ
Long grain rice works best for the crust as it helps hold its shape. However, any type of rice can be used in this recipe.
You can use a regular 9-inch pie plate or a glass baking dish. A deep dish pie plate can also be used.
Yes! To make this dish lower in calories, you can reduce the amount of oil used when cooking the chicken and mushrooms and omit the fried onions from the topping and reduce the amount of cheese used in both the crust and filling.
More Unique Crust Recipes
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Chicken and Rice Crust Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Rice Crust
- 3 cups rice, long grain cooked
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 - 1 ½ cups cheese shredded
Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or another vegetable oil
- ½ pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless or 2 chicken breasts, chopped
- 3 ½ cups fresh mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup pepper any color, chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1-2 tablespoons italian seasoning
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup chicken broth
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
- cooking spray
Topping
- 1 cup crispy fried onions more or less to taste
- 1 cup cheese shredded
Instructions
Rice Crust:
- Prepare your pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook rice according to your package directions.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl beat your egg with a fork.
- Add rice and pepper. Stir until totally blended together. All of your rice should have a slight yellow color to it.
- Press into your pie plate. Press hard enough that the crust is firm against the bottom and sides of your pie plate.
- Sprinkle cheese all over the bottom of the crust and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Make sure all of the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and set aside. Leave your oven on.
Filling:
- In a large skillet place your oil, over medium to medium high heat, until it shimmers or a drop of water flicked in it dances.
- Add chicken and stir until brown, between 4 and 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and reduce your heat a little.
- Add more oil if necessary and allow it to heat up. When ready, add mushrooms and stir.
- After a few minutes add your onions and stir until onions are tender.
- Add peppers and garlic. Keep stirring for between 1 and 2 minutes. You do not want the garlic to burn.
- Sprinkle flour and Italian seasoning over top of mushroom mixture. Stir for a few minutes.
- Add white wine, cooked chicken and chicken broth. Stir until incorporated.
- Taste your mushroom mixture and add as much salt and pepper as needed.
- Simmer mushroom mixture for about 5 minutes. Mixture should thicken up.
- Add Parmesan cheese and stir until totally blended.
- Remove from heat and pour mushroom mixture into your prepared rice crust.
- Press down on the mixture and smooth over the top as best you can.
- Sprinkle your fried onions over top of your pie. Try to cover the entire top of the pie.
- Last thing you need to do is add your shredded cheese to the top of your pie. Use as much cheese as you like. We try to make sure that the entire top of the pie is covered.
- Bake for 35 minutes. You can broil for a minute or two at the end to brown your cheese more if you desire. Let stand for at least 5 minutes, if not 10. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published March 2017. It's been updated with new images and content.
Ray
I love the rice crust and there are so many things you can do with it. Thank you for posting this amazing recipe. Love your site.
Karin and Ken
I totally agree. You can have so much fun putting almost anything on top of this wonderful rice crust! I can't thank you enough for taking the time to comment and let me know. You truly made my day! Take care. Karin
Shawn
I made this for dinner last evening. It's a wonderful dish for a cold winter's night. I did however, cut back on the amount of cheese the recipe calls for and completely omitted the onions on top. I couldn't be happier with the end result, it turned out perfect. I will make this often.
Karin and Ken
So happy to hear you loved it! I am glad to hear you were able to modify it to your tastes. Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much! Thank you for letting me know. You really made my day! Take care and all the best. Karin