Maisie’s Favorite Chicken and Rice Casserole

Maisie appears in my first book, Grasping for Breadcrumbs, and will appear in several more during the series. Skip to recipe.

During the 1940s and 50s, food companies in the US created recipe test kitchens and cookbooks to promote their products. While Betty Crocker, a character created by General Foods, might be the most famous example, other companies took part in the trend, creating their own cookbook advertisements like the Cambell’s Soup cookbook.

You can still find these available for sale on places like eBay.

In Maisie’s family, this recipe was handed down on handwritten recipe cards, but its origins certainly could have been in one of these books.

This recipe card is actually one of the original cards in my personal recipe box, pictured here. Although this recipe had been handed down on cards like this for many years, I listed it under Mom’s Chicken Dish because she was the one who made it most often for me. Other cards with the same recipe in my grandmother’s recipe box and others credited different members in the family with the recipe, so we’re not really sure where it came from. As I wrote earlier, it very well could have come from one of the recipe books created by food corporations. Regardless, it’s still something I enjoy both the flavor of and the memories.

Recipe for Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

• One chicken, cut up and put into a 9×13 inch baking dish or you can use breasts or thighs, whatever you have.
• One can Cambell’s Cream of Chicken Soup
• One can Cambell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
• One can Cambell’s Cream of Celery Soup
• Two Cups Minute Rice
• Two Cups Milk

Directions:

Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the baking dish.

Mix all other ingredients together.

Pour over the chicken and bake at 350 until a golden bubbly crust forms on the top and the chicken is cooked through. Approximately 1 hour, but if you use boneless breasts, it may be less, and larger chickens on the bone may take longer.

My Favorite Adjustments

Over the years, I have made several adjustments to the recipe, including changing the soup brand.

Pacific Foods Soup instead of Cambell’s

After having to go gluten-free several years ago, after gluten started triggering arthritis and severe joint pain, I had to look for alternatives to the above. Campbell’s now has a gluten-free option, but it didn’t originally. Pacific Foods, however, did have a gluten-free option, and over time, I have found that I actually prefer the flavor of their soups, so I tend to use these when I make the dish.

Use Cauliflower Rice

Also, I have become a huge fan of cauliflower rice. Granted, the frozen option is pricey, especially at the regular grocery stores where I frequently find 8 oz costing more than $4.00. I like the frozen cauliflower rice from Costco for around $8.00 per 5 pounds.

Add veggies

If I have mushrooms or celery on hand, I often gently sauté them and mix them in. They add extra flavor and a bit more texture. I prefer cremini/baby bella mushrooms over white button mushrooms for most of my dishes.

The Chicken

I rarely use a whole chicken. I tend to have breasts, thighs, or tenders in my fridge or freezer and these are what I use. I save my full chickens for chicken soup and bone broth in the pressure cooker. Recipe to come in the future.

If you try the recipe, let me know your thoughts and whether you personalized it for your family.