• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • About

The Dairy-Free Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Dinner

    Published: Apr 7, 2021 · Modified: Sep 4, 2023 by Kayla · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Dairy-Free Chicken and Rice Casserole

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you are a lover of comfort foods, you will love this Dairy-Free Chicken and Rice Casserole. It's packed with flavor and it's one of my friends and family's favorite meals I've fixed. This chicken and rice is unlike any you've had before, and it all comes down to the secret ingredient: homemade cream of chicken soup.

    Dairy-free chicken and rice casserole on a white plate.

    Try my air-fryer broccoli and cauliflower recipe to serve on the side for something that's light, bright and healthy. This side dish can be ready to serve with your chicken and rice casserole in less than 15 minutes!

    Jump to:
    • ❤️Why You'll Love this Recipe
    • 📝 Ingredient Notes
    • 🍗 Substitutions & Additions
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🧊 Storing
    • ❓ Frequently Asked Questions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ❤️Why You'll Love this Recipe

    • The flavor is out of this world!
    • It's kid friendly!
    • You can meal prep it to enjoy for the week ahead.
    • You need minimal ingredients.
    • It's so easy and quick to make!
    Ingredients to make dairy-free chicken and rice casserole.

    📝 Ingredient Notes

    • Basmati Rice
    • Chicken thighs: my original recipe just used leg quarters (skin and all) because it gives a delicious flavor. However, these days I find myself only using boneless chicken thighs for simplicity's sake.
    • Almond milk: I love to use my own homemade almond milk recipe! The flavor is incomparable to store-bought versions and really takes your dishes to the next level!
    • Pepper: I normally use white pepper for this recipe, but I sometimes use black pepper and it works just fine.
    • Homemade dairy-free cream of chicken soup: lo and behold! The secret ingredient. You don't even have to be dairy free to make cream of chicken soup from scratch. Just making this homemade will leave your taste buds unsatisfied with the stuff from the can. Not even Campbells can compete.

    🍗 Substitutions & Additions

    • Milk: If you don't have almond milk or don't want to make my homemade version, some other good milk substitutes are unsweetened coconut milk (from the carton, not canned!), cashew milk (you can find my easy, homemade version here or just buy some from the store) or oat milk.
    • Chicken: for a leaner option, you can definitely use chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins. If you want to make it using rotisserie chicken, you would want to add the shredded rotisserie chicken after the rice comes out of the oven.

      Additionally, for a vegetarian option you could of course leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth for the soup mixture.
    • Broccoli could easily turn this recipe into a delish, dairy-free chicken broccoli and rice casserole!

    🔪 Instructions

    Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Next, make the dairy-free cream of chicken soup.

    In a large mixing bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except for the raw chicken.

    Dairy-free chicken and rice ingredients in a mixing bowl.

    Get out a 13x9 inch casserole dish and spray it with cooking spray to help keep the contents from sticking.

    Pour the mixture into the bottom of the casserole dish.

    Then, add the chicken thighs on top of the casserole.

    Dairy-free chicken and rice casserole before going in the oven.

    Place the casserole in the oven, uncovered, for about 1 hour.

    Dairy-free chicken and rice cooked in a casserole dish.
    The rice appears dry on top, but once it's mixed together, it will not appear or taste dry at all.

    Once the casserole is finished cooking, carefully remove the chicken (it will be very hot) and shred it using two forks.

    Lastly, add the shredded chicken back into the casserole dish and mix it in with the rice.

    Cooked dairy-free chicken and rice casserole shredded and mixed up.

    By the time you shred the chicken, the casserole should be cooled enough to eat.

    Enjoy!

    🧊 Storing

    Store the leftover chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3-4 days. Keep reading for answers on freezing options.

    ❓ Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you freeze chicken and rice?

    Yes! You can freeze chicken and rice. Make sure it has cooled completely (to keep it from becoming mushy) and then place it in a freezer safe, airtight container. Do note that the longer it's stored in the freezer, the more likely it is to dry out. Do not refreeze after reheating.

    How do you reheat frozen chicken and rice casserole?

    First of all, do not let the frozen chicken and rice thaw on the counter. Since there are meat ingredients, it poses a risk that can lead to food borne illness.

    You can thaw it in the refrigerator in an airtight container, or in the microwave on a defrost setting in a microwave safe bowl. Once it's completely thawed, you can heat it in the microwave until it's hot all the way through. If the rice is too dry, try adding a tablespoon of dairy-free milk at a time.

    Can you make it in a slow cooker?

    Yes. You can. But it's definitely not my first option. If you want to go this route, simply prepare everything exactly as you would if you were going to put it in a casserole dish. Don't forget to spray the bottom of the crockpot.

    Turn on low and cook for about 4 ½ hours. It doesn't take very long. If you cook it longer, you'll run into the chance of it drying out.

    Can you make it gluten free?

    Yes! Just substitute a good all-purpose gluten-free flour in place of the regular flour in the cream of chicken soup!

    Can you use minute rice?

    Since we are using cream of chicken soup, and a lot of it, it's best not to use minute rice so that the soup has plenty of time to cook into the rice giving it the flavor and consistency it has.

    I like to use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour. It's also great for sauces, gravies and more!

    ⭐️Before you go! If you enjoyed this recipe for my Dairy-Free Chicken and Rice Casserole, leave a review and comment down below to share it with me! I love to hear from you. Also, if you aren't following me on Instagram, search @thedairyfreemenu for some more cooking inspiration!

    📖 Recipe

    Dairy-free chicken and rice casserole on a white plate.

    Dairy-Free Chicken and Rice Casserole

    Kayla
    This easy Dairy-Free Chicken and Rice Casserole is one of my favorite comfort foods to cook. It's made with a quick, homemade cream of chicken soup that takes this recipe out of this world!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 461 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Dairy-Free Cream of Chicken Soup

    • 3 cups homemade dairy-free cream of chicken soup full recipe linked & listed below
    • ¾ cup vegan butter (I use country-crock plant butter with avocado oil) 1 ½ sticks
    • ¾ cup flour see notes
    • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
    • 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
    • ½ teaspoon celery salt
    • ¾ teaspoon onion powder

    Remaining ingredients

    • 2 cups basmati rice uncooked
    • 1 cup almond milk
    • 1 pound boneless chicken thighs or leg quarters
    • 2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
    • 2 ½ teaspoons onion powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoons celery salt or to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahreinheit.

    Make the Cream of Chicken Soup

    • Slice up your stick of butter and melt it in a pot over medium heat.
      Slowly add the flour into the butter and whisk until smooth.
      Pour in the chicken broth slowly while whisking. You want to add the liquids slowly to make sure the mixture remains smooth and lump free.
      Slowly whisk in the almond milk. It will look thin at this point, so turn up the heat and let it come to a light boil while whisking constantly. It will thicken as it comes to a boil.
      Remove it from the heat once it's very thick like a condensed soup. 
      Mix the spices in and whisk.
      Soup will thicken more as it cools.
      Makes about 3 cups.

    Prepare to Bake it

    • In a large mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients except for the chicken.
    • Spray a 13x9 in casserole dish with cooking spray and pour the rice mixture into the pan.
    • Add the raw chicken on top of the mixture.
    • Bake uncovered for 1 hour.
    • Remove the chicken on to a separate dish, being careful as the chicken will be very hot.
    • Shred the chicken then add it back in the casserole dish.
    • Mix well to combine.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    • If you are gluten free, when making the cream of chicken soup, you can use a gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the regular flour.
    • When making the cream of chicken soup, if your mixture is too thin after adding all the liquids make sure to bring the soup to a light boil while whisking constantly to keep it from burning to the bottom. It will slowly begin to thicken as it softly boils. Once it has a thick, condensed soup consistency, remove it from the heat. It will thicken even more as it cools.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 15gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 1035mgPotassium: 121mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword dairy free chicken and rice casserole
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Note: The nutrition information is just an estimate. Amounts may vary.

    More Dinner

    • Dairy-free shrimp scampi garnished with fresh parsley and lemon slices.
      Dairy-Free Shrimp Scampi
    • Hot honey chicken tenders up close.
      Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
    • Panko crusted chicken on a white plate.
      Panko Crusted Chicken
    • Dairy-free hamburger helper in a stockpot.
      Dairy-Free Hamburger Helper
    Get the Brunch Pro Theme

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Meredith says

      October 12, 2021 at 4:15 pm

      5 stars
      Of all of my The Dairy-Free Menu recipes, my heart always goes back to this one. This chicken and rice recipe is a great comfort dish! I have to give credit where credit is due, the outstanding flavors are all in the homemade cream of chicken soup. Expect this to replace your usual chicken and rice recipe.

      Reply
      • Kayla says

        October 12, 2021 at 4:30 pm

        Thanks, Meredith! I definitely agree on the cream of chicken soup! This recipe wouldn't be what it is without it!

        Reply
    2. Miranda says

      September 09, 2024 at 8:39 pm

      5 stars
      This was seriously good and even though it was a little time consuming it was sooo easy to make! Everything baked to perfection (no uncooked rice) and my family had thirds lol. I’ve been gluten/dairy free for 10 years and it’s so nice to eat something that tastes just like the original! Better than the original because no processed ingredients, thank you!

      Reply
      • Kayla says

        September 23, 2024 at 12:14 pm

        Yay! I'm so happy you and your family loved it!! 🙂

        Reply

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Kayla Daniels.

    HEY THERE! I'M KAYLA.

    I make delicious food that just so happens to be dairy free. It's my goal to help make you excited about what you can eat! So here's a menu of options. Enjoy!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Holding a tortilla chip that's been dipped in the dairy-free buffalo chicken dip that is topped with green onions. Served with a side of tortilla chips in a white bowl in the bottom left corner.
      Dairy-Free Buffalo Chicken Dip (The BEST)
    • Dairy-free cream of chicken soup in a mason jar.
      Dairy-Free Cream of Chicken Soup
    • Spicy sausage rice in a white bowl with a tan bottom. Contents in bowl are light brown in color and topped with bright red tomatoes and green onions that have been lightly cooked. The background shows the pot of rice next to a gold spoon and fresh green parsley in a mason jar.
      Gordon Ramsay's Spicy Sausage Rice
    • Healthier garlic bread on brown parchment paper, sliced and topped with fresh parsley.
      Healthier Garlic Bread

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Service
    • Cookie Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 · The Dairy-Free Menu.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT