Lemon Chicken And Rice Casserole

Description

Casseroles never disappoint. They are filling, hearty, and can last you several meals if you’re cooking for yourself or a few others. This chicken and rice casserole does just that while being bright and bold thanks to lemon, tarragon, and cream of chicken soup. It’s everything you’d want in a chicken and rice soup, but in a casserole.

“Aromatics and acids like lemon and herbs are great ways to spice up chicken casserole,” says recipe developer Catherine Jessee. “This recipe uses crushed red pepper for some heat, as well as tarragon and parsley.”

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 1 (10 1/2-ounce) cream of chicken soup
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 lemon, sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steps

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Season chicken thighs evenly with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add chicken thighs to skillet, skin sides down, and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken thighs to a plate; set aside. Do not wipe skillet clean.
4. Add garlic to drippings in the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 10 to 20 seconds. Add rice, cream of chicken soup, lemon juice, lemon zest, tarragon, and crushed red pepper; whisk to combine. Gradually add broth, whisking constantly, until combined and smooth. Arrange chicken thighs, skin sides up, over rice mixture and place lemon slices over chicken thighs. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or lid, and transfer to the preheated oven.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until rice is cooked through and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165 degrees F (73 degrees C), about 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven. Stir rice mixture, and sprinkle with parsley. Divide chicken, lemon slices, and rice evenly among 4 plates. Garnish with additional tarragon and crushed red pepper.