Dump-and-Bake Chicken Chili Casserole - The Seasoned Mom (2024)

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If you like white chicken chili, then you’ll love this zesty, flavorful, dump-and-bake chicken chili casserole! You don’t even have to pre-cook the rice or the meat. Just stir together the raw ingredients and pop the dish in the oven!

I regularly hear from so many of you who lovemy dump-and-bake recipesfor easy weeknight dinners. I have a vast collection of these meals, like this dump-and-bake chicken broccoli rice casserole, dump-and-bake ham and cheddar casserole, and dump-and-bake chicken alfredo pasta casserole.This easy white chicken chili casserole with rice has quickly become a new favorite!

An Easy Twist on White Chicken Chili

This slow cooker white chicken chili is one of our favorite meals for chilly days. I decided to take those same delicious flavors, but turn them into an easy, hands-off, dump and bake chicken and rice casserole. The recipe works so well because all of the ingredients simmer together in the baking dish, coming together in the most delicious way.

The creamy sauce is seasoned with classic chili spices like chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper. Veggies like corn, tomatoes, and green chilies bulk up the dish, while rice and white beans cook in the same pan with the chicken. Sprinkle a bit of cheese on top and you’ve got a chicken chili bake that will make the whole family smile!

Do you have to cook rice before putting it in a casserole?

Whilemost casserole recipescall for cooking the rice before mixing it into the dish, this particular recipe is designed specifically foruncookedrice. That means that you do not boil the rice in a saucepan on the stovetop before adding it to the casserole dish. Instead, the rice cooks right in the oven with the rest of the ingredients. This requires extra liquid in the pan (since the rice absorbs a lot of liquid as it cooks), and extra cooking time to make sure that the rice is tender.

The Best Chicken to Use in a Dump-and-Bake Casserole

You have a few different options when it comes to the chicken that you use in this chili bake. The recipe calls for raw, boneless, skinless chicken; however, you can also use cooked, shredded chicken if you prefer.

I like boneless, skinless chicken thighs, since the dark meat has more flavor and stays tender and juicy over the long baking time. If you prefer white meat, then you can also use boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenderloins. Finally, if you don’t like the idea of using raw meat, you can sub with about 2 cups of cooked, diced or shredded chicken (such as the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken).

What to Serve with White Chicken Chili Casserole

Set out some toppings and let your family members garnish their individual bowls with their favorite flavors. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Chili Toppings

• Grated cheese
• Sour cream
• Diced avocado
• Fresh cilantro
• Sliced green onion or minced red onion
• Hot sauce
• Sliced jalapeño peppers
• Lime wedges
• Sliced black olives
• Crushed tortilla chips or other corn chips (like Fritos)

Sides that Pair Well with Chili Chicken Casserole

Here are some easy sides to pair with with the chicken and rice casserole:

• Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Sour Cream Cornbread, Jalapeno Cheddar Mexican Cornbread,Southern Cornbread,Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn,Sweet Cornbread,Pumpkin Cornbread,Cake Mix Cornbread,Skillet Cornbread,Corn Sticks,orHoney Cornbread
• 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits,Sweet Potato Biscuits,Flaky Biscuits,Cheese Biscuits,orDrop Biscuits
• Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Bread, Cranberry Muffins,orApple Muffins
• Crusty French Baguette,Soft Dinner Rolls, orHomemade Crescent Rolls
• Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Southern Caesar Salad, Wedge Salad,Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette,Caesar Salad, or our favoriteHouse Salad with Candied Pecans
• Fried Corn
• Southern Fried Apples,Baked Apple Slices, orApplesauce
• Amish Green Beans with Brown ButterorSouthern-Style Green Beans
• Fritos chips
• Saltine crackers
• Easy Homemade Guacamolewith tortilla chips and salsa

Recipe Variations

• If you don’t want to start with raw chicken in this dish, you can sub with about 2 cups of cooked, shredded or diced chicken (such as the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken).
• Instead of the beans, add extra corn, tomatoes, or chicken to the casserole.
• Swap out the cream of chicken soup and use cream of celery soup or cream of mushroom soup instead.
• Use Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, or small white beans in lieu of the navy beans. You can even use black beans or pinto beans.
• If you can’t find Mexicorn, you can use a small can of regular corn or about 1 ½ cups of frozen corn (thawed and drained).
• Add buttered Ritz crackers, crushed tortilla chips, buttered seasoned bread crumbs, or buttered panko breadcrumbs if you like a crunchy topping.
• Cooking for a smaller family?Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The cooking instructions remain the same.
• For even more flavor, make it a green chile chicken casserole by stirring in a small can of chopped green chiles.