Heather’s Casserole–Instant Pot chicken and rice casserole with creamy sauce and buttery Ritz cracker topping.
Heather’s Casserole
Today’s recipe is good old-fashioned chicken casserole comfort! The flavors are so yummy–the combination of tender chicken, everything bagel seasoning, dreamy sour cream sauce, perfectly cooked rice and buttery and crispy Ritz cracker topping is so pleasing to the palate! Your Instant Pot helps take this old fashioned casserole from many dishes to only a few and the IP helps cut down on cooking time too. Win win!
This recipe is adapted from Heather’s Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole on Southern Bite.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon chicken base. I like to buy this at Costco.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts–frozen or fresh. You can also use chicken thighs.
- Converted (parboiled) rice–or long grain white rice
- Cream of mushroom soup–or cream of chicken or cream of celery. I use Campbell’s brand.
- Sour cream–I used full fat but you can certainly use low or no fat sour cream or plain yogurt.
- Garlic powder–or granulated garlic
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Everything Bagel seasoning*
- Ritz crackers
- Butter
Steps
Add chicken broth and chicken into Instant Pot.
Place a tall trivet into the pot and then a pot-in-pot dish on top of the trivet. Add the water and the rice into the dish.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 15 minutes on LOW pressure.
When time is up let pot sit for 10 minutes (or longer) and then move valve to venting and remove the lid. Carefully remove the rice dish and trivet, set aside. Move the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the broth in the pot.
Cut the chicken into pieces. In a bowl stir together the chicken, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, garlic powder, salt, pepper and half of the bagel seasoning.
In a small bowl stir together the crushed crackers, melted butter and remaining bagel seasoning.
If you have an air fryer lid: evenly spread the cooked rice into the bottom of the pot.
Then spread the chicken mixture on top. Place air fryer lid on top and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Add the crackers on top evenly and bake for 5 more minutes. (If you don’t have an air fryer lid: evenly spread the cooked rice into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Then spread the chicken mixture on top. Sprinkle the crackers over the top. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.)
Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with roasted or steamed broccoli, spinach salad or fresh veggies with dip.
- If you’d like you can leave out the rice in this recipe.
- To make this gluten free use gluten free cream of chicken soup (Campbell’s now has a gluten free version!) and instead of Ritz use a gluten free cracker or gluten free cornflake cereal.
- I used this tall trivet* and pan* for cooking the rice pot-in-pot style.
- I used my Duo Crisp 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. This casserole is the best fresh since the Ritz cracker topping is nice and crispy. The leftovers are still good but the topping will be a little soggy.
- What is converted/parboiled rice? Don’t confuse converted rice (or sometimes it is called parboiled rice) with pre-cooked or minute rice. Parboiled rice has been processed in its husk by soaking, steaming, and drying. As a result, all the nutrients from the husk are absorbed into the grain before it’s removed. The starch content alters in the process, making cooked parboiled rice less sticky than regular white rice. The rice kernels aren’t clumpy and glued together instead they are more separated. I found a bag of parboiled rice at Walmart next to the normal long grain white rice. Sometimes I buy it at Winco in the bulk section. I have also found it in the orange box (Ben’s brand) next to other rices.
- Other recipes you can make with Ritz crackers are Air Fryer Heavenly Chicken and Instant Pot Ritz Chicken.
More Instant Pot Chicken Casseroles…
Kentucky Casserole
Creamy cheesy penne pasta with bacon, tomatoes and turkey or chicken. This is an easy dump-and-go Instant Pot recipe!
USU Casserole
Seasoned rice, tender chicken and vegetables with a sprinkling of cheese on top. Made quickly and easily in your Instant Pot.
Weight Loss Casserole
Chicken, broccoli and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. With only 265 calories per serving you can eat this high protein meal guilt-free!
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Heather’s Casserole
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
Instant Pot chicken and rice casserole with creamy sauce and buttery Ritz cracker topping.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen or fresh)
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups converted (parboiled) rice or long grain white rice
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning, divided
- 20 Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Add chicken broth and chicken into Instant Pot.
- Place a tall trivet into the pot and then a pot-in-pot dish on top of the trivet. Add the water and the rice into the dish.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 15 minutes on LOW pressure.
- When time is up let pot sit for 10 minutes (or longer) and then move valve to venting and remove the lid. Carefully remove the rice dish and trivet, set aside. Move the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the broth in the pot.
- Cut the chicken into pieces. In a bowl stir together the chicken, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, garlic powder, salt, pepper and half of the bagel seasoning.
- In a small bowl stir together the crushed crackers, melted butter and remaining bagel seasoning.
- If you have an air fryer lid: evenly spread the cooked rice into the bottom of the pot. Then spread the chicken mixture on top. Place air fryer lid on top and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Add the crackers on top evenly and bake for 5 more minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer lid: evenly spread the cooked rice into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Then spread the chicken mixture on top. Sprinkle the crackers over the top. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Lint says
I made this using brown rice, hint of salt Ritz, and skipped the 1/2 tsp salt. The rice came out perfectly (22 min on high, 10 min natural release per your rice cheat sheet) and I liked the added substance it provided. Salt content was right for my tastes. I’d make it again, but maybe with peas or something since I like to sneak in some vegetables.
I was writing this review and a video ad caused the page to refresh and made me start over 🙁 I wish the ads were less intrusive or at the very least did not populate while on the print page – sometimes they sneak their way onto a printed recipe.
Bridget says
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream??
Karen says
yes!
Sharon says
Do you think crushed corn flakes would work in place of the crackers?
Karen says
yep for sure 🙂
J.D. says
can this be made in the oven or crockpot? I don’t have an Insta-pot.
Karen says
I haven’t tried this one in the crockpot. For the oven you’d cook the chicken (either boil it or cut into pieces and saute it). Cook the rice. Mix together the creamy mixture. Layer in a pan and bake with ritz topping for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.