Chicken and Yellow Rice Casserole

This delicious easy chicken and yellow rice casserole recipe is a recipe for everyone to get right. It is a chicken casserole made of shredded cooked chicken breast, rice, and yogurt. It has a skinny taste, yet it is crispy, creamy, and buttery. You make this one-skillet protein-packed yellow rice and chicken casserole as a main dish and serve it with your favorite vegetable side dishes.

A simple, delicious, nutritious food-from-scratch recipe is practical for everyday life when it is interesting and easy to make. And when the ingredients are readily available. So, this yellow rice and chicken casserole (Tahchin) ingredients are available in most households, and the recipe is easy to put together to make the best homemade food from scratch.

The amount and ratio of the ingredients in this yellow rice and chicken casserole can be customized to your liking, from the amount of chicken breast, rice, yogurt, etc. So go ahead and show your family how creative you can be in the kitchen, and let me know in the comment below how it turned out!

You can serve this yellow rice and chicken casserole with any sauté, baked or roasted vegetables, fermented vegetables, or any fresh salad. I served it with some chopped fresh vegetables.

This dish is also called Tahchin.

If this recipe inspired you, check out the other popular casserole recipes:

• BEST sourdough breakfast recipe
• Easy ground beef and broccoli casserole

Ingredients

• Chicken. I used cooked chicken breast. Use any other part of the chicken you like the best.
• White rice. Adds bulk and texture to the dish.
• Plain whole milk yogurt. Adds creamy and tangy flavor.
• Egg. Works as a binder.
• Onion. Saute to enhance its flavor.
• Butter. In moderation, butter adds deliciousness!!
• Turmeric. Adds beautiful color and flavor to the dish
• Salt and pepper to taste.

How to make chicken and yellow rice casserole

Prepare the chicken breast and rice. Please find the detailed notes on how to prepare it.

Preheat the oven to 400 °F.

First, sauté onion with butter until softened and browned. Then, turn off the stove and add turmeric to it. Turmeric tends to burn fast.

Next, add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix them well.

Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with butter.

Pour the mixture into the skillet and press it down slightly.

Then, layer a tablespoon of butter on top of the casserole.

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven middle rack and bake uncovered until golden brown on top and crispy brown on the bottom.

ENJOY!

Tips

1. Cook chicken and rice before adding them to the casserole. This is a safe way and shortens the casserole baking time.
2. Find the sections below on preparing rice and chicken for the casserole.
3. Use plain whole milk yogurt rather than sweetened or flavored yogurts.
4. Since the chicken breast can be dry, do not be shy with yogurt and butter.
5. Add your favorite herbs and spices.
6. Throw in your favorite finely chopped vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas… to make it a complete dish.
7. Make a double batch of rice and chicken casserole and save it for later.
8. Find the notes below for the complete ingredients substitutes and vegan and keto-friendly versions of this casserole.
9. Feel free to adjust the amount of ingredients to your liking. Customize it and add your twist to it.
10. If you use chicken thigh or drum with bone, adjust for cooking time. They will take longer to cook.

Substitutes

• Substitute chicken with beef or fish. Make it vegan and substitute chicken with beans, chickpeas, lentils, or soaked chopped nuts such as walnut, cashew, or peanut.
• Replace white rice with brown rice, quinoa, pasta, oats, orzo, or couscous. Make it keto-friendly and substitute rice with cauliflower or broccoli rice, shredded cabbage, or zucchini.
• Substitute plain whole milk yogurt with greek yogurt, hard cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, or heavy cream. Make it vegan by using nuts yogurt or nuts cheese.
• Omit egg if you want to make it vegan; stickiness from rice and nut, yogurt, or cheese will make up for it.
• Replace onion with leeks, chives, garlic, or shallot.
• Substitute butter with ghee, coconut, avocado, or olive oil.
• Add your favorite spices and herbs. This is an easy way to boost the dish’s flavor without adding more calories.
  • Spices: cumin, ginger, cayenne pepper, turmeric …
  • Herbs: cilantro, chives, oregano, mint, dill, parsley, basil, rosemary…
• Cooke the yellow rice and chicken casserole on the stovetop rather than baking it.

Equipment

I use a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Everything tastes extra delicious when cooked in cast-iron cookware.

Storage and reheat

Store this yellow rice and chicken casserole in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Heat it on low over the stovetop or microwave it.

How to serve it

Serve it with roasted green beans, cauliflower broccoli salad, or fresh spring mix salad. Fermented vegetables are other great options. Check out my side dish recipes for more ideas.

How to cook white rice

It is better to add cooked rice to the casserole than uncooked rice. It will shorten the casserole baking time.

1. Rinse one cup of dry rice with water before cooking (optional).
2. Let the rice soak in 2 cups of water for 10 -30 minutes (optional). Otherwise, go to the next step.
3. Next, add 2 cups of water to the rinsed rice in a pot, and season it with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer on medium-low heat until most of the water is absorbed.
5. Then, cover the pot and let it cook for 10 minutes on low heat or until rice is soft and fluffy.

How to cook chicken

It is better to add cooked chicken to the casserole than uncooked chicken. It will shorten the casserole baking time.

1. Place one medium-sized skinless, boneless chicken breast (8 ounces ) cut into small pieces into a pot.
2. Add enough boiling water to cover the chicken breast.
3. Bring it to a boil, season it with salt and pepper, and let it poach for 10 minutes or until easily can be shredded with a fork.
4. If you use chicken thigh or drum with bone, adjust for cooking time. They will take longer to cook.

What did you substitute? How did your family and kids like it? Let me know in the comment below your favorite combination. I love to hear from you!

Find more simple, delicious nutritious casserole recipes:

• BEST sourdough breakfast recipe
• Easy ground beef and broccoli casserole

Find more simple, delicious, nutritious chicken recipes:

• Gluten free sweet and sour chicken
• Best chicken kebabs in oven
• Best chicken pilau
• Creamy walnut chicken recipe

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