Chicken Rice Casserole

1½–2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6–8)
1½ cups long-grain white rice — uncooked (not instant, not brown)
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup (or chicken/celery)
2 cups chicken stock + ½ cup milk or water
1 onion, diced · 2 garlic cloves (optional)
2 Tbsp butter
salt · pepper · ½ tsp paprika · ½ tsp thyme (or a little poultry seasoning)
1 cup shredded cheddar
optional: sliced mushrooms · a cup of peas or garden veg

What you need

1½–2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6–8)

1½ cups long-grain white rice — uncooked (not instant, not brown)

1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup (or chicken/celery)

2 cups chicken stock + ½ cup milk or water

1 onion, diced · 2 garlic cloves (optional)

2 Tbsp butter

salt · pepper · ½ tsp paprika · ½ tsp thyme (or a little poultry seasoning)

1 cup shredded cheddar

optional: sliced mushrooms · a cup of peas or garden veg

Heat & build the base. Oven to 350°F; butter a 9×13. Whisk the soup, stock, milk, diced onion, garlic, and half the seasonings into a loose sauce, then stir in the uncooked rice (and mushrooms/veg if using). Spread it level in the dish.
Season & lay the thighs on top. Pat the thighs dry, season both sides well with salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme, and nestle them on top of the rice, pressing halfway in. Dot with the rest of the butter. (For extra flavor, sear the thighs golden first — optional; the classic just lays them on raw.)
Cover tight & DON'T peek. Seal the dish with foil (crimp the edges) and bake covered 60–70 min, until the rice is tender and has drunk the liquid and the thighs read 175°F. The foil traps the steam that cooks the rice — lifting it lets that steam escape and leaves you with crunchy rice.
Cheese & brown. Uncover, scatter the cheddar over the top, and bake 10–15 min more, uncovered, until the cheese melts and bubbles and the thigh tops color.
Rest. Let it sit 10 min — the rice finishes drinking the last of the liquid and firms up sliceable. Then dig in.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Heat & build the base. Oven to 350°F; butter a 9×13. Whisk the soup, stock, milk, diced onion, garlic, and half the seasonings into a loose sauce, then stir in the uncooked rice (and mushrooms/veg if using). Spread it level in the dish.

2. Season & lay the thighs on top. Pat the thighs dry, season both sides well with salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme, and nestle them on top of the rice, pressing halfway in. Dot with the rest of the butter. (For extra flavor, sear the thighs golden first — optional; the classic just lays them on raw.)

3. Cover tight & DON'T peek. Seal the dish with foil (crimp the edges) and bake covered 60–70 min, until the rice is tender and has drunk the liquid and the thighs read 175°F. The foil traps the steam that cooks the rice — lifting it lets that steam escape and leaves you with crunchy rice.

4. Cheese & brown. Uncover, scatter the cheddar over the top, and bake 10–15 min more, uncovered, until the cheese melts and bubbles and the thigh tops color.

5. Rest. Let it sit 10 min — the rice finishes drinking the last of the liquid and firms up sliceable. Then dig in.