Gluten-free Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Casserole is totally cravable. Creamy, cheesy comfort food with a Mexican twist.
I have been craving all the comfort foods in the form of soups, casseroles, and skillets lately, which might be why my Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Casserole is especially hitting the spot!
This no-bake, toss together casserole is the epitome of creamy, cheesy comfort food. The combination of chicken and rice always does it for me!
Long grain white rice is simmered in tangy salsa verde and chicken broth then combined with sauted chicken, green chilies, and a creamy homemade cheese sauce before being scooped into a baking dish and broiled.
It’s a riff on my Skinny Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole which is a mega hit with IGE readers.
Spoiler alert – I like this version even better!
It’s even delicious when re-heated, which is hard to come by in rice-based dishes, and would be great to scoop into gladware containers then reheated for lunches all week long.
In a world of ho-hum, cold salads and sandwiches it is so nice to be able to enjoy something hot and homemade in the middle of the day. Lunch, dinner – whenever – you will LOVE this!
Start by cooking 2 cups long grain rice in 3 cups chicken broth and 3/4 cup salsa verde.
Cook the rice according to package directions then fluff and add 3 small or 2 large chopped green onions to the pot, place a lid on top, then let the onions steam with the pan off the heat for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chopped chicken breasts and a 4oz can green chilies. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the chicken is just cooked through.
Add 3 minced garlic cloves then saute for 1 more minute. Pour the chicken and chilies onto a plate then very carefully wipe out the skillet with a couple of paper towels.
Keep the skillet off the heat to cool down for a few minutes while you whisk 5 teaspoons gluten-free flour (or AP flour if not GF) into 1/2 cup milk. Place the skillet back over medium-high heat, pour the flour/milk mixture in, and then add 1-1/2 cups more milk.
While this is not a dairy-free recipe by any means, making cheese sauce without a butter base is 100% possible (and delicious!)
Season with salt and pepper, bring the mixture to a bubble, and then turn the heat down to medium and simmer until thickened, 8-10 minutes, stirring the entire time.
Pull the skillet off the heat then add 6oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese and 1/3 cup sour cream and then stir until smooth.
Add the cooked rice and chicken mixture to the cheese sauce then mix to combine. It should be cheesy, ooey, and 4,000% gooey!
Scoop the mixture into a nonstick sprayed 8×8″ baking dish then sprinkle 2oz more Monterey Jack cheese on top and broil until golden brown.
Scoop onto plates, garnish with some chopped cilantro, if you please, then serve!
Your entire family will flip for the casserole. Perfect fuel for getting through fall activities or just hunkering down with a plate underneath a big blanket with a fire roaring in front of you. Because that’s how we all eat our dinner, right? Ahh, a girl can dream. Either way, enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup salsa verde, Herdez recommended
- 2 cups long grain white rice, Lundberg recommended
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 oz can green chiles
- salt and pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 teaspoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 2 cups milk, divided
- 8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1/3 cup sour cream
Directions
- Spray a 8x8" baking dish (or equivalent-sized baking dish) very well with nonstick spray then set aside. Bring chicken broth and salsa verde to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan then add rice, place a lid on top, turn heat down to low, then cook according to package directions. Remove pan from heat then fluff rice, sprinkle green onions on top, and then place the lid back on the pan for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat extra virgin olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and green chilies, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until chicken is just cooked through. Add garlic then saute for 1 more minute. Remove chicken and chili mixture to a plate then very carefully wipe out the inside of the skillet with a couple of paper towels. Let the skillet cool off the heat while you whisk the flour into a dish with 1/2 cup milk.
- Return the skillet to the burner over medium-high heat, add the flour and milk mixture, and then add the remaining 1-1/2 cups milk. Season with salt and pepper then let the mixture come to a simmer, stirring constantly. Turn heat down to medium then simmer until thickened, 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the skillet from the heat then stir in 6oz shredded cheese and sour cream. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary.
- Add the chicken mixture and rice to the cheese sauce then stir to combine and scoop into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese then broil until golden brown.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
hi! I’m planning on making this for a new mom. how would you take it to someone? put all together and tell them to broil it when ready to eat? also does it freeze well? or would you make it one day and take the next day??
thank you! I love your site!!
debra
Hi Debra! How nice of you! :) I haven’t tried freezing this casserole but something tells me it wouldn’t be as creamy as fresh, if thawed and reheated. I’d take it over then tell her to broil when she wants to eat, as you mentioned!
I picked up your cookbook at the Downtown Farmers Market last year and just found it again after our move. Found your board on Pinterest and started making my to-cook list. This was my first of many. If your other recipes are this good, I think I’ve found my new meal plan. I don’t think I cooked the rice correctly, but honestly the cheesy, gooey goodness made up for it! I almost gave up when the milk/flour mixture wouldn’t thicken but I’m sure glad I didn’t. Thanks for the awesome recipe that is wonderful even on this gorgeous spring day in Des Moines!
Made this dairy-free tonight for my 4-yr old and we all loved it! Substituted rice milk, Tofutti sour cream, and GoVeggie cheddar cheese for the dairy ingredients. Turned out great!
Awesome -thanks for the heads up! I’ll have to try it this way for my son!
I love your recipes and this one looks awesome. Wonder if I could substitute quinoa for part of the rice? Or even use the rice cooler to make the rice?
Any chance 2% greek yogurt could be used in place of the sour cream? Looks delicious!
Hey Kate! I haven’t tried but my gut tells me it might be too tangy. Let me know if you give it a try!
I’m making this to bring to a friend this afternoon so it will be in her fridge for a couple hours. Should she bake it for 20 minutes or so to heat it through first and the broil? Thanks so much for all of your great recipes!
I think that could work!
Hi…how long under the broiler?????
I am making this ….doubled for 16 people tomorrow….just trying to gauge time!
Thank you for all your recipes…everything is always wonderful!
Maybe 2-3 minutes. Good luck! :)
Mine is so runny. I mean REALLY runny. Same thing happened with my tater tot casserole. I wonder if the rice flour doesnt thicken more than plain white flour?
Hey Rachel, sorry to hear that! The rice flour should thicken the same – what brand did you use? I used Bob’s Red Mill white rice flour. You can always keep simmering the sauce until it reduces and thickens, too!
Another recipe of yours that’s now in my rotation. I have been making sure all of my friends know about your blog. Cheers!
Made this tonight, it was SOOOOO amazing. I practically could have licked my plate. Definitely will be making this again. Thanks IGE!
I made this Monday night and it was fantastic! My husband couldn’t get enough. It was even better the next day for lunch. Thank you for sharing…I’ll definitely be making it again!
Just made this. OMG. In looooove! So f’n good!
How spicy is Salsa Verde? This looks great to me, but my husband can’t eat a lot of spicy things. I’ve never tried Salsa Verde before. Thanks for all the great recipes!
On a scale of 1-10, 10 being extremely spice, I’d say it’s a 2 or 3. Definitely not bad at all!
Great. Thanks, Kristen. Can’t wait to try this.
Oops… Kristin, I mean. :)