No-Peek Chicken and Rice is the ultimate comfort food, in one dish. This easy dinner recipe combines tender chicken on a bed of flavorful rice. This comforting and cozy dinner is sure to become a family favorite.
Don’t you just love easy recipes that are ideal for busy weeknights? This No peek chicken and rice is just that. It’s a recipe where you mix and pop into the oven.
This chicken and rice casserole with no peek only needs six ingredients, and it’s easy to change them up to use what you have on hand.
The next time you want a no fuss weekday dinner, this no peek chicken recipe is sure to impress. With its easy 10 minute pre time, to the one pan cleanup – you’ll love more than just the incredible taste.
The base has a has a creamy combination of rice, both cream of mushroom and chicken soup, and chicken broth. It’s topped with seasoned chicken breasts topped with onion soup mix.
Our whole family couldn’t wait to have leftovers of this cover and bake casserole the next day. Even the picky eaters approved!.
Serve with a side salad, broccoli, air-fried asparagus, or roasted green beans, or any other vegetable you like. It’s a hearty meal that will leave your bellies full and more time spend out of the kitchen.
The don’t peek chicken and rice recipe is perfect for when you want a hearty, comforting meal that doesn’t take much work. This classic baked dish has many names, such as “no peek chicken,” “blind bake chicken,” and “oblivious chicken,” but they all mean the same thing: put the ingredients in, cover, and don’t look at it until the timer goes off.
This recipe delivers a creamy, flavorful chicken and rice dinner with melted cheese on top. It comes together with just 5-6 ingredients that you likely have on hand and requires only 10 minutes of prep time. The no peek method locks in moisture so the rice cooks up fluffy and tender. Once it’s in the oven you don’t have to think about it until it’s time to eat!
I’ve made this simple bake many times over the years, and it always turns out great. When you mix cream soups, chicken broth, rice, cheese, and chicken, it tastes so good. It’s great for weeknights when you’re busy and just want a quick, easy, home-cooked meal. Here’s why you’ll love this classic recipe:
It’s Simple to Make
- Dump and bake method is foolproof
- Only requires 5-6 pantry ingredients
- 10 minutes prep time from start to oven
- No stovetop cooking required
It’s Perfectly Creamy and Cheesy
- Cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup provides creamy base
- Cheese on top bakes into a melty, delicious layer
- No peeking seals in moisture for tender rice
It’s Endlessly Customizable
- Switch up proteins like chicken for pork or shrimp
- Use brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice
- Add veggies like broccoli, peas, or spinach
- Change the cheeses – cheddar, Monterey jack, parmesan all work
It Yields Leftovers for Days
- Feeds a crowd or makes leftovers for lunch
- Rice mixture freezes well for quick future meals
- Reheats beautifully in the microwave or oven
This bake uses minimal ingredients but is still highly customizable based on what you have on hand. Let’s take a look at the core ingredients and possible substitutions.
Don’t Peek Chicken and Rice Ingredients:
- Cooked chicken – rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or diced cooked chicken all work well
- White rice – long grain or jasmine work best
- Cream soups – cream of chicken and cream of mushroom are classic
- Chicken broth
- Shredded cheese – cheddar, Monterey jack, Colby, etc
- Onion soup mix – for seasoning on top
Possible Substitutions:
- Brown rice, quinoa, orzo, or cauliflower rice for white rice
- Cream of celery, broccoli, or mushroom soup for variety
- Vegetable or beef broth instead of chicken broth
- Different shredded cheese like parmesan or Mexican blend
- Seasoning blend instead of onion soup mix
Now that you know what the recipe is for and how you can change it, Let’s get cooking! This is a step-by-step guide on how to make chicken and rice that doesn’t peek.
How to Make Don’t Peek Chicken and Rice
Prep:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Cook rice according to package directions if using uncooked rice.
- Shred or dice cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop any additional veggies if adding them.
Assemble:
- In prepared baking dish, mix together rice, cream soups, chicken broth, cooked chicken, and any veggies.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Sprinkle onion soup mix evenly over the top.
Bake:
- Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 60 minutes without removing foil or peeking.
- Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.
- Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
That’s truly all there is to it! The no peek method might go against your instincts to check the food while it cooks, but trust the process. Resist the urge to peek and you’ll be rewarded with perfectly cooked, moist and tender chicken and rice.
You can make this recipe your own by adding these things, even though it tastes great on its own:
- Frozen peas or carrots
- Diced onion or bell pepper
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Chopped kale or spinach
- Crushed garlic
- Sliced almonds
- Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes
The possibilities are endless when it comes to customizing this simple and satisfying bake. Play around with different add-ins and flavors until you find your family’s favorite combination.
Here are some serving suggestions and tips for enjoying dont peek chicken and rice:
- For a heartier meal, serve with a side salad or steamed vegetables.
- It’s excellent with buttery dinner rolls or biscuits on the side.
- Garnish with chopped parsley, scallions, or shredded cheese before serving.
- For easy leftovers, store cooled chicken and rice in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through.
This recipe makes great leftovers so I like to double it when cooking for my family. That gives us a couple nights of dinner, plus leftovers to reheat for quick lunches. The rice mixture also freezes well, so you can prep it in advance to have microwaveable meals on hand.
Why You’ll Love No Peek Chicken
- Total Time: 60 Minutes
- EASY RECIPE: You don’t have to cook anything ahead of time, and it only takes 10 minutes to get ready. It’s a mix and bake dinner that anyone can make.
- SIX EASY INGREDIENTS: This recipe only needs a few simple things, but you can change them up depending on your tastes or what you have on hand.
- It’s so simple to make that it’s great for busy weeknights.
- MAKE AHEAD: You can make it ahead of time and freeze it for later!
- Feeling down? This is the perfect fall and winter comfort food.
As always the full recipe is on the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
- Chicken Breasts Without Bones or Skin: We like to cut the breasts into butterfly shapes for this recipe. If you don’t want to do that, add 10 minutes to the baking time.
- I got Kinder Buttery Steakhouse Rub while I was traveling recently, and I love this mix of spices. I have substitution options below if you don’t have this.
- For long-grain white rice, don’t use instant or short-grain white rice; it will get mushy if you cook it too long.
- Cream of mushroom soup and cream of chicken soup. If you can, choose low-sodium brands, or at least make sure the broth is low-sodium.
- Chicken Broth: If you can, use low-sodium chicken broth. The soups and spices already have salt in them. If you need to add salt, you can do so after using low-sodium pantry items.
- Dry Onion Soup Mix—You can buy packets of onion soup mix at the store or make our own, which tastes great!
- Fresh Parsley – This is garnish, so totally optional!
How to Make No-Peek Chicken and Rice
- Warm the oven up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and use nonstick cooking spray to coat a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.
- Butterfly cut your chicken breasts into equal pieces if they are pretty thick. Season both sides of the chicken pieces.
- Put the raw rice, both cans of soup, and chicken broth in a medium-sized bowl. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Place the seasoned chicken on top of the rice mixture. Spread the dry onion soup mix out evenly on top of the whole casserole.
- Aluminum foil should be used to cover the casserole dish well and tightly. The dish should then be put in a hot oven.
- Bake for 50 minutes, and no peeking!
- Grab the chicken dish from the oven and add some chopped parsley on top to make it look nice.
- Serve warm, and enjoy!
- No Peeking at All—Have I said this enough? As the title says, the meat and rice cook in the steam that is trapped, so wrap it tightly in aluminum foil to bake. And … no peeking! .
- Keep an eye on the salt. If you use regular soups, broth, and spices, this dish could have too much salt. So if you can, choose soups and broths with less salt. It’s always best to add salt after cooking if needed.
- Just to remind you, chicken should be 165F when it’s done. If you’re not sure, use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature inside.
- It will take a little longer to cook brown rice instead of white rice. Uncle Ben’s Long Grain. Jasmine. or Long Grain and Wild Rice is a good choice.
- Instead of mushroom or chicken soup, try cream of celery soup.
- Substitute chicken stock with vegetable broth if preferred.
- To the rice mix, add frozen vegetables or small pieces of broccoli. No peek chicken and rice with broccoli is very good!.
- Cover with shredded cheese after baking and put back in the oven without the lid on until the cheese melts.
- It’s also possible to use half as much onion soup mix and top it with panko bread crumbs or french fried onions.
If you need new chicken recipes to try and love, our Baked Panko Chicken is a must!
For this no-peek chicken casserole recipe, there are many tasty side dishes you can choose from. Here are some suggestions:
Simple No-Peek Chicken | Making the viral chicken & rice recipe from Tiktok
FAQ
Can you prepare no-peek chicken ahead of time?
Make-ahead instructions: You can assemble no peek chicken and rice up to 24 hours in advance, then store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. I don’t recommend freezing this before baking. Freezing instructions: Put your leftovers in an airtight, freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months!.
What to add to chicken and rice to give it flavor?
Yellow Onion: Adds a nice sweetness and even more flavor. Be sure to sauté it until softened before moving on to the next step. Spices: For this dish, I use salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, and paprika, all of which are simple but add great flavor.
What temperature do you bake no peek chicken and rice?
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk rice, water, chicken soup, mushroom soup, onion, bell pepper, onion soup mix, and oregano in a large bowl until well combined.
Why is it called no-peek chicken?
What does “no peek” mean? “No peek” means not opening the oven door while it’s cooking to keep the temperature even. This helps the casserole cook evenly and prevents loss of moisture.