Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole
Cheesy Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole, an easy jambalaya variation with tons of flavor!
The end of the school year and graduation are just around the corner. Can you believe it?
This year has flown by in our family. Both of my kids are in middle school, so with advanced homework, sports, and extra curricular activities we have all been extremely busy the last nine months.
We are ready for a break, and definitely ready to celebrate the end of the school year!
Although my kids aren’t graduating high school yet, there are graduation parties happening all around us.
It’s bitter-sweet to watch our friends help their babies get ready for college. And knowing that they are just a couple months away from leaving the house (possibly for good) has to be hard.
Thankfully I have a few more years to keep my babies at home, and I plan to make the very most of it!
Today’s cheesy Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole is a marvelous meal to serve at graduation parties and at the end of the school year celebrations.
It’s comforting, zesty, packed with protein, and each bite is kissed by hot molten Borden® Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Plus, our Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole is easy to make and large enough to feed a crowd!
This jambalaya variation is a favorite in our house. It’s takes much less hands-on cooking time, because it is baked in the oven. The addition of andouille sausage and cajun seasoning give it depth and a bit of spice.
Yet best of all, adding Borden® Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese makes the entire dish more dazzling than ever. Creamy Borden® Cheese transforms this classic cajun dish into a memorable summertime feast, creating special moments for your family!
Borden® Cheese offers a wide array of cheeses to satisfy any craving, including: Mozzarella, Mexican Style, Swiss, Colby, Jack, and a variety of Cheddars.
However, it’s sharp cheddar cheese shreds that really pull this whole dish together.
The culmination of the chicken, spicy sausage, aromatic rice, and sharp cheddar gives the Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole a note of rustic decadence.
Jambalaya is good on its own, but with Borden® Cheese… Exceptional! This is a new summertime party dish we will make for years to come.
If you are planning an end of school party this spring, add Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole to your menu plan. It’s a hearty meal that is hard to resist.
Discover more about Borden® Cheese on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Borden® Cheese. All opinions are my own.
Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cup dried long grain rice
- 1 large boneless chicken breast, 1/2 – 3/4 pounds
- 14 ounces andouille sausage
- 14 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups Borden® Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shreds
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, chopped onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes to soften.
- Chop the chicken breast into 3/4-inch chunks and slice the andouille sausage into 1/2-inch rounds.
- In a 3-quart baking dish, combine the rice, sauteed veggies, chicken, sausage, canned tomatoes, cajun seasoning, and 1 cup Borden® Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shreds. Stir and pour the broth over the top. Gently shake the pan to make sure all the rice is submerged in the broth. Then cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 60+ minutes, until the rice is tender.
- Remove the foil and fluff the rice with a fork. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese and chopped scallions over the top. Bake uncovered another 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese.
All in all it was a great dish. The only misleading element is the cook time of this dish. It took almost 2 hours to cook completely. So plan ahead.
I made this tonight for dinner, while it was absolutely delicious and worth the wait, it took mine nearly 2 hours to fully cook so the rice wasn’t crunchy. I kept referencing the recipe to make sure I had everything right and I did.
Same here, I thought for sure I had misread something! Tasted good, but glad I wasn’t on a time crunch!
Has anybody tried this using quinoa? It looks divine!!!!!!
Can you prepare this dish in the morning and put it in the fridge till its time to cook for supper?
Hi Dora, Absolutely! :)
saw this recently on foodiecrush featuring great comfort food recipes, I like these flavors, have not ever broken down a jambalaya recipe before, just ordered it in a restaurant, so appreciate your sharing this recipe. thank you!
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This meal was simple and delicious ! I am a stay at home
Mom and was able to prep this in no time then pop it in the oven when the husband was on his way home.
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This sounds like something my hubby will love! Do you think I could make this up the night before or in the morning before work and then refrigerate it until it’s time to bake it?
Would this work using riced cauliflower, instead of long grain rice?
Hi Paula! I haven’t tried that, but I don’t see why if wouldn’t work. Please report back if you make it with cauliflower. I’d love to hear about your results. :)
I made this tonight and it was fabulous! Super easy & we all liked it. A home run in this family of five!
This looks scrumptious and I hope to make it soon! It looks like you put the raw chicken directly into the casserole. Will it pick up enough flavor that way without seasoning directly beforehand? I haven’t made very many casseroles with chicken so I wasn’t sure. Thank you!
Hi Oreo,
Yes, there is enough seasoning in the casserole to flavor the chicken. Enjoy!
Love this!!
josh will love a that meat!
Looks like a hearty & delicious casserole!!
I love hearty meals and I can see why it is hard to resist this one! :) It looks delicious!