A chicken and rice casserole – with a healthy, turmeric twist! It’s just what you need for an all-in-one easy dinner that’s full of comforting flavors. Plus, it serves as a great balance of protein, carbs, and sneaky veggies. A win all around.
Turmeric Chicken And Rice Casserole – A Healthy, Weeknight Favorite
There are chicken and rice casseroles, and then there’s this turmeric chicken and rice casserole, which, I think you’ll agree is an elevated version. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner idea that nestles whole chicken breasts into the most vibrant golden rice that’s infused with warm and earthy flavors plus some sneaky grated carrot for a veggie boost.
The whole thing bakes together in the oven, and when it’s done, you simply have to fluff the rice, scoop out a chicken breast and serve it up! It’s easy and super delicious with curry-like flavors. Yes, turmeric can easily be added to a variety of recipes for anti-inflammatory boost!
What You Need For This Chicken Casserole Recipe
The name of this recipe says it all. But it’s the turmeric spin and little additions that makes this chicken and rice casserole so much better than the classic. In my opinion, it’s the perfect combo of fresh and warming flavors.
- Onion & Garlic: I like to use sweet yellow onions, but white onions will also work. You’ll also need a generous amount of garlic (of course).
- Turmeric & Ginger: The ultimate duo that gives this casserole a super healthy, antioxidant boost, and a punch of deliciously warm flavors.
- Cumin: Cumin is a great spice that pairs well with turmeric and ginger, helping to bring out the curry-like flavors.
- Coconut Milk: Make sure to grab a can (not carton) of full-fat coconut milk. The canned version helps to add moisture to the chicken and rice as it cooks.
- Basmati Rice: After a few test runs with different types of rice, I found that basmati rice tastes the best as it stays light and fluffy. But you could also use an alternate long-grain white rice, like jasmine rice. You can read more about the differences in this how to cook rice post.
- Carrot: Just one large carrot is needed for a sneaky veggie boost.
- Lime: Opt for fresh lime juice instead of the bottled version!
- Cilantro: This is used for garnish at the end, and feel free to add more per serving if you love cilantro, like I do! If you don’t love cilantro, you can swap it with parsley.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make This Chicken and Rice Casserole
A full meal that’s made in just one hour? Heck yes! All this casserole really needs is a bit of prep work, some sautéing, and a little baking. Just make sure to use a 9×13-inch baking dish to give enough room for everything to cook evenly. Lightly grease it up and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) to get started.
Cook the spiced onion mixture. Sauté the chopped onions for 3 to 4 minutes (or until translucent) in a separate skillet. Add the garlic, turmeric, salt, pepper, ginger, and cumin, and stir for another 30 seconds. Then pour in the coconut milk and gently stir until the mixture is smooth.
Add everything into the casserole pan. Transfer the creamy onion mix into the casserole pan, along with the water, rice, carrot, and lime juice. Stir it all together until combined, then add the chicken breasts on top. And to give the chicken breasts a bit more flavor, spoon the creamy liquid over them or flip them with tongs.
Bake away. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The rice should be perfectly tender and the chicken juicy and cooked through. If not, let it cook for a few more minutes!
Garnish it up! Fluff up the rice, season the chicken with extra salt and pepper, and sprinkle with lots of fresh cilantro before serving.
Storage & Meal Prep Tips
Casseroles always makes for a great meal prep recipes. You can portion it out for the week, or freeze it to enjoy a month later whenever you’re staring at a blank fridge. So here’s how to properly store it.
- To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze: You can freeze a leftover portion by storing in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Chicken And Rice Casserole Recipe Video
More Easy Chicken Dinner Ideas
You can always count on chicken breast for a healthy meal. But avoid rubbery breasts that lack flavor with any of these reader favorite chicken breast recipes!
- One Pan Chicken and Rice (with Mediterranean flavors)
- Butter Chicken
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Coconut Curry Chicken
- Chicken Fajitas
- Best Baked Chicken Breast (or this herb baked chicken breast)
Just getting into turmeric? This chicken and rice casserole is a great start – plus it’s super delicious for a healthy dinner. If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think in a comment below!
Description
Video
Equipment
- Casserole Pans Here's a great set if you need one!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 can (13.5 ounces) full fat coconut milk
- ¾ cup water
- 1 ¼ cup long grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- roughly chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole pan.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic, turmeric, salt, pepper, ginger, and cumin, and stir for another 30 seconds. Then add the canned coconut milk and gently stir until there's no longer lumpy coconut milk bits. Transfer the mixture to the casserole pan.
- Add the water, rice, carrot, and lime juice to the casserole pan, and stir together.
- Nestle the chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture (I like to coat both sides of the chicken breast in the liquid for more flavor). Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Before serving, fluff the rice with a fork, season the chicken with additional salt and pepper, and sprinkle with cilantro.
Lisa’s Tips
- For those who prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs, simply swap them out! Just note thighs might cook a little faster than chicken breasts, depending on how thick they are.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
The flavors are fantastic! I used fresh ginger and turmeric because I had them on hand. I also subbed home made bone broth for water. So good. I used a fresh organic chicken breasts, but going to try it with thighs next time. Because of course there will be a next time1
Chicken thighs will taste amazing in this casserole!
Great recipe, so quick and easy to make and so tasty.
So, so delicious! Probably the juiciest chicken breast I’ve ever made. Love the coconut and the flavor of all the spices.
The spices are what really makes this recipe! Glad you enjoyed this Lauren :)
This will be added to my keep on hand meals since its has simple ingredients. I did not tell my husband it has coconut milk in it and he ate it(he doesnt like coconut so if i told him he may not have tried it)
I was not sure if my rice would turn out firm / uneven and my chicken dry based on some of the comments, but everything turned out perfect! I am actually pleasantly surprised by how moist my chicken breast turned out! It tastes really good with pickled onions on top. :) Thank you!
Wonderful, Tessa! Glad this whole dish came together beautifully.
It was great. Added cauliflower to the baked. Thinking next time maybe peas and curry powder.
SO GOOD! My husband doesn’t like anything coconut.. but I needed to try this. It was a hit in our house and my hubby loved it! So easy and flavourful. Thanks for another knock out recipe, Lisa!
You don’t really taste the coconut in this! So, I’m glad everyone enjoyed this recipe Jasmine :)
Whichever recipe I’ve tried from Lisa has instantly become a favorite AND it never fails! This one is no different. I actually don’t think I’ve ever made a casserole on my own before, so I was super happy when this came out perfect! Its also amazing for meal prep, as me and my husband got 3 nights of meals out of this one casserole (and I only baked three chicken breast pieces)!. I would give it 10 starts if I could. Thank you for another staple in my kitchen, Lisa!
Happy to hear your first ever casserole was a success Mila!
AMAZING! So easy and so much flavor. My daughter, who is home from college flipped over this one – said she is obsessed. She is taking the recipe back to school with her so she can meal prep it this semester.
This will be a great meal prep for your daughter once she returns to school!
Tried this recipe and it was so easy and so delicious. It has been added to the regular rotation of meals. Thank you Lisa!
So easy and SO delicious. I was shocked at how flavourful this was and it made great leftovers. My boyfriend and I loved it.
Glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed this casserole dish!
This is such a great dish! It is delicious, easy to make and perfect for meal prep. The chicken was moist and the rice cooked well. My husband, who is a classic meat and potatoes kind of guy really enjoyed it too!! Bonus- I think I like it even more as leftovers!
Happy to hear both you and your husband enjoyed this chicken and rice casserole!
Even though my chicken turned out a little dry (even though I kept it for 45′), I am absolutely IN LOVE with this turmeric rice! It’s incredible how the lime and turmeric are perfectly balanced and despite being quite fiery flavours, they are so delicate in this recipe!
For a juicy chicken, would you recommend less time in the oven, adding it later, or maybe add more water?
Thank you, as ever Lisa! ❤️
This recipe was super easy and filling! I was looking for some dinner ideas that were healthy but filling and this was it. My husband also really loved it as well. I add a “swoosh” of whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream to the plate then top with the rice & chicken for some extra healthy fats and a nice refreshing bite. Thank you Lisa for the lovely recipe! I can’t recommend this one enough.
Love the idea of adding a schmear of sour cream to to the plate! But, happy to hear both you and your husband are loving this chicken and rice dish :)
I made this for dinner tonight, so good. My husband liked it and I can’t wait for the leftovers! It reminds me of Thai yellow curry.
This recipe definitely gives off curry-like flavors! Glad both of you enjoyed it Corine :)
What would you say is the weight of the chicken breast in pounds? They vary in size so much, a weight would be super helpful. Thank you for another great recipe! My family loves your recipes. I usually triple them so we have lunch the next day.
Each chicken breast is about 6 ounces.
AMAZING!!!
Loved how this dish is warming without being spicy! The seasoning is spot on.
I had to mix in about 1/8 cup of brown/red rice as I ran out of jasmine. I didn’t increase the liquid but I did increase cook time because my chicken breasts were quite large. The brown and red grains didn’t fully soften, but the effect was like a pilaf and not totally unpleasant. I added some almond slivers to make the pilaf seem intentional — totally worked!
Glad you still were able to make this work! Next time, I might use a bit more liquid so your rice cooks all the way.
When you put down your nutrition information, is that for the “whole” recipes or “1 serving”?
The nutritional information will always be for one serving :)
This was so easy ! Very yummy. I sauteed my onions in the microwave for even quicker and less mess.Difinitely will make this again and pass on the recipe.
Just made this tonight for my family. It was a hit! Absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to make it again!
This was super easy and so delicious! My whole family was interested in what was in it. They were pre fighting over the left overs. This will be a regular in my chicken rotation!
Glad this became a family hit Sandy!
So easy…love a one pot style dish.
Used chicken thighs and cooked for around 40 mins. Will add mushrooms and capsicum for more veg next time round and another squirt of lime juice right at the end.
Thanks for making the dinner decision easy for last night, this will be on the weekly rotation :)
Great idea on the mushrooms for a hearty twist :)
Made this turmeric chicken and rice casserole tonight and it was so tasty. Thank you 😊 my first Downshiftology recipe so looking forward to trying more 😀 love the videos.
Thrilled to hear you’re loving this new recipe Maria!
how would you recommend reheating? I plan on making this tonight and eating leftovers later in the week but I find that chicken heated in a microwave tastes rubbery.
Chicken breasts can get a bit dry when you reheat the following days. So here’s a little tip. Add a teaspoon or so of water to the top of your chicken, then cover with a microwave-safe lid or plastic-wrap, before reheating in the microwave. It will steam a little, helping the chicken absorb some of the moisture, and bring it back to life!
Can I freeze or store in the fridge unbaked casserole? Wondering if rice would absorb too much water.
It’s best to make this first, then freeze after.
Hi Lisa, I made this dish for dinner the other night. It was a winner! I did use brown rice and it did take longer but my chicken was not dry. The meal was perfect! Thank you for your hard work getting your delicious recipes out to us. Looking forward to your new book! Take care and be safe!
Good to know your chicken wasn’t dry when cooking with brown rice!
Love TURMERIC CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE which I made and enjoyed for dinner today. Made brown rice ahead of time and it worked great. Forgot to put cilantro on top at the end! Will do for the leftovers ahead. So delicious and warming—and healthy. Thank you, Lisa!
Good to know this worked out great with brown rice instead Catherine! Definitely a healthy meal to keep in your back pocket :)
This turned out SO DELICIOUS. The chicken was so moist, the rice fluffy, and the spices were perfect. This is going to be a great “back-pocket” dinner. So yummy and nourishing. Thank you!!
Happy to hear you’re loving this chicken and rice casserole Claire!
I don’t ear chicken, would Cod be ok to switch with the chicken ? Thank you
Cod will need a different cooking time – will have to test that out!
Can I substitute brown rice for the basmati rice? Will the cooking time be the same time? Your recipes are always good.
Hi Maury – brown rice takes longer to cook and you may end up with dry chicken. If using brown rice, I’d recommend chicken thighs as they tend to stay juicier with a longer cook time.
Lisa, I love all of your recipes, but you really nailed it with this one!!! The flavors are out of this world. I followed the recipe to a tee and was perfection!!! Thank yiu!!! ❤️😋👍💥
Oh yay!! So happy you loved the flavors in this chicken and rice casserole, Robin!
This turned out DELICIOUS !!!!
My kids loved it and I’ll definitely going to make it often from now on.
Thank you 😊
If the kiddos love it, you know it’s a winner :)
This is an amazing twist on the typical chicken and rice recipe! I wasn’t sure what to expect as far as flavor, but Lisa’s recipes literally never let me down so I went for it and WOW! The flavors are incredible! I had to swap the chicken breast for chicken thighs only because that’s what I had, baked for the same amount of time and it was perfect. Highly recommend trying this one out!
Glad you took a chance on this turmeric twist on a classic and ended up loving it :)
Another absolutely delicious dish, Lisa! Great combination of flavors, I was distracted as I was about to put the casserole into the oven and forgot to put foil on top for the first half hour (which I finally did) but that didn’t hurt the dish at all.
This is a dynamite recipe! I wanted something healthy yet cozy for our Michigan winters and a unique spin on our typical chicken and rice we have :-) Love it! Super flavorful, easy to make as a mom of four boys! They even liked it too!!
Happy to hear the whole family enjoyed this chicken and rice casserole Lindsay :)
I like to add more veggies into casserole-type dishes. What additional veggies would go well with this?
Hi Liz – diced bell pepper would be great in this recipe as well!
On the printed version four chicken breasts is missing.
Hi Pat, I just tested it and I think it should be working now!
Tasty easy and quick to prepare meal.
This looks so delicious and I can’t wait to try it! Would it work using boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts? My family prefers thighs and we always have them on hand.
Absolutely! Chicken thighs are also my go-to as well :)
This sounds delicious but can the recipe be adapted for using brown basmati rice?
Brown basmati rice would work, just make sure to increase the cooking time and liquid ratio a bit. Also, I would say to use chicken thighs versus breasts since thighs are less likely to dry out.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit! Super simple, easy cleanup, and a solid recipe…I especially like recipes like this that the cooking method can remain the same while the ingredients can be altered so you can use it multiple times per week without anyone getting bored…e.g., different herbs/spices, extra veggies, thighs for breasts, etc.
One quick super minor detail is I think your nutritional information is slightly off for protein. 7 g of protein for one whole chicken breast per serving seems low, yeah?
The nutritional information is always for one serving, so there’s 31g of protein :)
What can I use besides coconut milk?
You can also use heavy cream, or other non-dairy milks such as oat milk. Ideally, you’ll need something on the creamier side.
Could you use quinoa instead of rice? Or brown basmati?
Brown basmati rice would work, just make sure to increase the cooking time and liquid ratio a bit. Also, I would say to use chicken thighs versus breasts since thighs are less likely to dry out.
Looks delicious as ever!
Hope you enjoy Nancy!
Could you substitute for rice ? Cauliflower? Other options?
Unfortunately, cauliflower rice will become too mushy over time.
You could cook the chicken in the sauce (no need to add the water and could probably use less coconut milk) then serve it over cauliflower rice.
I have long grain brown rice or brown jasmine rice? Would either of these work for the rice? Thanks for the recipe!
Both are fine, just keep in mind brown rice will need a longer cooking time and might need a bit more liquid. Also, I recommend using thighs instead of breasts as thighs are less likely to dry out with the longer cooking time. As for jasmine rice, note that it might be a bit more clumpy compared to basmati rice :)
Hi Lisa, do you think quinoa would swap out ok? My husband can’t eat rice. Thanks and happy new year!
Hi Marita – I haven’t tried this yet with quinoa, but that may work. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
Looks amazing! Will brown basmati rice take too long to cook/need more liquid??
You can use brown rice, you just might need to use a bit more liquid. I would also use chicken thighs instead of breasts as thighs will less likely dry out as it cooks longer.
Would this work with brown rice or is the cooking time too long?
You can use brown rice, but make sure to use the right amount of liquid. I would also say to use chicken thighs versus breasts as thighs will less likely dry out as it cooks longer.
Looks yummy, I’m wondering about the cooking time if I used brown rice.
If you use brown rice, chicken thighs would work better since they’re less likely to dry out with any extra time you’ll need for cooking. Just make sure to check the back of the package to see what the ratio would be for liquids versus brown rice.
Yum! I’ve been waiting for this recipe to be posted after I saw a picture of you eating it on Instagram! It looks so good. Is there anything I could use to substitute the can of coconut milk? Thank you!!
You can use either heavy cream or other non-dairy milks such as oat milk. Ideally, something on the creamier side.