Teriyaki chicken casserole brings cooked chicken, rice and vegetables together with a homemade sauce that’s sweet, salty and a little tangy. Broccoli, shredded carrots and red bell pepper add color and a bit of bite, while the rice picks up the sauce as it bakes.
This recipe makes six servings in a 9-by-13-inch dish. With the chicken and rice already cooked, allow about 15 minutes to put it together and 25 to 30 minutes in the oven. The covered bake keeps the filling moist; a short uncovered finish lets the edges take on a little color.
Start with cooked rice and chicken
Measure the rice after cooking. You need 3 cups of cooked white rice, not 3 cups of dry rice. Jasmine or long-grain rice works well here. Break up any clumps before mixing so the sauce can reach all the rice. If it has just finished cooking, let the excess steam escape first.
The chicken should be fully cooked, too. Dice or shred 2 cups of chicken breast into pieces that are easy to eat with the rice. Rotisserie chicken is a useful shortcut; remove the skin before adding it. Large pieces can leave some servings with plenty of chicken and others with very little.
Cut the broccoli into small florets and finely dice the red pepper. Thinly shredded carrots soften more easily than thick carrot sticks. If you prefer very soft broccoli, briefly steam it first and drain it well. Otherwise, small fresh florets can go straight into the mixture.
A few notes on the homemade sauce
Low-sodium soy sauce gives you more control over the saltiness. Honey or brown sugar supplies the sweetness; use the same ¼-cup measure for either. Rice vinegar keeps the sauce from tasting too sweet, and sesame oil, garlic and fresh ginger give it flavor without a long list of seasonings.
The cornstarch goes in last, mixed with cold water first. Adding dry cornstarch directly to hot sauce can leave little lumps. Take the pan off the heat once the sauce lightly coats a spoon. It should still pour easily because you need to spread it through the filling.
How to make teriyaki chicken casserole
Get the filling ready
Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease the baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice and chicken with the broccoli, red pepper, carrots and half of the sliced green onions. Use a bowl with enough room to fold everything together without spilling rice over the sides.
Simmer, then thicken the sauce
Put the soy sauce, honey or brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to combine. At this point, the sauce will still be quite thin.
Stir 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth. Whisk that mixture into the simmering sauce and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until lightly thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. If the sauce has become too thick to pour, loosen it with a small splash of water.
Coat the rice and fill the dish
Set aside 2 tablespoons of sauce for the top. Pour the rest into the bowl and gently fold until the rice, chicken and vegetables are evenly coated. Check the bottom of the bowl for any pockets of plain rice; they are easy to miss in a large batch.
Spread the filling evenly in the prepared dish without packing it down. Drizzle the reserved sauce across the top. The mixture should look moist and lightly coated, with no large puddles of sauce around the edges.
Bake covered, then uncover
Cover the dish snugly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Keep the foil on for this first part so the rice does not dry out while the center heats through.
Remove the foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the casserole is hot throughout and the edges are lightly golden. Check the center rather than judging only by the top. If it needs longer, cover it again to keep the rice from drying out.
Spoon it up and serve
Let the casserole settle for a few minutes, then add the remaining green onions and spoon it onto plates. It is a full dinner on its own, with chicken, rice and vegetables in every serving. For something cool and crisp alongside it, try marinated cucumbers, onions and tomatoes.
Questions before you make it
Can I use uncooked rice?
Use fully cooked rice for this version. The amount of sauce and the baking time are designed for cooked rice. Dry rice needs more liquid and a different cooking method, so it cannot be swapped in directly.
Does brown rice work?
Yes, use 3 cups of fully cooked brown rice in place of the white rice. It has a firmer texture, so make sure it is cooked to your liking before mixing it into the casserole.
Can I use frozen vegetables?
Yes. Thaw and drain them well first, and cut any large broccoli florets into smaller pieces. Extra water from the vegetables can make the rice wet and dilute the sauce. Keep the vegetable amounts close to those in the recipe card.
Why cover the casserole with foil?
The rice and chicken are already cooked. Foil helps keep their moisture in while the filling gets hot. Leaving the dish uncovered for the whole bake can dry out the top before the center is ready.
More chicken dinners to try
For another sweet-and-tangy chicken dinner, take a look at baked sweet and sour chicken. If you want a creamy chicken and rice dish, try broccoli rice cheese and chicken casserole. Company chicken casserole is another option when you want a creamy filling with a crisp topping.
Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
Chicken and Rice
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast fully cooked; diced or shredded
- 3 cups cooked white rice measured after cooking; jasmine or long-grain
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets cut into small florets
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 green onions thinly sliced; divided
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey or brown sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water cold, for mixing with the cornstarch
Instructions
Prepare and assemble
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, fully cooked chicken, small broccoli florets, red bell pepper, shredded carrots and half of the sliced green onions. Break up any rice clumps.
- Combine the soy sauce, honey or brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine.
- Stir the cornstarch and cold water together until smooth. Whisk into the simmering sauce and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon but still pours easily. Remove from the heat.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the rice mixture and gently fold until evenly coated. Spread in the prepared dish without packing it down, then drizzle the reserved sauce over the top.
Bake and serve
- Cover the dish snugly with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the casserole is hot throughout and the edges are lightly golden. Check the center; if it needs longer, cover the dish again so the rice does not dry out.
- Let the casserole settle for a few minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining sliced green onions and spoon onto plates.
