Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
A dairy-free creamy chicken and rice casserole built with a homemade cashew-cream sauce, cooked chicken, vegetables, herbs, and a crispy buttered panko topping.
Recipe by Non Dairy Dude
This is the casserole I used to make with a can of cream of chicken soup and a stick of butter. When I cut dairy, that shortcut was out. A few rounds later, I landed on a from-scratch sauce made with dairy-free butter, broth, flour, and all-purpose dairy-free cashew cream that actually tastes better than the original. Richer flavor, no mystery ingredients on the label.
The sauce gets brightness from Dijon mustard and lemon juice, and sage plus thyme do the heavy lifting on the savory side. Carrots, celery, and onion go in for texture. Peas go in at the end so they stay green. The panko topping, tossed in melted dairy-free butter, bakes up crunchy in a way that a breadcrumb layer has no business being that good. Optional dairy-free parmesan-style topping adds a little extra salt and depth if you want it.
This feeds a crowd and reheats well. Serve it alongside a simple salad, or pair it with a dairy-free chicken pot pie on a night when you're doing a full comfort-food spread. Leftovers keep in the fridge for four days and reheat in the oven at 325 covered with foil. If you're building out your weeknight casserole rotation, dairy-free shepherd's pie is worth bookmarking next.
This recipe uses: All-Purpose Dairy-Free Cashew Cream
Ingredients
Casserole
- 4 cupsCooked white or brown rice, cooled slightly
- 3 cupsCooked shredded or diced chicken
Sauce
- 1 tbspOlive oil
- 3 tbspDairy-free butter
- ¼ cupAll-purpose flour
- 2¼ cupsLow-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cupAll-purpose dairy-free cashew cream
Vegetables
- 1 mediumYellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cupCarrots, finely diced
- 2 ribsCelery ribs, finely diced
- 3 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
Seasoning
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1½ tspFresh thyme leaves
- ¼ tspDried rubbed sage
- 1¼ tspFine salt, plus more to taste
- ¾ tspFreshly ground black pepper
Finish
- 1 cupFrozen peas
- ¼ cupFresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tspFresh lemon juice
Topping
- ¾ cupPanko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbspDairy-free butter, melted
- 2 tbspDairy-free parmesan-style grated topping, optional
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a deep 2 1/2- to 3-quart casserole dish.
- 2
Add the cooked rice and cooked chicken to a large mixing bowl. Break up any clumps of rice with your hands or a spoon.
- 3
Heat the olive oil and 3 tablespoons dairy-free butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and a pinch of the salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften.
- 4
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until the flour is fully coated and no dry patches remain.
- 5
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, starting with about 1/2 cup and whisking smooth before adding more. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat a spoon.
- 6
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cashew cream, Dijon mustard, thyme, sage, remaining salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 2 minutes. Do not boil hard after adding the cashew cream.
- 7
Pour the sauce over the rice and chicken. Add the peas, parsley, and lemon juice, then fold until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice.
- 8
Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, toss the panko with the melted dairy-free butter and dairy-free parmesan-style topping if using. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
- 9
Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling at the edges and the topping is golden.
- 10
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving so the sauce settles into the rice instead of running across the plate.
How we make it dairy-free
- Condensed cream of chicken soup → Replaced with a homemade sauce of dairy-free butter, flour, chicken broth, and all-purpose dairy-free cashew cream. Same creamy texture, more actual flavor.
- Butter in the sauce → Dairy-free butter works one-for-one here. It builds the roux and adds richness without changing the method at all.
- Dairy butter on the topping → Melted dairy-free butter coats the panko and crisps it up just the same. Nothing to adjust.
- Parmesan topping → The recipe calls for dairy-free parmesan-style grated topping as optional. Skip it and the casserole is still fully seasoned. Add it if you want a little extra savory salt on top.
All-purpose dairy-free cashew cream is the only ingredient that requires prep ahead. Make a batch and keep it in the fridge for up to five days.
Tips & Variations
Use cooked rice: This recipe is built for cooked rice because it gives the most reliable texture. Raw-rice casseroles depend heavily on dish size, oven behavior, rice variety, and sauce quantity.
Day-old rice works well: Leftover rice holds its shape and absorbs sauce without turning mushy. Break up clumps before mixing.
Use cooked chicken: Leftover roasted chicken, poached chicken, or shredded thighs all work. If using rotisserie chicken, check the label because some seasoning blends contain milk.
Do not boil the cashew cream hard: Cashew cream thickens quickly over high heat. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once it goes in.
Season before baking: Rice absorbs flavor aggressively. The mixture should taste slightly more seasoned than you think before it goes into the oven.
Keep broccoli for another recipe: A little broccoli is fine if you want it, but this version is intentionally a classic chicken-and-rice casserole, not chicken broccoli rice casserole.
Make ahead: Assemble the casserole without the panko topping up to 1 day ahead. Add the buttered panko right before baking and add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time if starting cold.
Reheating: Reheat covered at 325 F with a splash of broth if the rice has absorbed too much sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken in this casserole?⌄
Yes, and it's the fastest path to dinner. Pull and shred the meat, skip the skin, and you're done. The seasoning in the sauce carries the flavor either way.
Can I make this casserole ahead of time?⌄
Assemble it up to the panko topping, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add the topping right before baking so it stays crispy. You may need to add five to ten minutes to the bake time since it's going in cold.
What kind of rice works best?⌄
Cooked white rice gives a softer, creamier result. Cooked brown rice holds up a little firmer and has a nuttier flavor. Both work. The main thing is that the rice should be fully cooked and cooled slightly before it goes in, not freshly steamed and still steaming hot.
Can I make this gluten-free?⌄
Use a one-for-one gluten-free flour blend in the sauce roux, and swap the panko for a gluten-free breadcrumb. Check that your all-purpose dairy-free cashew cream and any store-bought broth are labeled gluten-free as well.
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