This chicken vegetable rice casserole turns cooked rice and chicken into a creamy family dinner with a golden cheese topping. Carrots, peas, zucchini and red pepper add color to every spoonful.
The key is to soften the vegetables first and add just enough stock to keep the rice moist without making the filling watery.
Use freshly cooked rice and chicken, or properly refrigerated leftovers. Cool leftover rice quickly, ideally within one hour, refrigerate and use within 24 hours. Do not use rice that has already been reheated: baking this casserole counts as its reheating.
Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook the carrot, zucchini and red pepper for about 5–8 minutes, stirring, until they begin to soften.
Add the peas and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Let any liquid from the zucchini evaporate before removing the pan from the heat.
Combine the rice, chicken, vegetables, cream, herbs and pepper in a large bowl. Add 80 ml stock first, then a little more if the mixture looks dry.
The filling should be lightly coated in sauce, with no pool of liquid at the bottom. Use less salt if your stock and cheese are already salty.
Spread the mixture in a lightly oiled baking dish, approximately 20 × 25 cm. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.
Bake for about 25–30 minutes, allowing longer if the ingredients were cold. Check that the center reaches 74°C with a food thermometer. If the cheese browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil while the center finishes heating.
Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before spooning onto plates. Serve with a crisp green salad.
For an easy variation, replace the dried herbs with thyme or swap the cheddar for grated Emmental. Keep the vegetables finely diced and the sauce modest for a creamy filling that holds together.