Monterey Chicken Rice-a-Roni Casserole – GREAT weeknight chicken casserole. Super easy to make and tastes amazing!! Can make ahead and freeze for a quick meal later! Chicken Rice-A-Roni, cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, spinach, garlic, Monterey Jack cheese, and french fried onions. Everyone cleaned their plate and went back for seconds!
Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Prepare Rice-A-Roni according to package directions. Add soup, sour cream, spinach, garlic, chicken, cheese, and half of the fried onions. Stir to combine.
Spread rice mixture into prepared pan. Top rice with the remaining fried onions.
Make sure to get as much of the water out of the frozen spinach as possible. I drain it in a colander and then squeeze it with a towel or paper towels until it is almost dry.
I suggest using Unsalted Cream of Chicken Soup in this dish to control the sodium.
Can Chicken Rice-a-Roni Casserole be made in advance? Yes! You can assemble the casserole ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. You may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time if baking the casserole straight from the refrigerator.
Can Chicken Rice-a-Roni Casserole be frozen? Yes! Assemble the casserole and cover the dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place the dish in the freezer and freeze. The casserole will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.
To bake the casserole after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed.