Chicken, Zucchini & Rice Casserole

Table of Contents

Why this recipe works.
Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
Here’s how to make this recipe.
These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
You'll love these other casserole recipes.
Watch how to make this recipe.
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
Chicken, Zucchini & Rice Casserole Recipe

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Bringing together chicken, zucchini, and rice, this hearty dish is perfect for a family or group meal or just for leftovers! A lemon, honey, and olive oil marinade creates a bright yet rich flavor. Rice cooked in chicken stock and cream adds depth, while a cheese topping gives it a melty texture that finishes off a great summer dish.

Kaleb Wyse standing in front of light gray background with black t-shirt.

Why this recipe works.

A weeknight meal works best when it uses pantry staples we have on hand. This recipe uses chicken breasts that I always have in my freezer and can defrost at any time. This is a casserole, and I had to ask myself, is there still a place for casseroles in our life? I grew up in an era where casseroles used canned condensed soups and ended up heavy and gloppy. This is a new and fresh take using the abundance of the summer season to create a hearty meal. The key is marinating the chicken to ensure a big flavor and moist meat. The chicken needs to be precooked before the zucchini, and then it all comes together with rice and some cheese. Casseroles will always fill a void for a perfect weeknight meal. Instead of being bland and heavy, this one is filled with goodness and flavor. Welcome to the new era of casseroles.

Marble surface with serving of chicken zucchini rice casserole sitting on taupe colored plate with fork to the side showing the components of the casserole.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

Lemon juice in the marinade adds brightness to the flavor of the chicken, but since it is acidic, it will help marinate and tenderize the chicken quicker.
Olive oil will help coat the chicken but also add a pleasant richness.
Dried thyme packs a punch when it comes to flavor, but using a dried herb will ensure that there are no burning or bitter flavors when the chicken is cooked in the skillet.
Honey will add some sweetness to the chicken in the casserole, but it also works to help brown the chicken while in the skillet.

White marble surface filled with all ingredients needed to prepare chicken zucchini rice casserole including raw chicken, salt, herbs, zucchini, honey, cheese, and more.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

Prepare the marinade. In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and honey. Whisk everything together until it is well combined.

Hand using oil container to pour oil into a glass bowl with marinade components including salt and dried herbs before mixing together.

Glass bowl filled with olive oil marinade sitting on white surface with salt container in background.

Prepare the chicken. Trim any fat off the chicken breasts and dice each breast into bite-sized cubes, about 1 inch in size. Add the diced chicken to the marinade and mix until all of the pieces are well-coated. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Hand using knife to slice chicken breast into small pieces on plastic cutting board with bowl of marinade in the background.

Pieces of diced chicken breast sitting in olive oil marinade in glass bowl on white surface.

Cook the chicken. Heat an oven-safe pan on medium heat. Place the chicken into the pan and let cook until browned on all sides. Once fully cooked, remove the chicken, leaving any extra marinade in the pan.

Hand using tongs to place pieces of marinated raw chicken breast in large skillet on the stovetop with rest of marinade in a glass bowl.

Chicken cooking in large skillet on the stovetop showing cooked edges.

Cook the zucchini. Chop each zucchini into quarters, then dice it. Add to the same pan that was used to cook the chicken. Chop the garlic and pull the thyme off the stem. Once the zucchini is nearly finished cooking and has some browning on all sides, add the garlic and thyme to the pan. Cook briefly, then take the pan off the heat.

Hand using knife to slice zucchini into quarters all on wood cutting board.

Diced zucchini in bite-sized pieces sitting on wood cutting board in a kitchen.

Assemble and bake the dish. Add the rice and chicken into the pan with the zucchini and stir everything together to distribute the rice. Add salt and the Parmesan cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, sour cream, and chicken stock. Pour this mixture evenly over the dish. To finish, sprinkle the Monterey jack cheese over the top. Cover the pan and place in the oven at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Hand holding plastic spatula mixing together rice with cooked chicken and zucchini in large skillet. — Before baking

Hand holding glass measuring cup filled with mixture of heavy cream and sour cream about to pour on top of a large skillet filled with cooked chicken and zucchini. — Before baking

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

Leave any extra marinade in the pan after cooking the chicken. The zucchini will soak it up while it cooks, adding extra flavor to the dish.
If you have a large zucchini, scoop out any of the interior seeds. This interior can be somewhat watery and contain excess moisture that would seep out into the casserole, which is not desirable.
Wait to add in the garlic and fresh thyme until the zucchini is nearly done cooking. Otherwise, the garlic can quickly be overcooked and tend to burn, creating a bitter taste. It just needs about 30 seconds to 1 minute to be mixed in and warmed.
Make sure to add any residual juices from the chicken that were collected on the bottom of the plate while the chicken was resting. This is an immense flavor and will be ideal in the casserole.
Broil the dish for a few minutes at the end of baking in the oven to help melt the cheese and achieve a golden-brown crust on top.

Large gray-colored braiser sitting on marble surface with cooked chicken zucchini rice casserole inside with serving removed showing ingredients.

Frequently asked questions about this recipe.

Could other vegetables besides zucchini be used in this dish?

Yes! Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and kale could all be used instead of zucchini. The process for cooking the vegetable will need to change slightly depending on which is used.

Would other types of meat work instead of chicken? Would ground chicken work instead?

Yes, ground chicken will work but will not work marinated. The seasonings could be added during cooking. Sausage would also work instead of chicken or no meat at all.

Can this dish be assembled and baked later?

The chicken and zucchini can be cooked and prepared ahead. Wait to put the remaining ingredients together until it is time to bake so the rice does not absorb the liquid and change the baking time.

How long does this recipe last after it’s baked?

The leftovers need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and will keep for 7 to 10 days.

You’ll love these other casserole recipes.

Watch how to make this recipe.

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