Dairy Free Chicken Rice Casserole

I absolutely hate doing dishes. I’d rather do laundry, clean the bathroom…basically anything except dishes. Because of this, I LOVE a good casserole recipe. They are easy to make and only use one casserole dish…so basically minimal dishes to clean up after dinner! This dairy free chicken rice casserole recipe is especially easy to make, as it requires only minimal ingredients and can be prepared in under 30 minutes.

Casseroles are a classic comfort food that is are perfect weeknight dinners. They are easy to make and packed with vegetables. Plus there is always plenty of leftovers for the next day which makes my lunch SUPER easy.

This meal is ready in under 30 minutes! If you love an easy weeknight dinner made with rice l like I do, you’ll also love this Coconut Curry Rice and this Rice Meal Prep Skillet.

why you’ll love this recipe

• This recipe is approachable, and easy which means even a beginner can do it. I started making this recipe way before I was a food blogger, so I promise, you don’t need any experience to make this dish!
• Minimal ingredients: This recipe only requires a handful of ingredients. You don’t have to go searching for 100 different ingredients, which is something I personally find so annoying with other recipes I see online.
• Easy to meal prep: This casserole is easy to prep ahead of time. Sometimes I add all the ingredients to the casserole in the morning, store it in the fridge so then I can just add it to the oven when I get home.
• The chicken sausage in this recipe is already cooked so I don’t have to worry about browning raw meat when I want to make this dish.
• I love the versatility of this recipe. You can use any kind of rice you like, such as brown rice, cauliflower rice, or white rice.
• To make vegetarian, I just omit the chicken sausage and add an extra bag of spinach.

ingredients & substitutions

Brown rice

Rice: You can use any type of cooked rice for this recipe. I ususually use frozen brown rice, such as white rice, basmati rice, or jasmine rice. Just make sure the rice is not uncooked when adding it to the skillet. Any kind of cooked rice works. I used frozen rice. But, leftover rice is perfect and honestly, its easiest if you ask me. You can use microwavable rice too! I like these time saving hacks the best because I want to get this meal on the table as fast as possible. Use brown rice, cauliflower rice, regular white rice, long grain, instant rice or standard uncooked rice.

Chicken sausage: If you are vegetarian you can use vegan sausage or omit the chicken sausage all together.

Spinach and Zucchini: You can substitute any other leafy green vegetable for the spinach in this recipe, such as kale for this dairy free chicken rice casserole. You can use any other summer squash for the zucchini in this recipe, such as yellow squash. I love yellow squash!

Roasted red pepper sauce: If I do not have roasted red pepper sauce on hand, I have also used any type of tomato sauce or marinara sauce. I have bought red pepper sauce before from trader joes but I have also made it myself. You can choose which is easier for you! Here is a recipe for a roasted red pepper sauce you can make at home.

directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the frozen brown rice, chicken sausage, spinach, zucchini, and roasted red pepper sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can mix it right in the casserole dish if you want!

Step 3

Pour the mixture into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover with tin foil.

Step 4

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the dairy free chicken rice casserole is bubbly and the rice is soft.

expert tips & tricks

• When I meal prep the dairy free chicken rice casserole, I assemble it then I cover the casserole dish tightly and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours. When I are ready to eat I bake for 20-25 minutes, or until fully heated through.
• When reheating the casserole leftovers the next day in the microwave, I place it in a microwave-safe dish and microwave it on high for 2-3 minutes, until it is heated through.
• To make this dairy free chicken rice casserole lower in carbs, I substitute half of the brown rice with cauliflower rice. Cauliflower rice is a low-carb alternative to rice that is made from grated cauliflower.
• To make this dairy free chicken rice casserole vegan, I omit the chicken sausage and add an extra bag of spinach. I also add another type of plant-based protein, such as tofu, tempeh, or lentils.

how to serve & store

To serve this dairy free chicken rice casserole, I scoop it out of the baking dish and onto individual plates. You can serve it with a side of crusty bread or crackers. I love to also serve it with a salad.

To store the dairy free chicken rice casserole in the fridge, I transfer it to an airtight container and I refrigerate it for up to 4 days. When reheating the casserole, I place it in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 15-20 minutes, or until it is heated through.

To store the dairy free chicken rice casserole in the freezer, I wrap it tightly in foil or place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, I thaw it overnight in the fridge. Then, I reheat in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 20-25 minutes, or until it is heated through.

you may also like

If you make this recipe and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and Pinterest. Purchase my cookbook Easy Allergy Free Cooking. Join my exclusive weeknight meal plan group for 5 weekly 30-minute dinner recipes plus a weekly grocery shopping list. The weeknight meal plan also has an accompanying podcast as well! I would love for you to follow along!