Some nights you just need an utterly fuss-free, flavor-packed dinner that basically makes itself. Enter Forgotten Chicken – the crazy easy one-pan meal that’s going to become your new weeknight feast MVP.
This retro dish has been around for decades under various monikers like “No Peek Chicken” or “Don’t Peek Chicken and Rice Bake.” But no matter what you call it, the idea is brilliantly simple. You quickly layer together some classic pantry ingredients like chicken breasts, rice, cream soups and soup mix. Then you pop the whole thing in the oven, hands-off, for over an hour until it emerges hot, saucy and downright delicious.
The true beauty in this forgotten chicken dish is its wonderful convenience married with pure comfort food vibes. You’ve got juicy, tender chicken breasts blanketed in a luscious sauce made from cream of mushroom and chicken soups. The rice cooks right in that creamy goodness, absorbing tons of flavor as it transforms into a savory, risotto-like bed for those chicken breasts.
Topping it all off is a shower of crunchy, savory Lipton onion soup mix that adds incredible aromatic punch. Those little fried onion bits and herbs create an addictively crispy, salty crown that contrasts with the saucy rice below. It’s an outrageously satisfying and well-rounded meal from one single pan.
While you could certainly leave it at those basic elements, don’t be afraid to put your own spin on this forgotten chicken either! Mix up the rice variety, swap in different cream soups like celery or cheddar, or add in frozen veggies for a heartier dish. A shower of shredded cheese over the top in the final 10 minutes of baking adds incredibly cheesy Appeal.
Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups Minute rice white or brown
1 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 10.5 oz can water
1 tbsp butter
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
Instructions
Grease a 9×13 baking pan with the butter.
In a bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, water and rice.
Pour the rice and soup mixture into the prepared baking pan. Top with the chicken breasts.
Sprinkle the Lipton onion soup mix evenly over the top of the chicken breasts.
Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until chicken is fully cooked through.
Optional: Uncover and top with shredded cheese during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving the creamy chicken and rice directly from the baking pan.
Notes
For diced chicken, add 1 lb cubed raw chicken to the rice mixture before baking.
Reduce baking time by 20-30 minutes.
You can substitute different cream soups, add frozen veggies, or use boneless chicken thighs.
Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3-4 days. Can also be frozen then thawed and reheated.
