Classic Forgotten Chicken Recipe

Forgotten chicken didn't get its name from the fact that it is some age-old recipe that was recently unearthed from an ancient cookbook. Instead, it may have been birthed in the test kitchens of the Campbell's Soup company some time in the 1970s, and its name refers to the "set-it-and-forget-it" nature of the recipe. As Feta Topalu says of her version of forgotten chicken, "A few simple ingredients get mixed together and transported to a baking dish, it goes in the oven for about an hour, and dinner is done!"

Fan of easy recipes? Topalu assures that "even a rookie in the kitchen can make this dish." Not only are there just a few steps involved, but you'll only need seven different ingredients and a bit of water to put it together. Plus, customizations are welcome based on your preferences and what you have in the pantry; use whatever canned soup you like, or mix in some added vegetables or seasonings to fancy up this easy chicken casserole.

To make this chicken casserole, you'll need two cans of soup: cream of chicken and cream of mushroom. You'll also need chicken breasts, minute rice, and butter, plus some pepper and onion soup mix for flavoring.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, rice, water, and black pepper until well combined.

Pour the rice mixture into the greased baking dish and spread into an even layer.

Arrange chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture.

Sprinkle the chicken evenly with onion soup mix.

Cover baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for about 1-1 ½ hours, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve immediately.

Casseroles by their very nature tend to be pretty forgiving with ingredient swaps, and this forgotten chicken recipe is no exception. It all starts with the soup: Topalu tells us, "A can of chicken soup can be swapped with another favorite can of soup, such as cream of mushroom or broccoli," or even cream of celery or cheddar cheese. Topalu also suggests swapping the instant white rice for instant brown rice or adding shredded cheese or chopped vegetables for extra flavor. Different herbs and spices are another easy customization option.

You're also free to use any cut of chicken you prefer, such as bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, and the cooking time will likely remain the same. As Topalu points out, "Because the cooking time is 1-1 ½ hours, most cuts will be completely cooked through," although she suggests using a meat thermometer to be on the safe side.

If you have leftovers of this chicken casserole, that shouldn't present a problem, as this dish lends itself very well to being refrigerated and then heated up again at a later time. Topalu says leftover forgotten chicken should last for 4 days in the refrigerator, though you could also freeze it for longer storage.

If you'd like to meal prep this casserole, Topalu says you'll want to bake it for the full cook time, as "casseroles with raw chicken should be completely cooked before freezing." The best way to do this, she advises, is to bake it and then let it cool all the way down to room temperature first. Once the casserole is cool, you may wrap it in a layer of foil and then a layer of plastic wrap or, better yet, a resealable plastic bag to keep out air and moisture and protect it from freezer burn.