Description
Hearty chicken wild rice casserole brings comfort straight from Midwestern kitchens to your dinner table. Creamy, cheesy goodness blends tender chicken and nutty wild rice into a satisfying meal your family will devour.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Grains and Rice:
- 1 cup wild rice, uncooked
Supporting Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
Liquids:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
Fats and Butter:
- 10 tablespoons butter
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Flour:
- 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
Optional Topping:
- 3 cups cubed bread
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, mix 1 cup wild rice, 1 chopped medium onion, 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery stalks, and 4 cups chicken broth.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes until rice begins absorbing liquid.
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning for 1 minute.
- Gradually pour 2 cups milk into butter mixture, whisking constantly until sauce thickens smoothly.
- Remove rice mixture from oven and uncover. Stir 1 ½ pounds chicken pieces into the rice.
- Pour entire cream sauce over chicken and rice, mixing thoroughly to coat everything evenly.
- Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Toss 3 cups bread cubes in melted butter until completely coated.
- Spread buttered bread cubes across casserole surface if desired.
- Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top before serving hot directly from baking dish.
Notes
- Toast the wild rice in a dry skillet before adding to the baking dish for a deeper, nuttier flavor that enhances the overall taste of the casserole.
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easier eating and more even cooking throughout the dish.
- Make this recipe gluten-free by substituting all-purpose flour with cornstarch or a gluten-free blend, and using gluten-free bread for the optional topping.
- Prep all vegetables uniformly to ensure they cook evenly and create a consistent texture in your casserole.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg