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Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole | lifemadesimplebakes.com
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5 from 1 vote

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole Recipe

This hearty chicken and wild rice casserole is made with tender chicken thighs, mushrooms, and a blend of herbs.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Cool Time10 minutes
Total Time2 hours 35 minutes
Course: Casseroles
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 773kcal
Author: Andrea

Ingredients

  • 1 cup +2 tbsp wild rice blend
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp kosher sea salt
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 2 tbsp white wine OR chicken stock
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk OR half and half
  • 3 cup bread cubed, (french bread or white bread)*
  • 5 tbsp butter melted

Optional Garnish

  • 1 tbsp parsley freshly chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the wild rice, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, chicken broth, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper and thyme to a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place into the oven to bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
  • At the 1 hour mark, in a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Sprinkle a dash of salt on the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken pieces all over additional ground black pepper and paprika. Working in 2-3 batches, brown the chicken pieces on two sides, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Remove chicken pieces and set aside. Add a little more salt to the pan (and more olive oil if needed) after each batch.
  • Add the mushrooms and sauté them, allowing them to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add the white wine or chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping off the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove the casserole from the oven (turn the oven up to 425 degrees) and stir in the mushrooms, sour cream and milk. Place the chicken over top and gently press it into the rice.
  • Toss the cubed bread into the melted butter, then sprinkle over the top. Return the casserole to the oven and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes, keeping an eye on the bread crumbs (if they are getting too brown, just place the foil over top.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.

Notes

*I used a whole wheat french bread from Target's bakery, it was perfect!

Nutrition

Serving: 6serving | Calories: 773kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1294mg | Potassium: 1113mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 5848IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 273mg | Iron: 6mg