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Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole Recipe

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4.2 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Lea
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Description

This comforting Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole combines tender chicken, savory mushrooms, crunchy water chestnuts, and nutty wild rice, topped with toasted almonds and melted Cheddar cheese. It's a hearty, crowd-pleasing dish perfect for family dinners or potlucks, baked to golden perfection with a crispy breadcrumb crust.

Ingredients

For the Toasted Almonds

  • 1 (2.25-oz.) package sliced almonds

For the Rice

  • 2 (6.2-oz.) boxes fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix

For the Casserole Filling

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 4 celery ribs, chopped
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 5 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 (10 3/4-oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup
  • 2 (8-oz.) cans chopped water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp. table salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
  • 4 cups (16 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 cups soft, fresh breadcrumbs

Instructions

  1. Toast almonds: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the sliced almonds in a single layer on a shallow pan. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they are toasted and fragrant. Remove from oven and set aside.
  2. Prepare rice: Cook the two boxes of fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mixes according to the package directions. Once cooked, set the rice aside.
  3. Sauté vegetables and mix filling: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onions and sauté for about 10 minutes until tender. Then stir in the chopped cooked chicken, cream of mushroom soups, drained water chestnuts, sour cream, milk, salt, pepper, cooked rice, and 3 cups of the shredded Cheddar cheese. Mix everything thoroughly to combine.
  4. Assemble casserole: Lightly grease a 15- x 10-inch baking dish or two 11- x 7-inch baking dishes with cooking spray. Spoon the chicken and rice mixture evenly into the dish(es). Sprinkle the soft, fresh breadcrumbs evenly over the top.
  5. Bake the casserole: Bake the casserole in the preheated 350°F oven for 35 minutes.
  6. Add cheese and almonds: Remove the casserole from the oven and evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese on top. Then scatter the toasted almonds over the cheese layer.
  7. Final bake: Return the casserole to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and almonds are slightly toasted. Remove from oven and let sit a few minutes before serving.

Notes

  • You can substitute cooked rotisserie chicken for convenience.
  • Ensure rice is fully cooked before mixing to prevent a crunchy texture.
  • For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and verify soup labels.
  • To add extra flavor, try mixing in fresh herbs like thyme or parsley.
  • This casserole can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated; bake before serving.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Casserole
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipesbylea.com/chicken-and-wild-rice-casserole-recipe/