If you're in the mood for a hearty, filling, tasty comfort-food dinner, you're going to LOVE this Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole! This recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken and rice, and it comes together with just a few minutes of hands-on work. You'll have an amazing dinner on the table in no time!
As we get into the Fall season, I start craving classic meat-and-potatoes dinners. Or in this case, chicken-and-rice dinners.
This creamy chicken and wild rice casserole requires a little planning ahead since it uses cooked chicken and cooked rice, and it's a great way to reinvent leftovers and turn them into something (dare I say it??) even better than the original meal!
This recipe also works GREAT with leftover holiday turkey instead of leftover chicken!
It might not be the prettiest dinner out there, but it is so so good! And super kid-friendly.
Ready to make this??
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Ingredients
- 4-5 cups cooked long grain and wild rice (that's about 8 oz, or 1 to 1.25 cups of uncooked wild rice)
- 2 tablespoons butter (or use olive oil)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (or use cream of mushroom)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dry basil or oregano (or a combination of both)
- Salt & pepper to taste (I usually barely add salt, since the cream of chicken soup, chicken, and rice are already seasoned)
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded - I LOVE using sous vide shredded chicken because it's so tender!
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated is best, but use what you have!)
- 1 tablespoon dry parsley
More comfort food casseroles: Weeknight Shepherd's Pie
You'll also need:
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Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or brush an 8x8 inch baking dish with olive oil.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the diced onion and celery for about 5 minutes, or until they soften.
Step 3: Add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chicken broth, and dry basil and/or oregano. Stir well.
Step 4: Add the cooked rice and chicken and stir until well combined. Taste carefully (it might be hot!) and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mix again.
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Step 5: Pour mixture into your prepared 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and dry parsley.
Step 6: Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!
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Optional add-ins
The recipe above is for a basic casserole, and I tried to keep the ingredients to a minimum. If you want to add a little more to it, here are some ideas:
- Add 2-3 cloves minced garlic to the onion and celery mixture.
- Use diced leeks instead of onion. Wash the leeks really thoroughly, they trap dirt in between all their layers!
- Add 1-2 small finely diced carrots to the onion and celery mixture - you might need to saute a little longer until the carrots soften, since they take longer to cook than onions and celery.
- Add some sliced mushrooms to the onions and celery when sautéing.
- Add some corn (canned and drained, or thawed if frozen) and peas (thawed and frozen) to the rice and chicken mixture.
- Use other herbs to switch up the flavors. Fresh or dried thyme, tarragon, and marjoram make great additions or substitutions for the dried basil.
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Questions about this rice and chicken casserole?
I have answers for you...
You can, but I don't recommend it. Wild rice has a great "crunch" and texture to it that holds up well to being in a casserole without getting mushy, so a blend of wild rice with long-grain rice is best for this recipe.
I love the Rice Select blend because it contains brown rice and red rice along with the wild rice, and it has a great texture. It does take some time to cook though, so make sure to plan ahead!
You can try brown rice, because that is typically firmer (and it's healthier!) than white rice, but white rice might not turn out as good. But if you give it a try please leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out!
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No, this casserole does not use enough liquid and does not cook for a long amount of time to cook rice if you're starting with uncooked rice. Please cook the rice first and then use that for the casserole. You can get quick-cooking rice here. You would need 3 pouches, which cook in just 5 minutes so you can get your rice ready while you sauté your onion + celery.
You need to cook the chicken before mixing it with the rice and the rest of the ingredients, because the casserole does not spend enough time in the oven to fully cook raw chicken.
If you are starting with raw chicken, then dice it and fully cook it in the pan first. Remove it from heat, and then sauté your onion and celery in the same pan.
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If you make this chicken and rice casserole, please take a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook. You can find me at @babaganoshblog on both. I love seeing your creations!
What to serve on the side
This dish has both protein and carbs and is definitely on the hearty side, so I think a side salad or air-fried veggies on the side are a great option. Here are a few ideas:
- Beet and blue cheese salad with homemade citrus vinaigrette
- Air fryer carrot fries
- Lemony asparagus with bacon
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups cooked long grain and wild rice - (that's about 8 oz, or 1 to 1.25 cups of uncooked rice)
- 2 tablespoons butter - (or use olive oil)
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- 2 celery stalks - chopped
- 1 can cream of chicken soup - (or use cream of mushroom)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dry basil or oregano - (or a combination of both)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast - cubed or shredded
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese - (freshly grated is best! But use what you have)
- 1 tablespoon dry parsley
Special equipment
- 8x8 inch baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or brush an 8x8 inch baking dish with olive oil.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the diced onion and celery for about 5 minutes, or until they soften.
- Add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chicken broth, and dry basil and/or oregano. Stir well.
- Add the cooked rice and chicken and stir until well combined. Taste carefully (it might be hot!) and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mix again.
- Pour mixture into your prepared 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and dry parsley.
- Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Jennifer
Thursday 10th of November 2022
We really enjoyed this casserole. I used 2 boxes of Rice-a-roni wild rice mix - prepared per the box. Since there was a seasoning mix w/ the rice, I just used a few dashes of each the oregano & basil, no salt & several shakes of pepper. Very easy & tasty. I will be saving this recipe & making it again. Thanks for sharing 😊
Kate
Friday 11th of November 2022
That sounds like a really great way to make a rice casserole!! So glad you enjoyed.