Description
This Chicken Wild Rice Casserole features tender, flavorful chicken breasts surrounded by a savory blend of wild rice, mushrooms, onions, and celery, all enveloped in a creamy homemade white sauce. Baked to perfection, this comforting dish is perfect for a hearty family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Rice
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 ounces mushrooms, tough stems removed, sliced
- 1 ½ cups wild rice blend
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (16 ounces)
- 1 cup dry white wine
White Sauce
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves)
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Chicken: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until they are well browned on one side, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the chicken, place browned side up on a plate, and cover to keep warm.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the empty skillet. Add diced onions and celery, seasoning with ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Sauté these vegetables until they are crisp-tender. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the vegetables to a bowl.
- Cook Mushrooms: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook undisturbed until they are well browned on one side. Stir and continue cooking until most of the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are deeply browned.
- Combine Vegetables and Rice: Return the onions and celery to the skillet with the mushrooms. Add the wild rice blend and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the rice and vegetables with butter and flavors.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and white wine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cover the skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is beginning to soften, about 15 to 20 minutes. (If using a different rice blend, cooking time may vary.)
- Make the White Sauce: While the rice cooks, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, onion powder, and thyme. Cook while stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until the sauce thickens, stirring frequently to prevent lumps.
- Combine Sauce and Rice Mixture: Remove the rice from heat. Pour the white sauce over the rice mixture and stir lightly to combine everything evenly.
- Arrange Chicken and Bake: Place the browned chicken breasts back on top of the rice mixture in the skillet, browned side up. Press down lightly, leaving the tops of the chicken uncovered. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake uncovered until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Rest and Serve: Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes after baking. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- The chicken stays tender and flavorful nestled in a rich bed of wild rice and mushrooms.
- Adjust cooking time of the rice depending on the type of wild rice blend used.
- For added color and freshness, garnish with chopped parsley just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 727
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 225 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 61 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 146 mg
