31 Jan Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Chicken and wild rice casserole is an easy, comforting meal that the whole family will enjoy! You just can’t go wrong with tender chicken and wild rice in a creamy sauce, and topped off with buttery breadcrumbs. It’s a hearty, flavorful dinner that will be a new favorite!
A good homemade casserole is just the best, and this recipe is a definite winner! After you’ve made this one, go ahead and try some of our other tried and true casseroles like this Cowboy Casserole, Crack Chicken Casserole or this yummy Broccoli and Rice Chicken Casserole. You will love them all!
Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole Recipe
This chicken and wild rice casserole will be the star of your dinner table! It has easily become one of my family’s favorite meals. Made with juicy chicken, hearty wild rice, a creamy sauce, and crispy topping, it’s going to have everyone wanting seconds.
Casseroles are one of my favorite meals to prepare for my family. They are just so warm, cozy and always taste amazing! They’re also really convenient to serve because everything bakes in one big dish. You can easily transport them to potlucks and family gatherings and clean up is fuss-free. Try this incredible breakfast casserole, this popular pizza casserole, or my favorite taco casserole. You will LOVE them all!
Ingredients Needed
All of the ingredients needed to make this chicken and wild rice casserole recipe are simple and easy to find at your local grocery store. Everything comes together for total comfort food! Find the measurements below in the recipe card.
- Wild Rice Mix: You will cook this up before mixing it in with all of the other ingredients.
- Butter: Cooking the chicken and veggies in unsalted butter will add richness to the casserole. You will also need butter for the perfect golden, flavorful breadcrumb topping.
- Yellow Onion: Adds wonderful savoriness without overwhelming the dish.
- Chicken Breasts: Dice the chicken into 1-inch cubes for bite-sized pieces.
- Garlic: A must in any savory casserole!
- Baby Bella Mushrooms: For an earthy, savory taste that complements all of the other ingredients.
- Seasonings: A blend of dried thyme, parsley, basil, salt and pepper to bring all of the flavors together.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: You can use store-bought or you can try making this delicious homemade cream of mushroom soup.
- Sour Cream: Adds creaminess and the perfect tangy flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: Flavors the creamy sauce.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Mixed with melted butter and parsley for a golden brown crisp topping.
- Fresh Parsley: Gives the dish a pop of color.
How to Make Wild Rice Casserole
This chicken and rice casserole is something that anyone can make! There’s just a few simple steps, and everything turns out so tasty every time. Your friends and family won’t be able to resist the creamy, hearty goodness.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
- Wild Rice: Cook the wild rice mix according to the package directions and then set aside.
- Sauté the Onion and Chicken: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat and add in the onion and chicken breasts. Sauté until the chicken breasts have been seared on all sides but aren’t quite cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
- Cook the Other Seasonings and Veggies: To the skillet add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, parsley basil, salt and pepper and sauté another 5 minutes, until everything has come together and the mushrooms have cooked down a bit.
- Stir in the Soup, Sour Cream and Cheese: Remove the skillet from heat and then stir in the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and cooked wild rice mix. Stir to mix well. Then pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake: In a medium bowl whisk together the breadcrumbs, butter, and parsley. Pour the topping over the casserole and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven, let it stand at room temperature at least 5 minutes before serving.
Tips and Variations
This chicken and rice casserole is so tasty as-is, but if you want to cook it more often, you can easily switch a few things up and make it taste fresh and new every time! Here are a few ideas!.
- Vegetables: Try adding in other vegetables that you like! Carrots, peas, green beans or broccoli would be great! Just make sure that you adjust the amounts. For example, if you add in carrots, add less mushrooms. You want 2 cups of veggies total.
- Rice: You can switch the wild rice out for white or brown rice, if you’d prefer. It will change the taste a bit but it will still be delicious. Make sure to follow the directions on the rice that you are using because cook times vary depending on the type!
- Make it Vegetarian: If you’re wanting a meatless meal, you can bulk up on the vegetables instead of using the chicken.
- Bake Until Golden Brown: This casserole is done when the topping is golden brown and bubbly. If the topping is still pale, let it bake for a few more minutes.
- Rest After Baking: This allows the flavors to meld and the casserole to set slightly. Let it rest for at least 45 minutes.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
This chicken and wild rice casserole makes incredible leftovers! The flavors get even tastier the next day. Follow my instructions below for storing and reheating leftovers.
- In the Refrigerator: Stored in the refrigerator, this casserole will last for 5 days. Store leftovers in an airtight container for the best results!
- To Reheat: To rewarm, you can heat the casserole in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed through at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or you can microwave individual slices in 15 to 30-second cooking intervals.
Looking for More Casserole Recipes?
Enjoy these other family-friendly casserole recipes that are so easy to make! They are the absolute best comfort food! For more dinner inspo, find my full list of casseroles here!
Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups wild rice mix
- ¼ cup butter, unsalted
- ½ yellow onion, minced
- 1 pound chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 10 ounce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Topping
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and prepare a 9X13 inch baking dish by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
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Cook the wild rice mix according to the package directions and set aside.
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Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat and add in the onion and chicken breasts. Saute until the chicken breasts have been seared on all sides but aren’t quite cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
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To the skillet add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, parsley basil, salt and pepper and saute another 5 minutes, until everything has come together and the mushrooms have cooked down a bit.
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Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and cooked wild rice mix. Stir to mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
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In a medium bowl whisk together the breadcrumbs, butter, and parsley. Pour the topping over the casserole and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.
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Remove the casserole from the oven, let it stand at room temperature at least 5 minutes before serving.
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