Hen Wild Rice Casserole | Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts

Why I Love This Hen Wild Rice Casserole

• Creamy texture. This hen and wild rice casserole is wealthy and creamy, with earthy mushrooms and juicy bites of hen wrapped in a wild rice mix. Not like different rice varieties, wild rice doesn’t turn out to be mushy, so the feel stays toothsome and scrumptious.
• No canned soup. I make a easy home made white sauce from flour, butter, and milk. It’s fast and simple to whisk collectively in the identical pan you utilize to sauté the hen and veggies.
• Adaptable. This casserole recipe is SUPER versatile! As an alternative of hen breasts, go for thighs or use a rotisserie hen from the shop for additional comfort. I really like that I can change up the recipe with totally different veggies, too, relying on what I’ve within the fridge.
• Make-ahead pleasant. Whether or not you prep the person elements or assemble the entire casserole prematurely, there are many methods to get a headstart on this hen wild rice casserole. You may even freeze the baked or unbaked casserole for straightforward dinners down the highway.

Substances You’ll Want

Beneath is a fast overview of the components together with some notes. This hen wild rice casserole could be very adaptable, although, and I embody some simple variations additional within the put up. Additionally, you’ll want to scroll to the printable recipe card for the total recipe quantities and particulars.

• Hen – Nearly any hen will work right here. I like to make use of skinless, boneless hen breasts as they’re best to cut into bite-sized cubes. You should use thighs if you happen to choose. This recipe even works with cooked leftover hen breasts, shredded complete hen, or a rotisserie hen.
• Oil – Olive oil, or your selection of cooking oil.
• Onion and Garlic – Finely chopped yellow onion and freshly minced garlic are greatest. In the event you don’t have recent, you possibly can substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove, and 1 teaspoon of onion powder per ½ cup of diced onion.
• Mushrooms – I like sliced child bella (additionally known as cremini) mushrooms. Be happy to make use of unique mushrooms like shiitake or oyster mushrooms, too. If mushrooms aren’t your factor, go away them out or exchange them with one other veggie, like spinach, carrots, celery, or broccoli.
• Wild Rice –  Enjoyable truth: Wild rice isn’t really rice. Its black and brown-colored grains are harvested from a sort of marsh grass! Nonetheless, you prepare dinner it identical to rice. Make sure you prepare dinner your wild rice al dente (agency when bitten), this fashion it’ll keep chewy.
• Broth – I like to make use of low-sodium hen broth. You may swap this for vegetable broth or inventory if wanted.
• Butter, Flour, and Milk – The home made cream sauce begins with a roux of flour and butter (or oil), that’s whisked with milk to make a thick, creamy sauce. 
• Seasoning – Contemporary or dried thyme, salt, and pepper.

What Rice Is Greatest for This Casserole?

This hen casserole will get its scrumptious texture and earthy taste from nutty, chewy wild rice, in order that’s what I like to recommend for this recipe. Wild rice is one among my favourite components in recipes like casseroles and soups as a result of it’s practically not possible to overcook. Merely boil it in hen broth, checking it from time to time till it’s tender.

In the event you’d like to make use of one other type of rice, you should use any rice you have got available. Simply take into account that it’ll influence the general taste and texture of the casserole. Brown rice is the perfect substitute for wild rice because it has an analogous taste and chewiness. White rice tends to make the casserole a bit bland, and it’s additionally simpler to overcook. Take a look at my stovetop creamy hen and rice if you happen to’re searching for an excellent recipe to make with common rice.

The best way to Make Hen and Wild Rice Casserole

These are the quick and candy steps to make this simple wild rice casserole with tender hen and mushrooms. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for the printable directions.

Casserole Topping Concepts

This hen and wild rice casserole is scrumptious with out a topping, however if you wish to add some additional texture and crunch, there’s undoubtedly the choice to take action. Add any toppings after the casserole is within the pan and earlier than you bake. Attempt ending this hen casserole with crispy panko breadcrumbs (like I take advantage of for my sausage stuffed mushrooms casserole), or high it with cornflakes, leftover stuffing, crushed croutons, Ritz crackers, or potato chips.

Recipe Suggestions and Variations

• Don’t overcook the rice. Whereas it’s troublesome to overcook wild rice, do your greatest to not simmer it previous al dente. I prefer to test the rice when there’s nonetheless about quarter-hour left within the cooking time and go from there.
• Get a great sear. Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking the hen and mushrooms. Each the hen items and sliced mushrooms want sufficient room to caramelize within the scorching pan, in any other case they’ll steam as an alternative of sear. Prepare dinner in batches if you could.
• Prepare dinner off the flour. Be sure to stir usually and let the flour prepare dinner with the butter for a great 1-2 minutes when making the roux for the sauce. This cooks off the “floury” style and makes for a smoother white sauce with fewer lumps.
• To make a tacky hen and rice casserole, freshly grate parmesan cheese, Gruyere, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Asiago cheese, or any mixture of cheeses to stir into the casserole earlier than baking. You can even soften the cheese into the white sauce.
• Use a rotisserie hen. In the event you’re utilizing pre-cooked hen, like rotisserie hen, I like to recommend shredding it and including it to the rice on the similar time you add the sauce.
• Completely different protein. As an alternative of hen, make this wild rice casserole with one other protein, like seared Italian sausage, diced ham, or floor meats, like beef or turkey.
• Extra veggies. I really like filling this hen and wild rice casserole with veggies I’ve kicking round within the fridge. Use cooked broccoli for a broccoli hen rice casserole, or swap the mushrooms for asparagus, diced bell peppers, inexperienced beans, zucchini, or peas. Make sure you pre-cook the veggies earlier than including them to the casserole.
• Extra add-ins. You may actually get artistic with what you add to your hen and rice casserole! Stir in chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans), olives, inexperienced chilies, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and so on.

Make Forward

This hen wild rice casserole is a good make-ahead dinner. All you do is assemble the casserole as written after which cowl and refrigerate it unbaked for as much as 2 days. If you’re able to bake, I like to recommend taking the casserole out of the fridge forward of time to take the chilliness off. Then, bake as directed (you could want so as to add just a few additional minutes to the baking time if the casserole continues to be chilly from the fridge).

In the event you’d prefer to meal-prep the components as an alternative, you possibly can chop the hen and prepare dinner the rice as much as 1 day prematurely, and reduce up the mushrooms and onions as much as 2 days prematurely. Hold all the things saved in separate containers within the fridge.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Hold any leftover hen wild rice casserole hermetic within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
• Reheat. I prefer to heat this casserole within the oven beneath foil at 350ºF till it’s scorching all through. Particular person servings will also be reheated within the microwave.
• Freeze. You may freeze the baked or unbaked wild rice casserole for as much as 3 months. Permit it to chill after which wrap the casserole in a double layer of plastic wrap. Thaw the casserole within the fridge, and let it sit at room temperature for at the very least half-hour earlier than baking or reheating.

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