Wild Rice Chicken Casserole
This Wild Rice Casserole is a hearty, comforting dish cooked in a crockpot, combining tender chicken, a wild rice blend, mixed vegetables, and a creamy cheese sauce. It’s an easy one-pot meal perfect for busy days, delivering rich flavors and satisfying textures.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 to 4.5 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes to 4 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1–1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
Grains
- 1–1/4 cups wild rice blend
Liquids
- 4 cups chicken broth (divided)
- 1 cup whole milk
Vegetables
- 2–1/2 cups mixed vegetables (1 small onion, 1 carrot, 2 stalks celery, 1 small sweet potato)
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
Seasonings & Spices
- 1–1/4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1–1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper)
- 2 bay leaves
Fats & Dairy
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded Cheddar cheese
Optional Garnishes
- Sliced almonds
- Freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prep Crock-Pot: Generously grease a large 6-quart crockpot to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Prep Chicken: Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs or breasts. If using breasts, cut each into 2–3 even pieces for even cooking.
- Rinse Rice: Rinse the wild rice blend thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer to remove excess starch, then add it to the crockpot.
- Prep Veggies: Dice the onion, thickly coin the carrot, slice the celery, and chop the sweet potato into bite-sized pieces. Add all vegetables to the crockpot.
- Add Seasonings: Add minced garlic, poultry seasoning, dried parsley, paprika, salt, pepper, and bay leaves to the crockpot mixture.
- Add Chicken Broth: Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth over the ingredients in the crockpot and stir to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high for 2½ to 4½ hours, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, the rice is tender, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Avoid using the low setting as it is not recommended for this dish.
- Melt Butter: Toward the end of cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Make Roux: Whisk in the flour gradually, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Thicken Sauce: Slowly whisk in the remaining 1 cup chicken broth. Allow the mixture to thicken before adding the whole milk slowly, continuing to whisk until sauce is thickened and smooth.
- Shred Chicken: Shred the cooked chicken directly in the crockpot using two forks.
- Combine and Finish: Stir in the creamy sauce mixture and the shredded Cheddar cheese. Optionally, add sliced almonds and freshly chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Enjoy the casserole immediately, hot and creamy.
Notes
- You can use chicken thighs or breasts based on preference; thighs are juicier, breasts are leaner.
- Wild rice blend can vary; use a combination of wild rice and other rice types or grains for texture.
- Adjust vegetable types based on seasonal or personal favorites.
- Make sure not to cook on low setting in the crockpot as recommended by the recipe to avoid undercooked rice or chicken.
- For a nuttier crunch, add sliced almonds as garnish just before serving.
Keywords: wild rice casserole, crockpot chicken casserole, slow cooker casserole, wild rice, chicken thighs casserole, creamy chicken casserole
Find it online: https://deliciousdishspot.com/wild-rice-chicken-casserole/
