Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

This Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is a great recipe for a weeknight dinner but it’s fancy enough to serve for a special occasion. If you love to cook with rice then you’ll love this casserole.

This recipe has been on regular rotation with my family for years. It’s comforting and delicious. Make with leftover chicken, or a rotisserie chicken to make this easy recipe even easier! 

There is just something wonderful about a casserole. The yummy goodness like  Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole  or this popular Monterrey Chicken Spaghetti brings a lot of flavor and are budget friendly. Another great chicken casserole is this one for Ro-Tel Chicken Pasta  that’s made with lots of cheese goodness.  Sometimes a warm from the oven casserole is just what you need to make a bad day better!

How to make Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole:

(scroll down to bottom of page for full recipe)

Ingredients: 

• chicken 
• wild rice 
• parmesan cheese 
• cream of chicken soup
• Italian seasoning
• garlic 
• onion 
• butter
• sour cream
• dry white wine or chicken broth 

Instructions: 

1. Begin, by preparing the wild rice according to package directions. 

2. While the rice is cooking in a large skillet over medium heart melt butter and then cook chopped onion until tender and almost translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. 

3. Next, stir in soup, sour cream, Italian seasoning, half the parmesan cheese and chicken broth. 

4. Stir in the prepared rice and chicken. Transfer everything into a 9×13 casserole dish. 

5. Sprinkle more parmesan cheese over the top and then place in a 350º oven for 30 to 35 minutes. 

6. Garish with parsley and more parmesan cheese if desired. 

Variations and Substitutions: 

• Change the Seasoning: The teaspoon Italian Seasoning in this recipe can be swapped for 1/2 teaspoon basil plus 1/2 teaspoon oregano.

• Give it Some Extra Flavor: Swap the chicken broth for a dry white wine. This is an even swap no need to adjust the recipe. The white wine will change the flavor giving the casserole a slightly more savory flavor. 

• No Wine Try White Wine Vinegar: You can also swap the wine for white wine vinegar. The vinegar will add a lot of acidity to the dish. For this reason you will need to dilute the vinegar with water. For this swap you will need to combine equal parts vinegar and water.  This will be 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoons of each liquid. 
• Add Mushrooms: To add some veggies to this casserole try adding a jar of slice mushrooms to the mixture before transferring it to the baking dish. 

What kind of wine do I use?

I love a nice Chardonnay and I usually have a bottle on hand so that’s what I used. If you prefer something a little lighter you could use a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc. Another good option would be a Dry Sherry.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers; 

Refrigerator: Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheating: Stovetop method: transfer chicken and wild rice to a skillet and warm on low heat stirring occasionally until heated through.Microwave method: in a microwave safe dish heat leftovers in 30 second intervals. Stir between each interval until heated through. 

Freezing and Thawing:

Freezer: Prepare the casserole as instructed but do not bake. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or cover with foil and freeze for up to three months. 

Thawing: When ready to bake place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Bake as directed. 

What to serve with this casserole?

I like to serve a simple vegetable side dish or tossed salad to make this a complete meal. Some serving suggestions are: 

Easy Skillet Green Beans

Oven Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash

Oven Roasted Green Beans

No matter how you choose to make it this is a recipe that you’ll go back to again and again. Thank you so much for reading! Are you following New South Charm on Facebook? I’d love to hear from you; drop by and say hello!

Happy Cooking Y’all!

Susanne