Chicken Wild Rice Casserole (Print-Friendly Version)
Tender chicken, wild rice, and hearty vegetables baked under a golden bread topping—pure comfort in every bite.
# What You’ll Need to Make This:
→ Vegetables
01 -
1 onion, chopped
02 -
5 carrots, chopped
03 -
5 celery stalks, chopped
→ Grains
04 -
1 cup wild rice
05 -
3–4 cups cubed bread, preferably sturdy, dry, or day-old
→ Proteins
06 -
1 pound (450 g) chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
→ Dairy and Fats
07 -
10 tablespoons (140 g) butter, divided
08 -
2 cups (480 ml) milk
→ Pantry
09 -
3 cups (720 ml) chicken broth
10 -
4 tablespoons (32 g) flour
11 -
1 teaspoon salt
12 -
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
# How to Prepare:
01 -
Preheat oven to 175°C. In a large baking dish, combine chopped onion, carrots, celery, wild rice, and chicken broth. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and bake for 75 minutes.
02 -
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, and poultry seasoning. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in milk, whisking continuously until smooth and thickened.
03 -
Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter. In a bowl, combine melted butter with cubed bread, tossing to coat each piece evenly. This step is optional if a topping is not desired.
04 -
Remove the foil from the baking dish. Add the diced raw chicken and prepared bechamel sauce. Stir thoroughly until everything is evenly distributed. Arrange the buttered bread cubes in an even layer on top of the mixture.
05 -
Increase oven temperature to 230°C. Bake uncovered for 20–30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and bread cubes are golden and crisp.
06 -
Remove from oven. Optionally season with additional salt, black pepper, or fresh parsley before serving.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
For deeper flavour, use homemade chicken broth and allow bread cubes to dry overnight for a more robust topping.