Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• salt
• pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 ounces mushrooms, tough stems removed, sliced
• 1 ½ cups wild rice blend
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup whole milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large ovenproof skillet (or Dutch oveover medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until well browned on one side, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a plate and cover, browned side up; set aside.
3. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons butter to the now empty skillet along with the onions and celery. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp tender. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
4. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in the skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook, undisturbed, until the mushrooms are well browned on one side. Stir and turn the mushrooms and continue cooking until the moisture is released and evaporated, and the mushrooms are well browned.
5. Add the vegetables back to the skillet with the mushrooms along with the dry wild rice blend. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the chicken broth and white wine to the skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, until almost all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. While the rice is cooking, make the white sauce. In a small saucepan melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, onion powder and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the milk, slowly, whisking to combine. Cook until the sauce is thickened.
7. Once done, remove the rice from the heat. Pour the white sauce over the top of the rice and stir lightly to combine. Place the chicken in the skillet on top of the cooked rice and push down lightly leaving the tops uncovered. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until chicken registers 160 degrees F (for breasts) on an instant read thermometer, about 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley leaves and serve.

Recipe Notes

• Substitute chicken tenders or thighs if desired, or use skinless bone-in pieces. Bake the chicken until cooked through or 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer for breasts.
• You can also cut the chicken into smaller pieces or chunks and stir into the rice before baking. Substitute rotisserie chicken cut into bite sized pieces if desired.
• Substitute more chicken broth for the wine if desired.
• In place of the white sauce use 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup combined with a little wine, broth or milk to thin, if desired.
• I use an inexpensive Chardonnay for this recipe.

Base Recipe adapted from this SITE