The holiday season is right around the corner and this time of year, everyone needs a good seasonal casserole. Something that you can make ahead and then all you have to do is put it in the oven to bake. Toss together a quick salad and dinner is ready to go. My favorite is a chicken and wild rice recipe that I clipped from an older reader’s recipe column from Southern Living years ago.
Now I know that canned soup has a reputation that sometimes precedes it, but in this dish I happen to like it. Some nights making a sauce from scratch just isn’t in the cards. No matter how much you like to cook, there are times when you just need something easy. Chicken and wild rice casserole is a crowd pleasing favorite. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal, family gatherings or sharing a meal with a friend in need.
Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole (adapted from Southern Living/ Leslie Flemister) Serves 6
- 1 box of Ben’s quick cooking wild rice
- 1/4 cup butter, divided
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1 sweet yellow onion, diced
- 1 rotisserie chicken shredded into bite sized pieces (about 2 cups)
- 1 (8oz) container of sour cream
- 1 (10oz) cream of chicken and mushroom soup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 3 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Prepare the wild rice according to the package instruction using the seasoning packet.
Next, in a medium sized skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the celery and the onion and cook until tender.
In a large mixing bowl stir together the rice, the cooked celery and onions, the cream of chicken and mushroom soup, sour cream, salt and pepper. Then fold in 1½ cups of the cheddar cheese.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir to coat them in the butter toast them slightly for about 2 minutes.
Now assemble the casserole. Evenly spread the rice mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Next, sprinkle the top with the remaining 1½ cup cheddar cheese and the bread crumbs.
If serving immediately, bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread crumbs are a golden brown.
You can refrigerate the casserole and bake it later. Just cover the top with aluminum foil lightly sprayed with cooking spray to keep the cheese from sticking and bake for 40 to 45 minutes removing the foil after the first 20 minutes so the bread crumb topping turns a golden brown.
A delicious dinner made easy with the help of some rotisserie chicken and wild rice. Flexibility is key when it comes to getting dinner on the table. I like that I can make it that same night or make it ahead and bake it the next day.
Call me sentimental, but sometimes there is nothing like the comfort of a creamy rice and cheese casserole. This one just seems to hit all the right notes.
