Table of Contents

• Why I Love This Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
• Ingredients You’ll Need
• How to Make Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
• Recipe Tips and Variations
• Serving Suggestions
• Make Ahead
• Storing and Reheating Leftovers
• More Chicken and Rice Recipes
• Chicken Wild Rice Casserole Recipe

Why I Love This Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

• Incredibly Creamy Texture. This chicken and wild rice casserole delivers a rich and luxurious creaminess that is simply irresistible. Juicy bites of chicken are enveloped in a flavorful white sauce, alongside earthy mushrooms and a delightful wild rice blend. Unlike many other rice varieties that can turn mushy in a casserole, wild rice maintains its firm, toothsome texture, ensuring every bite is perfectly satisfying and never soggy. The distinct chewiness of the wild rice adds a wonderful contrast to the smooth, velvety sauce.
• No Canned Soup Needed. One of the key reasons this recipe stands out is its commitment to fresh, homemade flavors. Instead of relying on processed canned soups, I create a simple yet incredibly flavorful white sauce from scratch using just flour, butter, and milk. This homemade approach ensures a cleaner taste and allows you to control the ingredients, avoiding unwanted additives and sodium. What’s more, this rich sauce is quick and easy to whisk together right in the same pan used to sauté the chicken and vegetables, streamlining your cooking process and minimizing cleanup.
• Remarkably Adaptable. This creamy chicken wild rice casserole recipe is incredibly flexible, allowing for endless customization to suit your taste or what you have on hand. Don’t have chicken breasts? No problem! Feel free to use tender chicken thighs or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken for extra convenience and a head start on cooking. Beyond the protein, I love that I can easily swap out or add different vegetables. Whether it’s spinach, carrots, celery, or broccoli, this casserole welcomes a variety of fresh produce, making it perfect for using up fridge staples and adapting to seasonal ingredients.
• Perfect for Make-Ahead Meals. Busy schedules call for smart cooking solutions, and this chicken wild rice casserole is wonderfully make-ahead friendly. You can prepare individual components in advance, like cooking the rice or chopping the vegetables, or assemble the entire casserole ahead of time. This versatility makes it an excellent option for meal prepping, ensuring a delicious and comforting dinner is ready to go whenever you are. For ultimate convenience, you can even freeze the baked or unbaked casserole, providing easy, wholesome dinners for weeks to come.

Essential Ingredients You’ll Need for Wild Rice Casserole

Below is a quick overview of the key ingredients, along with some helpful notes and suggestions. This chicken wild rice casserole is exceptionally adaptable, and I’ll include even more easy variations further down in the post to inspire your creativity. For precise measurements and detailed instructions, be sure to scroll all the way down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this article.

• Chicken – Almost any type of chicken works beautifully in this casserole, offering great flexibility. I typically opt for skinless, boneless chicken breasts because they are incredibly easy to chop into uniform, bite-sized cubes that cook evenly and are perfect for a casserole. If you prefer a richer flavor and slightly more tender texture, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are an excellent alternative. For ultimate convenience, this recipe also works wonderfully with pre-cooked chicken, such as leftover air-fried chicken breasts, shredded Instant Pot whole chicken, or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken, which can significantly cut down on your prep time.
• Oil – A good quality olive oil is my preferred choice for sautéing, as it adds a subtle richness. However, feel free to use any cooking oil you have on hand that has a medium to high smoke point, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil.
• Onion and Garlic – These aromatic foundations are crucial for building deep flavor in the casserole. Finely chopped yellow onion provides a sweet, savory base, while freshly minced garlic adds a pungent, irresistible aroma. While fresh is always best, if you’re in a pinch, you can substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove of fresh garlic, and 1 teaspoon of onion powder for every ½ cup of diced fresh onion.
• Mushrooms – I love the meaty texture and earthy flavor of sliced baby bella (also known as cremini) mushrooms in this casserole. Their rich taste complements the wild rice and chicken perfectly. For an elevated touch, you can experiment with exotic mushrooms like shiitake or oyster mushrooms. If mushrooms aren’t a favorite in your household, they can easily be omitted or replaced with other vegetables such as sautéed spinach, diced carrots, celery, or tender broccoli florets.
• Wild Rice – Here’s a fun fact: wild rice isn’t technically rice at all! These distinctive black and brown grains are actually harvested from a type of marsh grass, offering a unique flavor and texture profile. Despite its botanical origin, you cook it much like traditional rice. The key is to cook your wild rice until it’s al dente – firm with a slight chew when bitten. This ensures it holds its shape beautifully in the casserole, adding a wonderful textural element without becoming mushy.
• Broth – I always reach for low-sodium chicken broth, as it provides a savory base without making the dish overly salty. This allows you to control the seasoning precisely. If you prefer, or need a vegetarian option, vegetable broth or stock can be used as a direct substitute.
• Butter, Flour, and Milk – These three simple ingredients are the foundation of our luscious homemade cream sauce, creating a rich and velvety texture. The sauce begins with a roux, a mixture of melted butter (or oil) and flour, which is cooked briefly to remove the raw flour taste. Then, milk is gradually whisked in, transforming the roux into a thick, smooth, and wonderfully creamy sauce that binds all the casserole components together. 
• Seasoning – A touch of fresh or dried thyme imparts an aromatic, earthy note that pairs beautifully with chicken and mushrooms. Generous pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper are essential for enhancing all the flavors in the dish. Adjust to your taste preferences throughout the cooking process.

What Rice Is Best for This Casserole?

This chicken casserole truly shines with the unique texture and earthy flavor provided by nutty, chewy wild rice, which is why it’s my top recommendation for this recipe. Wild rice is one of my favorite ingredients to use in hearty dishes like casseroles and soups because of its robust nature; it’s nearly impossible to overcook. Simply boil it in chicken broth, checking its tenderness every so often until it reaches a pleasant al dente stage, retaining a satisfying chew.

While wild rice offers a distinct character, if you’d like to use another kind of rice, you certainly can with what you have on hand. Just be aware that substituting will inevitably alter the overall flavor and texture of the casserole. For the best substitute that closely mimics wild rice, brown rice is your ideal choice. It shares a similar nutty flavor profile and a pleasant chewiness when cooked, making it a good stand-in. White rice, on the other hand, tends to make the casserole a bit blander in flavor, and it’s also much easier to overcook, potentially resulting in a mushy texture. If you’re specifically looking for a fantastic recipe designed for regular white rice, check out my delicious stovetop creamy chicken and rice recipe.

How to Make This Easy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Crafting this easy wild rice casserole with tender chicken and mushrooms is simpler than you might think. These are the concise steps to guide you through the process, resulting in a delightfully creamy and hearty dish. For the complete, printable instructions and ingredient list, please scroll down to the recipe card below.

Irresistible Casserole Topping Ideas

While this chicken and wild rice casserole is undeniably delicious and satisfying on its own, adding a topping can introduce an extra layer of delightful texture and a pleasing crunch. If you choose to enhance your casserole with a topping, make sure to add it after the casserole is assembled in the baking dish and just before you place it in the oven. Get creative with these ideas: try finishing this hearty chicken casserole with crispy panko breadcrumbs, which brown beautifully and add a light crispness (just like I use for my sausage stuffed mushrooms casserole). Other fantastic options include crushed cornflakes for a classic casserole crunch, savory leftover stuffing for added flavor and texture, crushed croutons, buttery Ritz crackers, or even crumbled potato chips for an unexpected salty crispness. Each topping offers a unique twist that elevates the casserole experience.

Expert Recipe Tips and Delicious Variations

• Don’t overcook the wild rice. While wild rice is famously forgiving and difficult to render mushy, it’s still best to cook it only until it’s al dente – firm with a satisfying chew. I recommend checking the rice around 15 minutes before the suggested cooking time is up and adjusting from there. Overcooked rice can absorb too much liquid in the casserole, impacting the overall texture.
• Achieve a perfect sear. For optimal flavor and texture, avoid overcrowding the pan when you’re cooking the chicken and mushrooms. Both the chicken pieces and sliced mushrooms require enough space to make direct contact with the hot surface and caramelize properly. If the pan is too full, ingredients will steam instead of sear, preventing that delicious browning. Cook in smaller batches if necessary to ensure a beautiful golden crust on everything.
• Thoroughly cook off the flour. When preparing the roux for your creamy sauce, it’s essential to stir often and allow the flour to cook with the melted butter for a good 1-2 minutes. This crucial step cooks off the “floury” taste, preventing your sauce from tasting raw, and helps to create a smoother, more luscious white sauce with significantly fewer lumps.
• To make a cheesy chicken and rice casserole, adding cheese is a fantastic idea! You can freshly grate a variety of cheeses such as Parmesan, Gruyere, sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Asiago. Either stir your chosen cheese combination directly into the casserole mixture before baking for a gooey, integrated cheesiness, or melt a generous amount into the white sauce to ensure every spoonful is rich and cheesy.
• Leverage a rotisserie chicken. If you’re using pre-cooked chicken, like a convenient rotisserie chicken, there’s no need to sear it. Simply shred the chicken meat and add it to the casserole dish along with the cooked rice and mushrooms. Incorporate it at the same time you pour in the creamy white sauce, ensuring it’s well combined and heated through during baking.
• Experiment with different proteins. This wild rice casserole is wonderfully versatile. Instead of chicken, you can easily substitute another protein. Try seared Italian sausage (crumbled or sliced), diced ham, or other ground meats like beef or turkey. Adjust cooking times as needed to ensure the protein is fully cooked before combining with the other ingredients.
• Incorporate more vegetables. I love transforming this chicken and wild rice casserole by adding various vegetables I have lingering in the fridge. For a vibrant broccoli chicken rice casserole, add cooked broccoli florets. You can also swap out the mushrooms entirely or add in asparagus spears, diced bell peppers, green beans, zucchini, or sweet peas. Remember to pre-cook denser vegetables until they are tender-crisp before adding them to the casserole to ensure they cook evenly and maintain good texture.
• Explore additional add-ins. You can truly unleash your creativity with what you add to your chicken and rice casserole! For extra crunch and depth, stir in chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans. For a briny kick, consider sliced olives. Green chilies add a touch of subtle heat, while chopped artichoke hearts or sun-dried tomatoes bring a burst of Mediterranean-inspired flavor. These additions can transform the casserole into a new culinary experience every time.

Delightful Serving Suggestions

I adore this chicken wild rice casserole because it truly functions as a complete meal-in-one! It provides a perfect balance of protein, wholesome vegetables, and satisfying grains, making it incredibly fulfilling on its own. However, if you’re looking to create a more expansive or festive meal, adding a few simple sides can elevate the experience. A crisp, fresh green salad, perhaps tossed with a bright creamy balsamic vinaigrette, offers a refreshing contrast to the richness of the casserole. Warm, fluffy honey butter dinner rolls or savory garlic bread are perfect for soaking up every last bit of the creamy sauce. Other excellent savory pairings include an easy Caesar salad or some deeply flavorful roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and balsamic. And for the perfect sweet ending to your comforting meal, indulge in some chewy and crunchy peanut butter cookies!

Make-Ahead Instructions for Your Casserole

This chicken wild rice casserole truly excels as a make-ahead dinner option, saving you precious time on busy days. To prepare it in advance, simply assemble the casserole as described in the recipe instructions, but do not bake it. Once assembled, cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn or odors. You can then refrigerate the unbaked casserole for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake, I highly recommend removing the casserole from the fridge about 30-60 minutes before baking to allow it to come closer to room temperature. This helps ensure even cooking. Then, bake as directed, though you may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time if the casserole is still significantly chilled from the fridge.

Alternatively, if you prefer to meal-prep individual ingredients, you can chop the chicken and cook the wild rice up to 1 day in advance. The mushrooms and onions can be chopped up to 2 days in advance. Be sure to store all prepared components in separate, airtight containers in the refrigerator to maintain their freshness and prevent cross-contamination.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate: Any leftover chicken wild rice casserole should be stored promptly. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Proper storage ensures freshness and food safety.
• Reheat: To reheat, I find the oven is best for restoring the casserole’s original texture. Place the leftovers in an oven-safe dish, cover it loosely with foil to prevent drying, and warm it at 350ºF (175ºC) until it’s hot throughout, usually about 20-30 minutes for a larger portion. For individual servings, the microwave is a convenient option; heat in short intervals, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly warmed. Add a splash of broth or milk if it seems a bit dry.
• Freeze: This casserole freezes beautifully, either baked or unbaked, for up to 3 months. To freeze, allow the casserole to cool completely if it’s already baked. Then, wrap the casserole dish (or transfer to a freezer-safe container) in a double layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Label clearly with the date. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking (if unbaked) or reheating (if previously baked) to ensure even warming.

More Delicious Chicken and Rice Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
• Chicken Fajita Casserole
• Chicken and Rice Soup
• Peanut Chicken with Rice