Chicken Wild Rice Casserole with Gruyere
Yield: 10 servings
Creamy and flavorful, this chicken and wild rice casserole is comfort food at its best, with melty Gruyere cheese and an irresistible topping of buttery, crunchy croutons!
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE CASSEROLE:
- 1 ½ c. uncooked wild rice preferably 100% whole wild rice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 16 ounces button mushrooms sliced 1/4" thick
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 large carrots peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
- 4 stalks celery sliced 1/4" thick
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- ⅔ cup half-and-half
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley plus a bit more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves plus a bit more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 6 ounces shredded gruyere cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
FOR THE CROUTON TOPPING:
- 3 cups English muffin bread cut into 1/2" pieces
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- For the casserole: Cook wild rice according to package directions, until rice splits and curls into a "c" shape, exposing its chewy interior. Drain, if needed, and set aside.
- While the wild rice is cooking, proceed with the rest of the recipe. In a large pot over medium to medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the mushrooms, onion, carrots, and celery. Stir occasionally until the onions are translucent and the carrots are softened, about 10–15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Then sprinkle the flour over the vegetables in the pot and stir to incorporate. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until nicely thickened. Stir in the half-and-half and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes to thicken again.
- Add the soy sauce, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Then fold in the drained wild rice and chicken. Add the Gruyere and Parmesan, and fold to combine. Taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- Transfer chicken wild rice mixture to a large casserole dish. Cover with a lid or piece of foil, and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until it starts to bubble.
- For the crouton topping: Remove casserole from oven and top with bread cubes, leaving the outer edge of the casserole exposed. Slowly drizzle a fine line of melted butter over the tops of the bread cubes, aiming to hit as many of the bread cubes as possible. Sprinkle top of buttery bread cubes evenly with the 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Return casserole to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until bread cubes are nicely browned and the casserole is hot and bubbling. Remove from oven, sprinkle with additional fresh parsley and thyme, and serve immediately
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 576kcal Carbohydrates: 53g Protein: 28g Fat: 29g Saturated Fat: 15g Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g Cholesterol: 100mg Sodium: 1066mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.