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This cheesy, baked chicken and wild rice casserole is loaded with sweet tomato sauce, fluffy rice, and kale. It’s topped with juicy tomatoes and crunchy green onions for an explosion of textures.
Chicken Wild Rice Casserole Recipe
This hearty chicken and wild rice casserole with sharp blue cheese is so easy to make that it’s perfect for busy weeknights but also family gatherings.
- Great for potlucks! Serve it in the casserole dish, and let everyone help themselves!
- Beginner-friendly. Mix everything together and bake it until the cheese is nice and melty.
- Convenient. The recipe uses a combo of fresh and store-bought ingredients to make cooking easier.
- Hearty. There’s rice, chicken, sweet onions, kale, and lots of cheese in every bite.
Recipe Ingredients
The simple ingredients for this chicken and rice casserole include juicy chicken, of course, but also kale, tomato sauce, and melty cheddar cheese.
- Water – Feel free to use chicken broth or veggie stock.
- Wild rice – Add your favorite.
- Olive oil – Corn, vegetable, and canola oil are good swaps.
- Onion – Yellow or white onion work for this.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is best, but garlic powder can be used instead.
- Cooked chicken breasts – You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Kale – Feel free to use baby spinach.
- Black pepper – Freshly cracked pepper is best.
- Pasta sauce – Use your favorite tomato sauce.
- Blue cheese – Swap it for goat cheese or even feta if you don’t like blue cheese.
- Cheddar cheese – Go for mild or sharp cheddar.
- Cherry tomatoes – You can also add chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Green onions – Only use the green parts.
How To Make Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
Once it’s in the oven, this tomato chicken casserole is almost fail-proof. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prepare the rice. Cover the rice and simmer it in water or chicken broth for 40-45 minutes or until the grains begin to puff up and split. Then, fluff up the rice and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.
- Prep the oven. Preheat the oven to 375˚F and grease a casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Sautée the onions. Heat oil in a large pan and add the onions. Cook for a few minutes or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook it until fragrant.
- Add the chicken. Mix in the chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until heated through. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook it for 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.
- Mix everything. Combine the rice, chicken mixture, sauce, and blue cheese in a large bowl.
- Bake it. Transfer it to the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top. Bake it for 15-20 minutes or until melty. Remove it from the oven.
- Serve. Garnish the casserole with tomatoes and green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips for Success
Roasted veggies and rice are great ways to use up leftovers while making this chicken and wild rice casserole.
- Add more protein. Sautée ground Italian sausage or prepare my Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and mix it in for more flavor. My Instant Pot Pork Chops are great too.
- Use leftovers. Swap the wild rice for leftover Chicken Rice, Sausage and Rice, or Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice to make this recipe.
- Keep it vegetarian. Skip the chicken altogether or swap it for crumbled extra-firm tofu to make this a vegetarian dinner.
- Reduce clean-up. Line the bottom and sides of the casserole dish with parchment paper to prevent any sticking. When you’re done, just throw out the parchment paper and rinse the casserole dish as needed.
- More veggies. Chop up Pan-Fried Oyster Mushrooms and Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Parsnips. Add 1-2 cups of the mixture to make this dish heartier.
- Make it spicy. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce to taste for a spicy kick.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken and wild rice casserole is a hearty dinner on its own. My Kale Quinoa Salad and Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes are easy side options. I also love my Air Fryer Carrots and Roasted Acorn Squash. For a soup idea, try my Ham and Bean Soup.
Proper Storage
Make it in advance so all you need to do is reheat it quickly throughout the week.
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also tightly cover the baking dish with foil.
- To reheat it: Microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. For large portions, use the oven at 300F for 20-25 minutes.
More Easy Casserole Recipes
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Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
This hearty and delicious recipe for Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is prepared with juicy chicken, rice, kale, tomatoes, and a good dose of cheese.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water,, or chicken broth
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion,, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic,, minced
- 8 ounces cooked chicken breasts,, cut into cubes or shredded (leftover chicken is great in this recipe)
- 4 cups chopped kale leaves,, packed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper,, to taste
- 1 cup spaghetti/pasta sauce
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
- ½ cup fresh cherry tomatoes,, quartered, for garnish, optional
- 2 green onions,, green parts only, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil and stir in 1 cup of wild rice.
- Reduce heat and simmer covered for 40 to 45 minutes or just until the kernels puff open.
- Uncover and fluff with a fork; let simmer an additional five minutes. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375˚F. Grease a casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds, stirring occasionally, or until fragrant.
- Stir in the cubes of cooked chicken and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the chicken is heated through.
- Stir in the chopped kale and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted.
- Remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked wild rice, chicken mixture, pasta sauce, and blue cheese; mix until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and top with the cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and let stand 5 to 8 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh tomatoes and green onions.
- Serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 10.5ounces | Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 597mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5075IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 370mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make a recipe? Leave a rating
Can I use 1 minute instant wild rice? If so, how can I use it?
Hi Carissa! Sure! Just prepare it as directed on the package and then continue with the recipe, starting at Step 4 in the recipe Instructions. Hope you get a chance to try it!