Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Name: Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons [Organic Valley® Unsalted Butter]; 2 cups diced onions (1 large onion); ½ cup diced carrots (2 medium carrots); ½ cup diced celery (2 medium celery stalks); 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; ¼ cup white wine; 2 boxes (8.6 ounces) Rice-A-Roni “Nature’s Grain Long And Wild Rice” (discard the spice packets); 3 cups [Organic Valley® Whole Milk]; ¼ cup [Organic Valley® Heavy Whipping Cream]; 3 cups [Organic Valley® Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese]; 1 pound chicken breast (2 cups chopped cooked chicken); ¼ cup chopped pitted dates; ¼ cup chopped walnuts; 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh sage; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Pinch red pepper flakes (or more to taste); Sliced scallions, for garnish (optional)

Luke is a 2017 James Beard Best Chef Midwest semifinalist and owns the Driftless Café in Viroqua, WI. Rooted in local and organic food, he is also the host of television show Wisconsin Foodie.

A pan of cheesy chicken and wild rice casserole with a spoon in it.

This easy casserole is a delicious win for the whole family. It’s made in one skillet and is a quick homemade dinner you can enjoy throughout the week. You may be surprised by the addition of dates but consider them your secret ingredient as we found the kids actually love them in this dish, not to mention the nutritional benefits they add!

Featured in:Ways to Use Extra Milk

15 min Prep45 min Cook1 hr Total

15 min Prep•45 min Cook•1 hr Total

8 Servings

15 min Prep45 min Cook1 hr Total

15 min Prep•45 min Cook•1 hr Total

8 Servings

Featured in:

Ways to Use Extra Milk

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Ingredients

2 cups diced onions (1 large onion)

½ cup diced carrots (2 medium carrots)

½ cup diced celery (2 medium celery stalks)

A head of garlic with a clove on the side.

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼ cup white wine

2 boxes (8.6 ounces) Rice-A-Roni “Nature’s Grain Long And Wild Rice” (discard the spice packets)

1 pound chicken breast (2 cups chopped cooked chicken)

¼ cup chopped pitted dates

¼ cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh sage

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

Sliced scallions, for garnish (optional)

Directions

preheat: Preheat the oven to 350 F

add vegetables: Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or oven-proof lidded pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce by half.

stir: Stir in the Rice-A-Roni, milk, heavy cream, 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, chicken, dates, walnuts and sage. Season with the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

simmer: Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven (alternatively, you can cook the mixture on the stovetop, covered, at a low simmer). Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 30 minutes.

sprinkle cheese: Remove the lid and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese over top. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes longer (if cooking on the stovetop, cover the pot and cook until the cheese is melted).

serve: Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving. If you’d like, garnish with sliced scallions.

Directions

Cooking Mode

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preheat: Preheat the oven to 350 F

stir: Stir in the Rice-A-Roni, milk, heavy cream, 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, chicken, dates, walnuts and sage. Season with the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.