Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
This Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is my favorite way to dress up a box of wild rice and some chicken when I’m in the mood for something truly comforting. It’s got that wonderful, creamy texture from the mushroom soup and a little surprise crunch from the almonds that just makes the whole dish. Between the savory rice and that golden, buttery Ritz cracker crust, it’s the kind of honest Southern cooking that brings everyone to the table in a hurry!
The Perfect Casserole Recipe For Any Time of Year
Christmas and New Year’s are behind us, and most folks are in the middle of winter, snuggling within their quilts and homes, cooking up stews and cobblers. Oh, I’m doing the cooking part, but not the rest of it; my mind is on other things. You see, as soon as January hits, I get to expecting spring.
There are so many variations on this casserole that you could throw a rock at the internet and hit fifty on any given day. This is mine, it’s pretty easy and awfully good. Modify it, play with it, make it your own. Just let me know what time it is served and try to have plenty of tea when I show up, please 🙂 Or Diet Dr. Pepper…Diet Dr. Pepper is always good, too! (Bonus points if it’s a Dirty Dr. Pepper)
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Long Grain and Wild Rice (with seasoning, such as Uncle Ben’s)
- Cream of Mushroom Soup (can use fat-free)
- French Style Green Beans
- Chicken
- Almonds
- Ritz crackers
- Butter
NOTE: You can also add a cup of sour cream to this, and it will be wonderful! This is completely optional, but I love it.
Step 1: Cook Your Chicken
Normally, I wouldn’t have used chicken tenders for this because they are a little more expensive. This is a great recipe to use cooked chicken leg quarters (deboned and shredded), leftover chicken, or a whole fryer (cooked, deboned, and shredded), but since I did have this chicken on hand and company was coming (did I mention I like to make this for company), that is what I used.
Step 2: Combine Your Ingredients
Dump chicken, cooked rice, green beans, cream soup, and almonds into a big old bowl. Give it all a stir until it is good and mixed.
Step 3: Top and Bake Your Casserole
Spray a baking dish lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon the casserole filling into the baking dish. Sprinkle crushed crackers all over the top, drizzle melted butter over the cracker crumb topping, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Now all that’s left to do is eat up!
Ingredients
- 1 box long grain and wild rice mix I use Uncle Ben's, which is currently 6oz
- 1 cup fresh shredded chicken
- 1 can cut green beans mine is 15 ounces
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup 10-ounce, fat-free is fine
- 1 teaspoon onion powder optional
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup Ritz crackers crushed
- 3 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
To make casserole
- Cook and cube or shred the chicken. Drain the beans. Cook the rice according to the package directions in a pot big enough to mix the casserole (no sense in dirtying up more dishes).1 cup fresh shredded chicken, 1 can cut green beans, 1 box long grain and wild rice mix
- Once the rice is cooked, stir in all other ingredients (except Ritz and butter) until well combined. Spoon into a pie plate or casserole dish.1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ cup sliced almonds
- Cover the top of the casserole with crushed Ritz crackers. Pour melted butter evenly over the Ritz.
- Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly. Serve warm.
Christi, loved your recipe as usual Reminds me sorta of what I made today. Had a box of spanish rice and added can of diced tomatoes as directed, but then also added a drained can of black beans. Was very good. Think also that sour cream would have gone well also cooked chicken. Next time I’ll try it that way. I always love adding my own touches. Have a Happy New Year!!.
Just reading the recipe…looks good:) However I think the word “except” is MISSING from the first line of instructions? I think it should read “Place everything EXCEPT topping ingredients in a large bowl…..”
GOOD SAVE!!! fixed it!!! Thank you!
Daffodils and lilacs are my favorite flowers. Daffodils are the first flowers of spirng and they can last a long time. When we built our house in Alabama the first year we went to old house places and dug up the old varieties of daffodils. Of course we made sure the land owners were agreeable!
During the Alabama springs my house had bouquets after bouquets of daffodils.
As far as the color yellow–I love it but it makes me look sick so I don’t wear it. But my kitchen and breakfast areas are yellow–they look like someone has pried up the rooftop and let the sunshine in!
I’m not a big fan of wild rice. How much plain rice would be used?
I’d go for about three cups, but make sure you add in some seasoning to give it flavor as the wild rice mixture has a great seasoning packet 🙂 My mother doesn’t like wild rice either 🙂
Christy, I wear my watch on my right arm and I’m right handed, too, Just feels natural, Buttercups are my favorite flowers,too.
Hey Christy, love this recipe and love me some daffodils! I live just up the road in Franklin, TN and we put out some more bulbs this past weekend and I have some more still to put out this afternoon. I have always worn my engagement ring first and then my band too. It has always made more sense to me. Anyway, love you, love your blog!
Has anyone tried this with white or brown rice? I don’ t like wild rice.