Comforting bake with tender chicken, wild rice, veggies, and creamy sauce, perfect for cozy dinners.
# Components:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1.2 lbs), cut into bite-size pieces
→ Rice
02 - 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend (6.35 oz)
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms (5.3 oz)
08 - 1 cup frozen peas (5.3 oz)
→ Dairy & Broth
09 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (12 fl oz)
10 - 1 cup milk (8 fl oz)
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or sour cream (4 fl oz)
12 - 1 cup shredded Swiss or Gruyère cheese (3.5 oz)
→ Pantry & Spices
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
16 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
17 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
→ Topping
18 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or gluten-free crumbs (1.25 oz)
19 - 2 tbsp melted butter
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
03 - Add chicken pieces to the skillet. Stir and cook about 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked.
04 - Stir in wild rice, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Remove skillet from heat.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk together chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream or sour cream until smooth.
06 - Add the sautéed chicken and vegetable mixture along with frozen peas into the bowl. Stir thoroughly to combine.
07 - Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
08 - In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with melted butter. Spread this topping evenly over the cheese layer.
09 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden and rice is tender.
11 - Allow casserole to stand for 10 minutes before serving to set.
