37 Amazing chicken and wild rice Casserole

If I could bottle up the feeling of a rainy Sunday afternoon spent around a table laden with good food, it would smell exactly like this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole. Honestly, nothing says “I love you” quite like a dish that’s irresistibly creamy and warms you from the inside out. We all have those days where we need an ultimate comfort meal, but we don’t have two hours to spare, right? That’s why this bake is my absolute go-to for family dinners.

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This recipe is proof that hearty, soul-soothing food doesn’t need complicated techniques. It’s simple, satisfying, and delivers that incredible texture everyone craves. I learned from my grandmother that the best food is made with love, and this simple, savory bake helps me bring that feeling to my table even on my busiest weeknights. You can find more of my easy family favorites over in my weeknight dinners collection!

Why This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is Your New Favorite

When I first started juggling my marketing career, good, hearty food felt impossible during the week. That’s when I adapted this recipe to be the ultimate Weeknight Chicken Casserole. It’s pure **Hearty Chicken Dinner Ideas** material, but it comes together using easy pantry staples. Trust me, the creamy texture you get from using both cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup is just divine—it’s thick, rich, and totally comforting.

Since I started using this streamlined version, my family asks for it constantly. We get that cozy, slow-cooked flavor without spending half the day slaving over the stove. If you’re looking for a foolproof bake that tastes like it simmered all day, this is it. Skip those boxed versions; this homemade version is so much better. If you enjoyed this quick bake, you should check out my chicken chow mein too!

Gathering Ingredients for the Perfect Chicken and Wild Rice Bake

To nail that **Homemade Casserole Classic** flavor, you have to start with the right building blocks. As I always tell my readers, the simplicity of this dish means every ingredient really shines through, so let’s get organized! We aren’t substituting anything here—we need the specific textures that make this dish sing. Having your rice and chicken already cooked and ready to go is key for keeping this a super fast Easy Chicken Rice Bake.

Don’t worry about finding fancy specialty items; most of this comes straight from my pantry shelves just like my grandmother used to stock hers. Get everything measured out before you start mixing, and you’ll be ready to shine!

Essential Components for Your Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole Recipe

• 2 cups cooked wild rice blend (Make sure it’s cooked!)
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream or milk (I prefer heavy cream for richness!)
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen peas (Totally optional, but I usually toss them in!)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (For that crunchy top layer)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (For tossing with the Panko)

Now that we have our gorgeous pile of ingredients, we can easily whip this entire chicken and wild rice bake together in minutes. If you love a good grape salad on the side, you should check out my recipe for that too, found here!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Chicken and Wild Rice Dinner

Alright, let’s get this fantastic Easy Chicken Rice Bake into the oven! Once you have all your components ready from the ingredient list, the actual assembly moves super fast, which is why I love this dish so much for weeknights. Just remember to work quickly so everything starts off warm!

Prepping and Combining the Chicken and Wild Rice Base

First things first: turn that oven on! You need to preheat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit right away. While that’s heating up, grab your 9×13 baking dish and give it a quick little grease so nothing sticks later—we had a few sad, stuck casseroles in my early cooking days, and I never want that for you.

Next up is the big bowl for mixing. Dump in your cooked wild rice, that gorgeous shredded chicken, both cans of soup (don’t skip one!), your broth, heavy cream, chopped onion, mushrooms, thyme, pepper, and salt. If you are using those frozen peas, toss them in now, too! Mix this all together until every single grain of rice and piece of chicken is coated in that creamy sauce. Then, just smooth that whole mixture right into your prepared dish.

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Topping and Baking the Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

This is where the crunch happens! Sprinkle that cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly right over the top of your rice mixture. It melts down beautifully and acts like glue for the topping.

In a tiny bowl—seriously, I use a ramekin—toss your Panko breadcrumbs with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter until they look evenly coated. Sprinkle that buttery crunch mixture right over the cheese. Now, slide that baby into the oven and let it bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You want it bubbly hot around the edges and that topping golden brown. Don’t forget this part, though: let it rest on the counter for a full 5 minutes before you dig in. That short rest allows the sauce to settle. You can pair this with my oven-roasted sweet potatoes for a complete meal!

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Tips for the Ultimate Comfort Food Chicken Bake

When you’re looking for the **Ultimate Comfort Food Chicken** experience but only have 15 minutes of active time, this is where my handy shortcuts come into play. Don’t stress about cooking chicken breasts ahead of time! If you grab a rotisserie chicken from the store, you save so much time for those busy weeknights. Just shred about two cups worth, and you’re golden.

Now, if you want to plan ahead, the slow cooker adaptation is a lifesaver. You can dump everything—absolutely everything except that Panko topping—into the Crockpot and let it cook low for about four to six hours. When you’re ready to eat, scoop it into your baking dish, toss on the buttered Panko, and bake it at 375°F for just ten minutes to get that perfect crispness back. It’s all about making wholesome food accessible!

If you’re interested in another simple, homey favorite, check out my recipe for sour cream coffee cake—it tastes incredible, too!

Making a Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup Variation

Okay, you know how much I love this casserole, but sometimes soup just hits the spot, especially when it’s chilly outside. If you’re craving something smoother but want to use this exact flavor profile, turning this bake into a magnificent **Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup** is shockingly easy. You don’t need a whole new recipe!

The secret here is liquid. Instead of using just 1 cup of broth and the liquid from the canned soups, you’ll want to increase your liquids substantially. I usually take the entire casserole mixture—chicken, rice, veggies, soups—and put it right into a big pot on the stove. I add an extra 3 to 4 cups of good chicken broth until it looks soupy, not thick like dip.

Bring it to a simmer, stir well, and taste for seasoning. If you want that famous Panera-style creaminess, you can finish it off with an extra splash of heavy cream near the end. It cooks up so fast, and you can even make a slow cooker version! If you want to see another one of my easy soup favorites, check out my Avgolemono soup recipe. For another great soup idea, this recipe shared by Iowa Girl Eats is fantastic, too!

Serving Suggestions for Your Simple Wild Rice Dinner

Since this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is so rich and absolutely packed with flavor, you don’t need a ton of heavy sides to go with it. I always prefer balancing that creamy texture with something bright and fresh! A simple side salad is my number one go-to for this **Simple Wild Rice Dinner**.

I love pairing it with something crisp, like steamed green beans tossed with a tiny squeeze of lemon, or my famous Mandarin Orange Salad. That salad cuts right through the richness of the casserole beautifully! You can find that recipe right here on the blog. A hearty dish like this deserves a light, vibrant companion on the plate!

Storing Leftovers of Your Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

The best part about making a big, hearty dinner like this is having leftovers for lunch the next day! Since this is such a substantial favorite, you’re going to want to store it correctly to keep all that creaminess locked in. Once the casserole has cooled down slightly—don’t leave it out for more than two hours, okay?—scoop the leftovers into airtight containers.

It keeps great in the fridge for about three or four days. When you reheat it, especially if it seems a little stiff, just add a tiny splash—maybe a tablespoon—of extra broth or milk per serving before you microwave it. That little bit of moisture brings the sauce right back to life! For more ideas on repurposing dinner, you might like my recipe for leftover mashed potato cakes.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Chicken and Wild Rice Recipe

I always get so many great questions about this recipe after people try it! It’s such a winner that folks want to make sure they get it exactly right. Here are a few of the most common things people ask me when making this casserole, plus a little note on how to adapt it for soup!

Can I substitute brown rice for wild rice in this chicken and wild rice dish?

That’s a great question about swapping grains, and yes, you totally can! If you prefer the texture or just have brown rice on hand, go for it. However, you need to know that brown rice cooks much faster than wild rice and absorbs liquid differently. If you use brown rice, you will absolutely need to increase your liquid—start by adding at least another cup of chicken broth and maybe a splash more cream. Also, the cooking time might shorten slightly since the rice is already cooked when we assemble it. The flavor will be less nutty than the authentic wild rice blend, but it will still be a fantastic **Simple Wild Rice Dinner**!

How can I make this **Weeknight Chicken Casserole** lower in sodium?

Since we use canned condensed soups, this casserole tends to run high in the sodium department, which is something I totally understand wanting to control! If you want to make this a healthier option without sacrificing that super creamy texture, you have a few good paths. First, always opt for low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions of both the cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups if you can find them. That’s a huge first step.

Second, the chicken broth is an easy fix—swap out the regular stuff for a certified low-sodium chicken broth. Lastly, when you mix everything, skip adding the extra salt listed in the seasoning entirely. Taste the mixture before it goes into the oven. With the canned soups providing background flavor, you’d be surprised how much flavor you keep even without adding extra salt. This will get you closer to that healthier, lower-sodium feel you might want!

If you’re looking for more recipe ideas and tips from my kitchen, feel free to browse my main blog page!

Nutritional Estimates for This Tender Chicken and Wild Rice Meal

Now, I have to be super clear about something important here! I’m a home cook, not a registered dietitian, so these numbers are just my best educated guess based on dividing the ingredients across six servings. Think of this as a handy guideline rather than gospel, okay? This recipe is definitely a hearty option, as you can probably tell from the ingredients list!

For one serving of this comfort-food classic, the estimates are looking something like this. If you’re watching specific macros, you know that the amount of cream versus milk you use will shift these numbers a little. I’ve kept it straight here based on the recipe specifics.

• Calories: Around 480
• Protein: A solid 32 grams! That’s thanks to all that tender chicken.
• Fat: About 24 grams (a decent chunk comes from that rich sauce and topping).
• Carbohydrates: Roughly 35 grams.
• Fiber: About 3 grams.
• Sodium: This one is a bit higher, around 850mg, mainly due to the convenience soups.
• Cholesterol: Approximately 95mg.

If you’re cutting back on fat or carbs, a simple swap of using milk instead of heavy cream will help, or you can try swapping out half the wild rice blend for garlic parmesan cauliflower rice! Either way, it’s going to be delicious.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole: Ultimate Comfort Food Bake

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This creamy chicken and wild rice casserole delivers the ultimate comfort food experience. It combines tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and savory mushrooms in a rich sauce, making it a simple, hearty dish perfect for weeknight dinners or family meals.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Total Time: 45 min
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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• 2 cups cooked wild rice blend
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (for topping)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (for topping)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. Cook the wild rice according to package directions. You need 2 cups cooked rice.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooked wild rice, shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, heavy cream, onion, mushrooms, thyme, pepper, and salt. Mix well until everything is evenly coated. If using, stir in the frozen peas now.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
5. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the casserole mixture.
6. In a small bowl, toss the Panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the cheese layer for a crispy topping.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly around the edges and the topping is golden brown.
8. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. This is a hearty chicken dinner idea.

Notes

• For an even easier weeknight chicken casserole, use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
• If you prefer a slow cooker chicken and wild rice option, combine all ingredients except the topping in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Transfer to a baking dish, top with buttered Panko, and bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes to crisp the topping.
• This recipe rivals takeout flavors, offering a homemade chicken casserole classic.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 480
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 850
• Fat: 24
• Saturated Fat: 12
• Unsaturated Fat: 12
• Trans Fat: 0.5
• Carbohydrates: 35
• Fiber: 3
• Protein: 32
• Cholesterol: 95