Chicken Wild Rice Casserole with Gruyere

All About This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

• Packed with vegetables. The wild rice and chicken in this casserole are surrounded by plenty of veggie goodness: mushrooms, onions, carrots, and celery.
• Creamy and cheesy. The casserole comes together with a creamy base, rich with Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses. The gruyere is almost magical in this dish, with its nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor that plays so well with the wild rice.
• Croutons for crunch. For an extra layer of texture (and fun!), I topped this wild rice casserole with a pile of buttery Parmesan croutons. It’s like a crown of deliciousness, an awesome contrast to the creamy nuttiness going on below.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

This easy chicken casserole is made with wild rice, vegetables, gruyere cheese, and some pantry staples. Here’s what you’ll need, along with my notes. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the amounts and full recipe details.

For the Casserole

• Uncooked wild rice – Look for 100% whole wild rice.
• Butter – You could also use olive oil.
• Mushrooms – I use button mushrooms, but you can substitute a similar variety.
• Vegetables – A combination of chopped yellow onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery fulfills this casserole’s veggie quotient. You can change up the vegetables however you’d like.
• Garlic – Use 3 large cloves. Don’t skimp on the garlic! If you don’t have fresh garlic, substitute 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder or garlic paste per clove.
• All-purpose flour – A little bit is used as a thickener. You can swap the flour with half the amount of cornstarch to thicken the gravy, too.
• Chicken broth – Use low-sodium broth or stock to avoid a too-salty casserole. Vegetable broth works here, too.
• Half and half – Provides a bit of the creaminess to the sauce.
• Soy sauce – You could also use Worcestershire sauce to add warm umami flavor.
• Fresh. herbs – Fresh herbs always add so much flavor. Reserve some to use as garnish.
• Salt & pepper
• Cubed cooked chicken – Chicken breasts are the easiest option here, but thighs will work. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken.
• Gruyere cheese – My secret ingredient that thickens the dish while adding a sweet, nutty flavor. While I consider the gruyere to be the magic ingredient of this dish, you can easily substitute another cheese, like cheddar, Swiss, edam, or Gouda.
• Parmesan cheese – Use freshly grated if possible.

For the Crunchy Topping

• English muffins – I like the texture of English muffin bread for croutons, but you can use any bread you have on hand. Making croutons is a great way to use up any stale bread in the pantry.
• Butter and salt – The butter should be melted, or you can use oil.
• Parmesan – You can’t have enough cheese in this recipe!

Wild Rice Vs. Regular Rice

Wild rice is the official Minnesota state grain (yes, that’s a thing!), and I’m always surprised when I hear from people who’ve never tried it before. If you’re not familiar with it, wild rice is actually an aquatic grass unrelated to common rice. Most of the wild rice eaten in the United States comes from cultivated fields in California, but it’s also harvested naturally in shallow Minnesota lakes and rivers using manpower in canoes. Wild rice was a staple food for Native Americans in this area for centuries, and continues its rich history at our tables to this day. 

How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

Everyone loves the comfort of a casserole (or hotdish, as we often call it in Minnesota!). Here’s how to make this one with chicken and wild rice:

• Cook the wild rice. Cook rice according to package directions. Drain, if needed.
• Cook the vegetables. Cook the mushrooms and vegetables in butter until the onions are translucent and the carrots are softened. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in the flour.
• Add the remaining ingredients. Add the chicken broth to the mixture and boil until nicely thickened. Stir in half and half. Add the soy sauce, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Fold in wild rice and cooked chicken, then add the gruyere and parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Bake. Transfer to a casserole dish and cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until it starts to bubble. Top with bread cubes and drizzle a fine line of butter over them. Sprinkle with salt and parmesan. Return to oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Tips for Success

• Use leftover chicken. This casserole is perfect for using up leftover chicken, whether it’s chicken breasts, rotisserie chicken, or even beer can chicken!
• Use turkey instead. You could also turn this into a turkey wild rice casserole. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving leftovers (like my leftover turkey casserole). Sausage is also a good substitution, as you’ll see in my creamy wild rice casserole with sausage and mushrooms!
• Don’t overcook the rice. When boiling the rice, keep in mind that you’ll be baking it in the casserole afterward. Don’t overcook it or the texture will be mushy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your chicken wild rice casserole immediately, while still hot from the oven. Just sprinkle with some additional parsley and thyme if desired. Since the protein and vegetables are baked right into the casserole, you can easily consider this a complete meal all on its own. However, I often like to serve it with a fresh chopped salad or arugula salad and a side of fluffy bread rolls.

How to Store Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Leftover casserole can be stored in the fridge, either covered in the casserole dish or in another airtight container, for up to 3 days.
• Reheat. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in the oven.

More Cozy Casserole Recipes

• Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
• Spaghetti Casserole
• Jiffy Corn Casserole
• Green Bean Casserole
• Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole