Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Name: Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups wild rice blend; 3 cups chicken broth; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 8 ounces white mushrooms (sliced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 1 ½ cups milk; 1 cup sour cream; 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese; 3 cups cooked shredded chicken; 6 ounces French-fried onions (canned or homemade)

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By: Diana Posted: 8/5/24 Updated: 12/28/24

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This creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is a unique and delicious way to make a comforting casserole dinner for your family.

Made with pre-cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken is perfect), you can prep this meal in just 15 minutes! Bake it now or store it in the fridge until you need it.

a rectangular white baking dish holding a crispy onion topped casserole of chicken and wild rice.

I decided to top this chicken and wild rice casserole with crispy french fried onions, and I’m pretty sure that’s one of the best decisions I’ve made lately!

This casserole turned out amazing and disappeared very quickly from my kitchen after I photographed it.

A simple chicken casserole made with a blend of wild and long-grain rice, a creamy homemade garlic cheese sauce, shredded chicken, and mushrooms is already super comforting, but the topping takes it over the top!

Just like they do for green bean casserole, Crispy fried onions add flavor and crunch that make this casserole irresistibly good.

a scoop of chicken and wild rice casserole held up over the baking dish, viewed from the side.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole Recipe Highlights

Shredded Chicken – Save yourself some time and make this recipe with meat from a grocery store rotisserie chicken. I am a huge fan of the ones from Costco, such an economical time saver!
Rustic, Homestyle Flavor – You’ll love that we’re making this creamy sauce from scratch – no canned cream of chicken soup is required here! My homemade casserole sauce is flavored with mushrooms, onions, garlic, and herbs, and it’s way more delicious than the processed stuff.
Versatile Recipe – Feel free to add things to this recipe. It would be tasty with extra veggies like peas, green beans, or broccoli, or with a buttery cracker topping or slivered almonds in place of the crispy onions.

Key Ingredients In Wild Rice Chicken Casserole

Here’s what you need to make the best chicken and wild rice casserole:

The ingredients needed to make wild rice and chicken casserole from scratch.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Cooked Chicken: Use a rotisserie chicken, or poach a couple of chicken breasts and shred them up before you get started. This recipe can also be made with leftovers!
Mushrooms: White button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms will both work just fine.
Wild Rice Blend: Don’t use just wild rice, the casserole will be too heavy. Instead, look for a rice blend that includes wild rice and long-grain rice. Common brands include Lundberg Family Farms’ wild blend and RiceSelect’s royal blend. If you can’t find wild rice mix, then just combine 1 cup of your favorite rice with ½ cup of wild rice.
Chicken Broth: To give the rice flavor, cook it in chicken broth or chicken stock instead of water.
Onion and Garlic: Fresh aromatic vegetables give the homemade sauce a rich, savory flavor.
For the Sauce: Milk and sour cream make it extra rich. Whole milk works best, but any milk you have in the fridge is fine.
Flour: A bit of all-purpose flour will thicken the sauce.
Cheddar Cheese: For the meltiest cheese, grate fresh cheese from a block rather than using bagged shredded cheese.
Crispy Onions: I have a recipe if you’d like to make crispy fried onions from scratch, but to keep things simple, feel free to use a can of French’s onions.

Need more easy casserole ideas? Try my stuffed pepper casserole, pizza casserole, or hamburger potato casserole next!

How To Make Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole from Scratch

wild rice cooking in broth in a metal saucepan. — 1. **Cook the Rice:** Boil the rice blend in chicken broth, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, or until done.

a white enameled skillet of sauteed onions and mushrooms with minced garlic and seasonings added. — 2. **Saute:** Meanwhile, cook the onion and mushrooms in olive oil until soft. Then add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

flour added to cooked mushrooms and onions in a white skillet. — 3. **Add Flour:** Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and stir to combine.

homemade mushroom sauce for casserole cooked in a skillet. — 4. **Add Milk:** Gradually stir in the milk, and cook, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.

sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese added to mushroom sauce in a white enameled skillet. — 5. **Add Cheese and Sour Cream**: Remove the sauce from the heat first.

creamy cheesy mushroom sauce in a white enameled skillet. — 6. **Stir** until the sauce is well-mixed.

creamy mushroom sauce, shredded chicken, and cooked wild rice added to a baking dish. — 7. **Fill the Baking Dish:** Add the cooked rice, shredded chicken, and creamy sauce to a greased casserole pan. You can also do this part in a mixing bowl.

chicken, wild rice, and mushrooms in a creamy sauce, spread into a casserole dish. — 8. **Stir:** Mix everything together well to combine.

baked creamy mixture of shredded chicken, mushrooms, wild rice in a rectangular white baking dish. — 9. **Bake:** Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

Tip!

You can make this without the onions if you like! Sprinkle on a bit more cheese instead and bake until everything is golden brown.

a white baking dish of chicken casserole with wild rice, topped with frenchs onions. A large spoon has taken a serving from the front corner.

Recipe Tips

Make it Ahead: Assemble the casserole as directed, leaving off the crispy onions. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake, continue following the instructions. Add 5-10 extra minutes of bake time.
Check the Rice Instructions: Your brand and style of wild rice blend may have slightly different cooking instructions to mine. The instructions in the recipe card should work, but always consult the package directions, just in case.
Cool Before Serving: Allow the casserole to rest out of the oven for at least ten minutes before serving it. Otherwise, it will be much too hot!
Add a Garnish: Fresh parsley is always a good idea!

a serving of chicken and wild rice casserole on a white plate with a dark metal fork.

Storing Tips

Store any leftover wild rice casserole in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Leftovers reheat well in the microwave.

closeup of a serving of chicken casserole with wild rice topped with crispy onions and chopped parsley.

What To Serve With Chicken Casserole

To make the most of this easy casserole, serve it with a simple tossed salad, or your favorite steamed or sauteed vegetables.

Roasted broccoli and carrots would be amazing as a side dish with this!

A serving of wild rice chicken casserole with french fried onions on a small plate with a fork. Next to the plate are glass salt and pepper shakers, a green salad.

Recipe FAQs

What can I use instead of crispy onions?

Any kind of crispy topping can be used instead of the onions. Try it with buttered cornflakes, crushed Ritz crackers, or buttered and seasoned panko bread crumbs.

Can I use Uncle Ben’s wild rice in this recipe?

The classic and well-known chicken and wild rice recipe is made with a box of Uncle Ben’s rice and canned soup. I chose to use fresher, less processed ingredients here!

If the only type of wild rice blend that you can find is in a small box, you will probably need two boxes, and you should cook according to the package instructions, without all of the seasoning included.

Is Wild Rice actually rice?

It’s not! Wild rice is actually a type of grass, and the plant that it comes from is not at all related to domesticated rice. Other names for wild rice include water oats, Canada Rice, Indian Rice, or manoomin.