Amazing 35-Minute Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

Name: Amazing 35-Minute Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups wild rice blend; 4 tablespoons butter; 1 stalk celery finely chopped; 1 small yellow onion finely diced; 10 ounces mushrooms thinly sliced; 1/4 cup all purpose flour; 1 cup chicken stock; 1 cup whole milk; 2 cups cooked chopped chicken breast; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; Salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; For the topping: 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs; For the topping: 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese; For the topping: 2 tablespoons melted butter

By anna Boncoeur On November 19, 2025

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If you’ve been searching for the ultimate Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch recipe, stop looking! I’m Anna, and I’m honestly obsessed with sharing simple, flavorful chicken recipes that make everyday cooking feel easier and way more joyful. Forget those cans of condensed soup—we are making this creamy, cheesy masterpiece entirely from scratch today. I promise you, once you taste this rich sauce and that crispy topping, you’ll never go back. I’ve made this baked chicken dish dozens of times, and I am so confident that this method delivers the best comfort food experience, every single time you pull it out of the oven.

Table Of content

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch

Honestly, this recipe is a weeknight hero disguised as fancy comfort food. It hits all the right notes without needing complicated techniques. You get that deep, satisfying flavor that only comes from making things the right way.

It’s completely made from scratch—no shortcuts needed!
That creamy, cheesy sauce coats every grain of rice perfectly.
Preparation is surprisingly simple, even for busy cooks like us.
It is the definition of warm, satisfying, baked comfort food.

Equipment Required for Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch

You don’t need a kitchen full of gadgets for this! We’re keeping things straightforward so you can spend less time setting up and more time enjoying that amazing aroma filling your house. These are the essentials you’ll want handy before you start cooking.

Essential Tools

A 9×13 inch baking dish to hold all that deliciousness.
A large skillet for sautéing the veggies and making the sauce.
A medium pot for cooking down that wild rice blend.
A whisk—you absolutely need this for keeping the sauce smooth!
A few mixing bowls for prepping your topping and holding ingredients.

Gathering Ingredients for Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch

The secret to making this creamy chicken casserole taste so incredible is trusting real, quality ingredients. When we skip the canned stuff, the flavor just explodes! Don’t worry about tracking down anything too fancy, though. Most of this is pantry or fridge staples, but getting those vegetables just right—especially the mushrooms—makes a huge difference in the final texture of this homemade wild rice dish.

Ingredient List Details

Here is exactly what you need for six generous servings of that amazing baked chicken dish. Make sure your chicken is already cooked and chopped up before you start the sauce!

Component	Amount	Preparation
Wild Rice Blend	1 1/2 cups	Cooked until slightly underdone
Butter	4 tablespoons	For sautéing
Celery	1 stalk	Finely chopped
Yellow Onion	1 small	Finely diced
Mushrooms	10 ounces	Thinly sliced
All Purpose Flour	1/4 cup	For the roux
Chicken Stock	1 cup	Low sodium preferred
Whole Milk	1 cup
Cooked Chicken Breast	2 cups	Chopped
Cheddar Cheese	1 cup	Shredded
Salt & Pepper	To taste
Panko Breadcrumbs	3/4 cup	For topping
Parmesan Cheese	1/2 cup	Finely shredded, for topping
Melted Butter	2 tablespoons	For topping

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

If you can’t find a wild rice blend, you can use all brown rice, but I really recommend trying to find that blend for the texture contrast. If you’re short on time, grabbing a rotisserie chicken and shredding two cups of the breast meat works perfectly fine for this recipe. Don’t skip the vegetables, though; they build the flavor foundation!

For the topping, if you don’t have Parmesan, just use a little extra cheddar, but the Parmesan really helps that topping get extra golden and crispy. Remember, since we aren’t adding any specific herbs here, feel free to toss in a teaspoon of dried thyme with your flour if you want a little earthy boost!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch

Okay, let’s get down to business! Making this creamy chicken casserole from scratch is just a series of simple layering steps. I’ve broken it down so you can follow along without feeling rushed. Trust me, the payoff when that golden topping comes out of the oven is totally worth the few minutes of stirring.

Preparing the Wild Rice

First things first, we need to tackle that wild rice blend. Bring a medium pot of water to a roaring boil. Toss in your 1 1/2 cups of rice and cook it according to the package directions, but here’s the trick: you want it slightly undercooked. I mean five minutes less than it suggests. We do this because it’s going to finish cooking in the oven inside that rich sauce. Once it’s done, drain it really well and just set it aside while you work on the creamy base.

Building the Creamy Base

Next up, get your oven preheated to 350°F—don’t forget that step! While it warms up, grab your 9×13 baking dish and give it a quick grease so nothing sticks later. Now, move to your large skillet. Melt those 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add your finely chopped celery and diced onion. Let them hang out there for about 3 to 5 minutes until they start to soften up and smell wonderful. Don’t let them brown! Now, turn the heat up to medium-high and toss in your thinly sliced mushrooms. Cook those for about 3 minutes until they’ve softened and released some of their moisture.

This is where the magic roux happens. Sprinkle your 1/4 cup of flour right over those cooked vegetables and stir everything really well to coat them completely. This flour will thicken our sauce, so make sure it’s mixed in nicely. Now, this part requires constant attention! Slowly start adding your 1 cup of chicken stock and 1 cup of whole milk. You have to stir constantly here—I mean non-stop stirring—as you pour. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes until you see the sauce start to bubble gently and thicken up nicely. If you stop stirring, you’ll get lumps, and we definitely don’t want that!

Combining Casserole Components

Once that sauce is thick, take the skillet completely off the heat. That’s important! Now, stir in your 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken breast, the 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and season generously with salt and pepper to your liking. Taste it right now; this is your last chance to adjust the salt before it goes into the oven! Finally, gently fold in that slightly undercooked rice you set aside earlier. Once everything is evenly mixed, transfer the entire glorious chicken and rice mixture right into your prepared baking dish and spread it out so it’s nice and even.

Crafting and Applying the Topping

We need a little crunch on top to contrast that creamy interior! In a small, separate bowl, mix together your 3/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs, the 1/2 cup of finely shredded Parmesan cheese, and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Just use a fork to toss it all together until the panko looks evenly coated. Sprinkle this beautiful topping mixture evenly over the entire surface of the casserole. Don’t press it down; we want it light and crispy!

Baking and Resting the Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch

Pop that dish into your 350°F oven. Bake it uncovered for about 35 to 40 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the edges are bubbling furiously and that panko topping is perfectly golden brown and crisp. Since we have cooked chicken in here, we still need to be safe. Stick a meat thermometer into the center; you are looking for the chicken to hit that safe 165°F internal temperature. Once it’s done, pull it out of the oven, but please, don’t touch it yet! Let the casserole rest on the counter for a solid 10 minutes. This resting time allows the sauce to set up, making serving so much neater.

Tips for Perfect Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch

Even though this is a straightforward recipe, a few little tricks can take this creamy chicken casserole from good to absolutely unforgettable. Since we’re making this homemade wild rice dish completely from scratch, paying attention to the small details really pays off in the final texture and taste. You’ve got this!

Achieving the Right Creaminess

If you’re worried about lumps forming when you add the milk and stock, I have a trick for you. Make sure the flour is fully cooked—about a minute after you add it to the veggies—before you start adding liquid. Then, add the liquid in three separate additions, whisking vigorously after each addition. It seems tedious, but this slow addition prevents the flour from clumping up against itself, guaranteeing a silky smooth sauce every time.

Enhancing Flavor Profile

While the recipe is perfect as is, I always like to sneak in a little extra warmth. A tiny pinch—maybe 1/4 teaspoon—of ground nutmeg added right in with the salt and pepper deepens the cheesy flavor beautifully. If you want an herby note, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme instead of the suggested fresh herbs when you sprinkle in the flour. It complements the mushrooms so nicely!

Storing and Reheating Your Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch

This baked chicken dish is fantastic for leftovers, which is why I always make sure I have enough for lunch the next day! Once cooled slightly, cover your casserole dish tightly with foil or transfer any extra portions into an airtight container. It’s best eaten within three to four days, but it freezes beautifully too if you want to save it for a super busy week later on.

Storage Method	Duration	Reheating Tip
Refrigerator	3-4 Days	Cover loosely with foil and bake at 350°F until heated through (about 20 minutes).
Freezer	Up to 2 Months	Thaw overnight in the fridge first, then bake as directed above.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch

I get so many questions about tweaking this recipe, which is a great sign that you all love making this creamy chicken casserole as much as I do! Since we’re making it completely from scratch, people often wonder how flexible some of the steps are. Here are the common things I hear from other busy cooks.

Can I prepare this Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch ahead of time

Yes, absolutely! This is one of my favorite make-ahead meals. You can assemble the entire casserole—rice, sauce, chicken, the whole deal—in your baking dish, cover it tightly, and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just remember to leave the topping off until you are ready to bake. When you pull it out of the fridge, you might need to add about 10 extra minutes to the baking time since it’s starting cold.

How can I make this a lighter version of the creamy chicken casserole

If you want to lighten this up without sacrificing too much flavor, you have a couple of options. You can swap the whole milk for 2% milk or even unsweetened almond milk, though whole milk gives the best richness. Instead of using 4 tablespoons of butter in the sauce, try cutting it down to 3 tablespoons and just use 1 tablespoon of olive oil for sautéing the vegetables. It won’t be quite as decadent, but it’s still delicious!

What type of chicken is best for this homemade wild rice dish

For this homemade wild rice dish, using cooked chicken breast is ideal because it stays tender and doesn’t dry out while the casserole bakes. If you’re cooking your own chicken, use boneless, skinless breasts, simmer them gently until they reach 165°F, and then chop them up. Rotisserie chicken is my secret weapon for speed, though! If you need quick, perfectly cooked chicken, check out my guide on oven-baked boneless skinless chicken.

Sharing Your Homemade Comfort Food

I truly hope making this Chicken Wild Rice Casserole From Scratch brought a little warmth to your kitchen! This is the kind of satisfying, cheesy comfort food that deserves a little shout-out. If you loved how easy it was to skip the cans and make this amazing dish, please leave a rating below. I’d love to hear what you thought and see your beautiful golden-topped casseroles! You can also find more great ideas on my Pinterest page.