Chicken Wild Rice Casserole with Zucchini and Mushrooms

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This Chicken Wild Rice Casserole with Zucchini and Mushrooms is a comforting dinner the whole family will love!  Everything cooks in this one dish for easy clean up! 

This is one warm, comforting, and hearty dinner!  Chicken Wild Rice Casserole with Zucchini and Mushrooms has nutty and chewy wild rice, chunks of chicken, tender zucchini, earthy mushrooms topped with swiss cheese.  Everything cooks in this one casserole dish for super easy clean up too!  It’s a great dinner to make ahead and simply reheat on long Summer days, busy Fall weeknights, or cold Winter evenings.  

Want more tips for making busy family dinners easier?  Click here for my Free Printable 5 Simple Steps to Easy Family Dinners!

WHAT IS WILD RICE?  HINT:  IT’S NOT RICE AND IT’S VERY HEALTHY!

That’s right, my friends, wild rice is not rice.  While it is a cousin to rice, it’s actually a semi-aquatic grass seed, meaning that it’s the seeds of plants that grow in shallow water.  It has an outer shell and a soft, chewy center and a deeper, nuttier flavor than white rice.

It also has greater health benefits vs. white rice!  Wild rice has almost three times more fiber, more protein, and antioxidant activity that’s is up to 30 times greater than white rice.

You can swap in wild rice for most white rice recipes, such as Easy Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken or Family Chickpea Coconut Curry with Veggies

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EQUIPMENT NEEDED

For this recipe, you need a large casserole dish that’s approximately 10×12, 12×12, 10×13 or similar.

PREP-AHEAD STEPS FOR CHICKEN WILD RICE CASSEROLE

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below) 

You can actually make this entire casserole ahead and simply reheat it!  But if you just want to get ahead before baking it, then you can cut the zucchini and the mushrooms, as well as thinly slice the scallions.

Cut the raw chicken into 1 inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.

Either store these prepped ingredients in sealed containers in the fridge or move on to the cooking steps.

COOK YOUR CHICKEN WILD RICE CASSEROLE

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Add all rice ingredients to casserole dish. Stir to combine, then tightly cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake in oven for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes, remove the rice from the oven and add the Zucchini, mushrooms, scallions, chicken, salt, pepper, oregano, and ground thyme. Mix and press everything down into the liquid. Bake covered for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the cover and bake 10 minutes more.

For the final 5-10 minutes, add the cheese to the top and bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

RECIPE FAQS

Can I use Brown or White Rice Instead?

Yes, you can swap in any rice you want.  Brown rice will cook in the same time as the wild rice, so follow the same instructions.  White rice will cook faster, so 30 minutes should be enough time for Step 1 in the cooking steps.

Can any other vegetables be used in this recipe?

You can replace the zucchini or mushrooms with a variety of veggies.  You can use broccoli florets, carrots (cut into thin triangles), celery, bell peppers, or brussels sprouts (quartered), to name a few.  Simply replace with the same quantity.

Can I freeze this casserole?

Yes, you can freeze this casserole.  I recommend cooking it first, then cooling it in the freezer, finally moving it to the freezer.  To cook it, you can thaw it in refrigerator for 24 hours ahead.  Then warm it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes until warmed through in the center.  You can also reheat it straight from the freezer, but will need to add 20 minutes or so to the cooking time.

ENJOY!  😍 Carrie

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