Chicken Wild Rice Casserole with Creamy Sauce & Buttery Bread Topping

For the Base Casserole

A layered bake with tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and a golden bread crown—built for cold-weather voyages

Ingredients

• 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
• 5 Large Carrots, Chopped
• 5 Stalks Celery, Chopped
• 1 Cup Wild Rice
• 3 Cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Pound Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Small Pieces
• 10 Tablespoons Butter, Divided
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• ½ Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
• 4 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Cups Milk
• 3 ½ Cups Cubed Bread (Dry, Sturdy, Or Day-Old) Or Stuffing Mix

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large baking dish, combine chopped onion, carrots, celery, wild rice, and chicken broth. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
2. Near the end of baking, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and poultry seasoning; cook for 1 minute.
3. Slowly whisk in milk to form a thick, creamy sauce. Remove from heat.
4. For topping (optional), melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter and toss with cubed bread or stuffing mix.
5. When rice is done, remove foil. Add raw chicken and creamy sauce to the dish and stir to combine.
6. Arrange buttered bread cubes on top. Increase oven temperature to 450°F and bake uncovered for 20–30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and bread topping is golden brown.
7. Garnish with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley if desired.

Prep: 20 min • Cook: 1 hour 45 min • Wait: No time