Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is the kind of supper that shows up when somebody needs a little extra love. Whether it’s a new baby, a move, or a hard week, the pan always ends up empty. This one comes together with just a handful of shortcuts (rotisserie chicken, boxed rice mix, and canned soup), so you get all that creamy, cheesy, Ritz-cracker-topped goodness in under an hour!
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Pull up a chair, y'all. I'm about to hand you my go-to freezer-friendly casserole, the one I've made more times than I can count for new mamas, new neighbors, and anybody who's helped me haul furniture. This easy Chicken Wild Rice Casserole is basically Southern potluck royalty, just like my Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole. It's rich, it's homey, and it reheats like a dream, which is exactly what you want from a casserole.
Years ago, I would always make a double batch of this casserole any time I made it. That was back when my kids were still at home and there was always somebody in the neighborhood who needed a meal dropped off. Now that I'm an empty nester, I just divide the mixture in half for two smaller casseroles. I guess old habits die hard!
So this is how I do it. I make one in my 8x8 casserole dish for supper tonight, then I use the leftover half of the mixture to fill a disposable 8x8 dish for a friend or pop it in the freezer. That way I’ve always got a little extra, either for a quick dinner later on, or for a friend or neighbor who needs it!
Shortcuts
- Rotisserie chicken. Skip cooking and shredding chicken from scratch. A store-bought rotisserie chicken gives you tender, well-seasoned meat in the time it takes to pick it off the bone. (I prefer the big ones from Sam's and Costco for just $4.98).
- Boxed long grain and wild rice mix. Using a seasoned rice mix (like Uncle Ben's) means you get perfectly cooked rice with built-in flavor, no measuring out herbs and spices required.
- Canned cream of chicken soup. This stands in for a homemade cream sauce, thickening the filling and tying all those flavors together in about five seconds flat.
If you're a fan of stick-to-your-ribs casseroles like this, you'll also want to try my Crockpot Chicken and Dressing or my Slow Cooker Chicken Spinach Lasagna. They are both super easy and can easily feed a crowd!
Ingredients for Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
- Rice mix - You'll need two of the 6.2-ounce boxes (Uncle Ben's brand or Rice a Roni is my pick). Cook it according to the package directions before you do anything else.
- Butter or olive oil - Either works for sautéing the onion and celery. I usually reach for butter because, well, it's a casserole and we're not counting calories today.
- Onion and celery - Chopped fine, these two give the filling its savory backbone. If you've got a garden going, this is a great way to use up celery before it gets too fibrous.
- Chicken - Cubed or shredded, cooked. A rotisserie chicken gets you there fast, but leftover baked or grilled chicken works just as well.
- Cheese - Shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar, divided. Some goes into the filling, the rest gets sprinkled on top before baking.
- Cream of chicken soup - You’ll need two 10¾-ounce cans. This is your creamy binder, so don't skip it.
- Sour cream and mayonnaise - A cup of each adds richness, creaminess and tang to balance out all that cheese and cracker topping.
- Ritz crackers and melted butter - Crushed crackers tossed with melted butter make the golden, crunchy topping that sets this casserole apart from a plain rice bake.
If you love this flavor combination, don't miss my Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. It's a copy-cat version of Panera Bread's famous soup.
Substitutions & Variations
- Rice: Swap the boxed wild rice mixes for 2 cups cooked of long-grain white rice, if that's what you have on hand.
- Soup: Use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in place of cream of chicken for a different flavor twist. Or one cream of chicken and one cream of mushroom.
- Cheese: You can use any of your favorite shredded cheese. Try Monterey Jack or a sharp white Cheddar instead of Colby Jack for a different cheese profile.
- Add more veggies: Cook sliced mushrooms along with the onions and celery or stir in a cup of frozen peas and carrots or steamed broccoli to sneak in some extra veggies.
- Turkey Wild Rice Casserole- To use up Thanksgiving and Christmas leftover turkey, swap it out for the cooked chicken.
How to Make Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Prepare rice mixes according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet with high sides or 5 to 6 quart pot over medium heat; add onion and celery.
- Cook 8 minutes, stirring often, or until onion is almost tender. Stir in cooked rice, chicken, 2 cups of the shredded cheese, soup, sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Pour the chicken and rice mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish or pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese over the casserole.
- Combine crushed crackers and butter.
- Then sprinkle with the crackers. Bake at 350F degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly around the sides and lightly browned on top.
Pro Tips
- Cook your rice a day ahead. If you're short on time, cook the rice mix the night before and store it in the fridge. It'll shave several minutes off your prep the day you actually assemble the creamy chicken wild rice casserole.
- Shred your own cheese when you can. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents that can make your filling slightly grainy. A block of Colby Jack shredded fresh melts smoother and gives you a creamier bite.
- Don't skip the resting time. Casseroles like this one need a few minutes out of the oven to set up. Cutting in too soon means a looser, less scoopable serving.
- Make a double batch for sharing. Since this recipe is so freezer-friendly, it costs you very little extra effort to mix up a double portion. One for supper tonight and one to freeze for a friend or for your own freezer stash down the road.
What to Serve with Wild Rice Chicken Casserole
Because this chicken with wild rice casserole is rich and creamy, I like to balance it out with something light and crisp on the side. A simple green salad or my Caprese Salad with Cherry Tomatoes would both be great. If you want something more Southern on the table, Skillet Green Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar or a batch of Instant Pot Fresh Green Beans with Bacon round things out nicely. And you really can't go wrong finishing the meal with a slice of Vidalia Onion Cornbread!
Storage
How to store leftovers:
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm the whole dish, covered, in a 350°F oven until heated through.
To freeze before baking:
- Cover the unbaked casserole tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze.
- To thaw, place it in the fridge 24 hours before baking, then bake uncovered at 350°F for 35 minutes.
- To bake straight from frozen, bake covered at 350°F for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges.
To freeze after baking:
- Let the casserole cool completely to room temperature, about 1 ½ hours.
- Wrap the baking dish tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze. (If you're using a disposable aluminum pan, skip the flimsy plastic lid — it takes up freezer space and won't prevent freezer burn. Cover with heavy duty foil instead.)
- To thaw, place in the fridge 24 hours before baking.
- To reheat, bake covered at 350°F for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges.
Kathleen Answers Your Questions
A good cheesy chicken wild rice casserole comes down to properly cooked (not mushy) rice, a creamy filling that's rich without being gluey, well-seasoned chicken like rotisserie, and a crunchy buttery topping for contrast against all that softness.
Common mistakes include skipping the sauté step for the onion and celery (leaves them raw and crunchy) and overcooking the rice before baking so it turns to mush, using watery or undrained ingredients that make the filling soupy. Lastly, overbaking or skipping the rest time, which leaves you with a loose, sloppy scoop.
You can, though the texture and flavor won't be quite as good as freshly cooked or rotisserie chicken. If using canned, drain it well and season it with a little salt and pepper before adding it to the mixture.
Yes, place 2 raw chicken breasts in a greased 6 quart slow cooker. Add the onion, celery, rice mixes with seasoning packets, 3 cups water. Stir to make sure rice is in the liquid. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours or until chicken and rice are done. With two forks, shred the chicken right inside the slow cooker. Sprinkle with all the cheese, then buttered cracker crumbs and cook on high an additional 20 to 30 minutes until cheese is melted.
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Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 6.2 ounce packages quick-cooking long grain and wild rice mix I like Uncle Ben's or Rice a Roni
- 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups chopped onion
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- 3 cups cubed or coarsely shredded cooked chicken I like to use rotisserie
- 3 cups shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese 12 ounces, divided
- 2 10 ¾ ounce cans cream of chicken
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- ¼ cup melted butter
Instructions
- Prepare rice mix according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet with high sides or 5 to 6 quart pot over medium heat; add onion and celery. Cook 8 minutes, stirring often, or until onion is almost tender. Stir in cooked rice, chicken, 2 cups of the shredded cheese, soup, sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Pour the chicken and rice mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish or pan coated with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese over the casserole.
- Tip: Use a zip-top bag and the bottom of a heavy-bottomed drinking glass to crush the crackers.
- Combine crushed crackers and butter. Then sprinkle with crackers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly around the sides and lightly browned on top.
Notes
Freezing Instructions
If preparing the casserole to freeze:- Cover the uncooked casserole with heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze.
- To thaw, place in the fridge 24 hours before baking.
- To bake, uncovered and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
- Bake COVERED, at 350 for 25 minutes. Uncover, and bake an additional 15 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
- Let casserole cool completely to room temperature- about 1 ½ hours. Wrap the baking dish in heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze. If using a disposable aluminum casserole, don’t freeze it with the clear plastic lid that comes with it-it takes up space in the freezer and is not sufficient to prevent freezer burn. Cover the top with foil and freeze.
- To thaw cooked casserole, place in the fridge 24 hours before baking. To bake, bake COVERED at 350 for 20 minutes, uncover, then bake an additional 10 until bubbly around the edges.
Tips
- Cook the rice mix according to package directions before starting. It should be tender but not mushy going into the oven.
- Let the casserole rest 5 minutes after baking so it sets up for clean, scoopable servings.
- This recipe halves easily into two 8x8 dishes. Great for sharing one and keeping one for yourself.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
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