Monday, January 27, 2014

chicken, cheddar and wild rice casserole {SRC}

Today is the monthly posting for the Secret Recipe Club.  Because of the holidays, our group didn't have a post in December. This was probably a really good thing for me since December flew by. Now that things around our household are back to normal schedules, I am glad to share with you a very fun blog, Fearless Homemaker.


There were tons and tons of fantastic recipes to make. In fact the day I started searching was the same day Amy posted her top posts from 2013.  I pretty much could have made any of these treats and been happy but using that post felt a bit like cheating. Plus part of the fun is search.  



After digging around in the archives I found this recipe for chicken, cheddar and wild rice casserole that seemed perfect for dinner on a cold, winter day. Amy must have had the same thoughts since her posting date was the end of January too.


This chicken, cheddar and wild rice casserole exceeded our expectations. Mr J. was beyond ecstatic. I never make casseroles. It was warm and gooey with all sorts of cheesy flavor.  


I liked knowing that it was full of carrots, celery, onions and wild rice. We ate this for days and it never got old.  In fact it was pretty sad when the morning came and I realized there was no more left to pack up for lunch.


Thanks Amy for such a delicious recipe!

Cheesy Chicken, Cheddar and Wild Rice Casserole

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients (serves 8)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 3 stalks celery, finely diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves fresh minced garlic
  • 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
  • 2 4.6 oz boxes of wild rice, prepared
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
for the cheese sauce:
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the Casserole:
Make sure rice is cooked and chicken is shredded.

In a large pot or dutch oven heat oil.

Saute onion, celery + carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add in chicken, prepared rice, salt, pepper + garlic salt. reduce heat to low.

For the Cheese Sauce:
Melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, until roux turns golden. 

Slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously until thick and nearly boiling. Once thick remove from heat and immediately stir in 2 cups cheddar cheese until melted and smooth.

Pour cheese sauce into chicken/rice mixture then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with additional 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese and panko breadcrumbs.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted, golden. It should be bubbly along the edges.
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Secret Recipe Club

18 comments:

  1. Oh, I am SO thrilled that you liked this! This is seriously one of my favorite casseroles - we just made it the other night, too. And I love all the fab leftovers, too. Fun choice! =D

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  2. What a perfect cold weather recipe - cozy, and comforting casserole dishes are one of my favorites to serve up at our house. Great SRC pick!!

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  3. What a perfect recipe for a cold day. The best comfort food. Great recipe and Happy SRC Day!

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  4. Just noticed that I don't make casseroles that often, which is a shame... I think every Fall I say to myself "the weather for casseroles is coming', and then all of a sudden it's Spring! :-)

    Hope you are having a great Reveal Monday!

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  5. Perfect comfort food! Great pick this month :)

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  6. What a great recipe~ My family would love this~ Great SRC pick. Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines

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  7. Wonderful comfort-food for a winter day!! Great SRC pick this month :-)

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  8. This looks great! My husband keeps telling me to make more casseroles. I will definitely give this a try.

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  9. This casserole sounds so tasty...the flavour combinations is delicious! Great SRC pick!

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  10. This looks REALLY good! I'm pinning it Great pick!

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  11. You cant go wrong with a warm comforting casserole on a cold winter night. Your recipe looks great, I love how the yellow of the cheese plays off of the blue setting. Great job this month! :)

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  12. Chicken and rice, my favorite food growing up. The wild rice is a wonderful idea, very grown up! I love the nutty flavor it has. I could eat this casserole for days!

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  13. yummers!!! comfort food to the max! Visiting from group D

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  14. Oh my, this sounds so decadent and yes, perfect for these chilly winter days. Great choice for SRC!

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  15. I have never made a rice casserole like this... I think it's a must try meal. :)

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