This slow cooker chicken wild rice casserole is a slightly modified version of my family’s generations-old recipe, passed down through my mom’s side of the family.
For this recipe, a crock pot does most of the work, which makes it an easy, hands-off weeknight dinner. Serve this wild rice slow cooker recipe as a side dish or main entree.
Make this comforting chicken and wild rice casserole for your next family gathering.
Growing up, my family’s hearty wild rice casserole was served at every holiday meal. Next to baked chicken at Thanksgiving, stuffing at Christmas and ham at Easter, an electric roaster filled with wild rice bubbled up an unforgettable aroma of goodness that permeated the whole house.
As mentioned, I made a few slight variations. The original family recipe does not call for chicken breasts, just chicken broth. Moreover, this recipe would normally be cooked in an electric roaster, but I find a crock pot is easier at times.
We bought a Crock Pot from Target's Hearth & Hand with Magnolia line a couple years ago after our other one died. It's an okay slow cooker.
After using it for a couple years, I prefer the All-Clad slow cooker we had for a little over 15 years which stopped working. It was actually the first slow cooker All-Clad made and I miss it. Williams Sonoma carries the newer version of the one we had, though I have not tried it to attest to the quality or longevity.
Eventually, I may post the original family recipe, but I wanted to publish this recipe first.
My chicken wild rice casserole is one we make regularly, and a slow cooker makes it much easier to prepare for busy families like ours.
Chicken Wild Rice Casserole Ingredients
From scratch, truly delicious homemade recipes often take forever to prepare and cook. Then again, that is part of what makes such meals so delicious: time. Time is required to combine flavors that garner a more well-rounded and complex flavor profile.
Something to keep in mind about wild rice is how dense it is. One cup uncooked wild rice will balloon to 3-4 cups cooked wild rice. That equates to anywhere from 6-8 servings.
With few ingredients, this chicken wild rice casserole comes together quickly, while the slow cooker takes care of the time factor to enable the combining of flavors.
Here is the list of ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- Wild rice - Having grown up in Minnesota, where wild rice grows naturally and is the state grain, I am fairly particular about the wild rice I use. Moose Lake Wild Rice, KC’s Best Wild Rice, Christmas Point Wild Rice, and Bruno’s Wild Rice are all great choices. Lundberg is okay in a pinch, but it is not clear if it’s USA grown anymore. For the world’s best wild rice, buy Minnesota grown varieties. You can read more about wild rice from the University of Minnesota’s wild rice fact sheet.
- Boneless skinless chicken breast - Fresh or frozen, either will work in this slow cooked casserole. When the casserole is done, shred the chicken in the crock pot and stir it all together before serving.
- Butter, salted - Gives the casserole a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs flavor. Some, but not all, of the sodium in this meal comes from this.
- Water chestnuts, sliced - Lend a nutty, crunchy bite to the wild rice. Be sure to rinse and drain the water chestnuts before adding to the saute pan.
- Fresh garlic, minced - Adds a nice punch of garlic without being too garlicky. The original family recipe does not call for this, but I wouldn’t make this recipe (or the original, honestly) without it.
- Garlic salt - Along with the butter, garlic salt is where the much-needed sodium comes from. The salt complements the fresh minced garlic in this dish.
- Chicken bone broth - Chicken bone broth adds a depth of flavor not found in broth alone. Use unsalted to avoid introducing more sodium to this casserole.
- Yellow onion, diced - sweeter than its white onion counterpart, yellow onion is what makes this dish a comfort food.
- Salt - A little goes a long way. Season to taste in your own bowl, as opposed to in the crock pot.
Variations:
- Add 1-2 6.5oz cans of sliced cremini mushrooms. Canned mushrooms as pieces and stems will also work.
- Include ½ to 1 cup chopped celery for a pop of freshness.
- Substitute garlic powder in lieu of fresh garlic to add a more potent garlic flavor.
How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Casserole in a Slow Cooker
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil. I use the All-Clad d5 4-quart sauce pot.
- Add the wild rice and remove from heat. Stir for approximately 1 minute to clean the rice.
- In the slow cooker, add the chicken breast(s).
- Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
- Drain water from pot of clean wild rice and add the wild rice to the slow cooker.
- Dice the onion.
- Saute the onions and minced garlic in butter. Cook until the onions are golden. The 10" All-Clad d5 sauté pan works great for this recipe.
- Add the water chestnuts and garlic salt to the onion mixture. Stir well to coat and mix.
- In the slow cooker, add the onion mixture. Stir, but, if you use frozen chicken, do not disturb the chicken; leave it on the bottom.
- Cook on high 5-6 hours or low 10-12 hours. Check and stir the casserole periodically. If it seems too dry, add more chicken broth.
- When the casserole is done, shred the chicken in the slow cooker and stir well to mix together before serving.
- Serve in bowls or on plates.
Serving Suggestions
This wild rice casserole with chicken is best served as the main course/entree, but can also be served as a side dish.
- Entree - As wild rice is a highly dense, high in protein grain, combined with the addition of chicken, this chicken wild rice casserole is great for family get-togethers, holidays and parties. For larger gatherings, simply double the recipe.
- Side Dish - You could serve this casserole as a side dish. However, keep in mind that wild rice is a much heartier grain. When paired with lighter fare, it is sure to be a hit.
How to Store Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
If you manage to have any leftovers, the wild rice casserole should be stored in the refrigerator. Consume this dish within two days.
Can you freeze wild rice? Absolutely, you can freeze wild rice. In an airtight, freezer safe container, this wild rice casserole can be stored in the freezer for several months. Defrost and reheat to serve from frozen.
Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 oz wild rice
- 1-2 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1-2 8oz can water chestnuts sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 4 cups chicken bone broth unsalted
- 1 yellow onion diced
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
- Add the wild rice and remove from heat. Stir for approximately 1 minute to clean the rice.
- In the slow cooker, add the chicken breast(s).
- Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
- Drain water from the pot of clean wild rice and add the wild rice to the slow cooker.
- Dice the onion.
- Sauté the onions and minced garlic in butter. Cook until the onions are golden.
- Add the water chestnuts and garlic salt to the onion mixture. Stir well to coat and mix.
- In the slow cooker, add the onion mixture. Stir, but if you use frozen chicken, do not disturb the chicken; leave it on the bottom.
- Cook on high 5-6 hours or low 10-12 hours. Check the casserole periodically. If it seems too dry, add more chicken broth. Stir to mix flavors.
- When the casserole is done, shred the chicken in the slow cooker and stir well to mix together before serving.
- Serve in bowls or on plates.
Notes
- Mushrooms - Add sliced cremini mushrooms or pieces and stems to make this meal even heartier.
- Celery - Include chopped celery for a pop of freshness.
- Garlic Powder - For an even more potent garlic flavor, use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
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