Well, now that I am home (temporarily) I have been craving some comfort food in a major way. I mean, it just plain sucks to have to eat out ALL the time (no, I am not being funny - I really do not like eating out five days a week)!
I have been wanting to attempt a chicken and rice casserole for a while now, so I thought this week was as good a time as any. I added some wild rice to make it slightly different than your traditional chicken and rice casserole and it turned out awesome. I have a feeling this will be one of my favorites this winter.
Chicken with White and Wild Rice Casserole
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken cut into cubes
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 cup of wild rice
- 1.5 cups white rice (long or medium grain)
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream or half and half
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Cook your white rice following the directions on the package - use chicken stock instead of water though. I use 1.5 cups of rice to 2 cups of liquid, so the rice doesn't get over done. Salt and pepper to taste. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and layer your rice on the bottom.
Cook your wild rice following the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
In the meantime, In a large saute pan over medium high heat, brown your chicken in 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Once almost cooked through, add your celery, onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook until your chicken is cooked all the way through. Salt and pepper to taste. Add in two cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn to medium heat and let reduce until there is about 3/4 cup of the stock left. Turn to low and add in the wild rice, Greek yogurt, and cream. Stir to combine. Check your seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Pour over your rice.
Bake for an additional 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
This was really creamy and delicious. The vegetables definitely added an extra element too. I like to think this was a slightly healthier version since some of the recipes I saw strictly used canned cream soups or up to 4 cups of heavy cream. Maybe not super healthy - but still just a little bit healthier :)
Well, there you have it. My first post in weeks. I hope it was worth the wait!
